For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $635 a month against $1,687 in Melun, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Melun and in Cairo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,687 per month in Melun vs $635 in Cairo, rent included.
Melun $1,687
Cairo $635
A couple spends around $2,511 per month in Melun vs $1,010 in Cairo, rent included.
Melun $2,511
Cairo $1,010
A family of three spends $3,335 per month in Melun vs $1,385 in Cairo, rent included.
Melun $3,335
Cairo $1,385
😐
Melun costs about 165% more than Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Melun sits 24% above the global median, while Cairo is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Melun
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.73€11.32
$4.63E£247
174.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1€47.20
$27.66E£1,477
91.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.41€11.93
$5.83E£311
130.02%
Cappuccino
$2.99€2.66
$1.69E£90.1
76.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68€1.50
$0.35E£18.79
380.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73€1.54
$0.13E£6.86
1230.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.44€6.62
$1.47E£78.3
406.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.63€5.00
$2.21E£118
154.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Melun
Cairo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.32€1.17
$0.94E£50.5
40.43%
White Bread(500g)
$1.89€1.68
$0.79E£41.96
139.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.86€2.54
$0.70E£37.41
308.57%
Eggs
$4.17€3.70
$1.12E£59.5
272.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$21.19€18.85
$4.08E£218
419.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.88€11.46
$4.77E£255
170.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.95€20.41
$8.81E£470
160.50%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31€2.94
$1.68E£89.7
97.02%
Banana(1kg)
$2.12€1.88
$0.71E£38.07
198.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.35€2.09
$0.59E£31.31
298.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.08€2.74
$0.51E£27.06
503.92%
Potato(1kg)
$1.82€1.62
$0.37E£19.81
391.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99€1.77
$0.44E£23.47
352.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.77€1.58
$0.34E£18.37
420.59%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63€0.56
$0.21E£11.16
200.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.92€12.38
$1.99E£106
599.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.20€7.29
$7.49E£400
9.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46€2.19
$1.51E£80.4
62.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27€3.80
$2.08E£111
105.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Melun
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.95€1.73
$0.34E£18.29
473.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$47.25€42.03
$8.31E£444
468.59%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.21€1.97
$0.40E£21.48
452.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.16€1.92
$0.19E£9.99
1036.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$23.81€21.18
$1.50E£80.0
1487.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.23€1.98
$0.45E£23.77
395.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K€30.3K
$33.1KE£1.8M
2.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3K€30.5K
$26.1KE£1.4M
31.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melun
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$197€176
$27.62E£1,475
614.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.10€13.43
$7.83E£418
92.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.14€25.03
$14.39E£769
95.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Melun
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.17€31.29
$28.62E£1,528
22.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$7.47E£399
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.97€8.87
$4.56E£244
118.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Melun
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$623€554
$120E£6,417
418.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,092€7,197
$3,476E£185.6K
132.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Melun
Cairo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.6€77.0
$39.13E£2,090
121.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.76€36.25
$49.04E£2,619
-16.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€92.1
$111E£5,934
-6.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102€90.4
$57.0E£3,043
78.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Melun
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$742€660
$215E£11.5K
244.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$561€499
$196E£10.5K
186.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,193€1,061
$542E£28.9K
120.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$883€785
$338E£18.0K
161.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,959€3,522
$830E£44.3K
376.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,978€2,649
$512E£27.3K
481.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Melun
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,499€2,223
$195E£10.4K
1182.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.92
16.21
-75.82%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Melun: October 19, 2026
Last update for Cairo: October 18, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Melun
$561 33.2%
Cairo
$196 30.8% ↓ 65.1%$365
🛒Groceries & Markets
Melun
$372 22.1%
Cairo
$137 21.6% ↓ 63.2%$235
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melun
$241 14.3%
Cairo
$50 7.8% ↓ 79.3%$191
🍽Eating Out
Melun
$240 14.2%
Cairo
$88 13.9% ↓ 63.2%$152
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Melun
$150 8.9%
Cairo
$115 18.2% ↓ 22.9%$34
🚌Getting Around
Melun
$68 4%
Cairo
$11 1.7% ↓ 83.8%$57
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Melun
$55 3.3%
Cairo
$38 5.9% ↓ 31.5%$17
🏠Accommodation & Living
Melun
$883 26.5%
Cairo
$338 24.4% ↓ 61.7%$545
🛒Groceries & Markets
Melun
$878 26.3%
Cairo
$313 22.6% ↓ 64.3%$565
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Melun
$256 7.7%
Cairo
$58 4.2% ↓ 77.4%$198
🍽Eating Out
Melun
$736 22.1%
Cairo
$315 22.7% ↓ 57.2%$421
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Melun
$332 10%
Cairo
$256 18.5% ↓ 22.9%$76
🚌Getting Around
Melun
$140 4.2%
Cairo
$23 1.6% ↓ 83.8%$117
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Melun
$110 * 3.3%
Cairo
$83 6% ↓ 24.7%$27
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $742 in Melun versus $215 in Cairo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 1182% higher in Melun, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Melun versus $28.00 in Cairo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $137 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Melun vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Melun?
Yes – Melun is pricier by about 165%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Melun and $953 in Cairo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cairo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Melun and in Cairo?
Groceries cost about 172% more in Melun, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Melun or in Cairo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Melun and $28.00 in Cairo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Melun or in Cairo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Melun at $1,687. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Melun or Cairo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cairo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Melun or Cairo?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cairo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Melun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.