🙂A single person spends $632 per month in Samarkand vs $666 in Cairo, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,023 per month in Samarkand vs $1,045 in Cairo, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,413 per month in Samarkand vs $1,425 in Cairo, rent included.
🙂Samarkand is about 5% cheaper than Cairo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Samarkand and Cairo are more affordable than the global median – Samarkand54% lower, Cairo52% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.91UZS 81.2K
$4.92E£253
40.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.86UZS 233.6K
$29.75E£1,526
-33.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.78UZS 56.2K
$5.98E£307
-20.07%
Cappuccino
$2.47UZS 29.1K
$1.80E£92.3
37.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69UZS 8,116
$0.35E£18.09
97.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.19UZS 2,217
$0.13E£6.79
46.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.50UZS 17.6K
$1.49E£76.3
0.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23UZS 26.2K
$2.33E£120
-4.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.08UZS 12.8K
$0.99E£51.0
9.09%
White Bread(500g)
$0.33UZS 3,834
$0.81E£41.80
-59.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63UZS 19.2K
$0.73E£37.28
123.29%
Eggs
$1.39UZS 16.3K
$1.21E£62.0
14.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.28UZS 97.4K
$4.33E£222
91.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.38UZS 51.5K
$5.16E£265
-15.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.63UZS 125.0K
$9.35E£480
13.69%
Apples(1kg)
$0.81UZS 9,513
$1.81E£92.8
-55.25%
Banana(1kg)
$1.83UZS 21.5K
$0.79E£40.64
131.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.75UZS 20.6K
$0.61E£31.36
186.89%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.73UZS 20.3K
$0.54E£27.47
220.37%
Potato(1kg)
$0.49UZS 5,748
$0.39E£20.00
25.64%
Onion(1kg)
$0.17UZS 2,013
$0.42E£21.52
-59.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.24UZS 2,814
$0.34E£17.32
-29.41%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40UZS 4,720
$0.24E£12.34
66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.67UZS 19.7K
$2.10E£108
-20.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.32UZS 39.0K
$7.91E£406
-58.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.99UZS 11.7K
$1.61E£82.7
-38.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14UZS 25.1K
$2.15E£111
-0.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.26UZS 3,066
$0.34E£17.40
-23.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$3.32UZS 39.1K
$7.76E£398
-57.22%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.37UZS 4,311
$0.37E£19.18
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.32UZS 3,804
$0.22E£11.09
45.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.40UZS 39.9K
$1.60E£82.0
112.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.10UZS 12.9K
$0.46E£23.68
139.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.9KUZS 198.4M
$34.3KE£1.8M
-50.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.2KUZS 284.8M
$28.6KE£1.5M
-15.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$43.06UZS 506.4K
$27.11E£1,391
58.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.86UZS 45.4K
$8.38E£430
-53.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.68UZS 160.9K
$13.70E£703
-0.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.94UZS 469.7K
$25.48E£1,308
56.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.94UZS 81.6K
$6.81E£350
1.91%
Cinema Ticket
$3.22UZS 37.8K
$4.17E£214
-22.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$331UZS 3.9M
$111E£5,713
197.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,569UZS 89.0M
$3,425E£175.7K
121.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.85UZS 245.2K
$44.85E£2,301
-53.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.23UZS 508.4K
$47.37E£2,431
-8.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.5UZS 899.8K
$116E£5,975
-34.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.5UZS 699.3K
$61.7E£3,164
-3.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$250UZS 2.9M
$215E£11.0K
16.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$166UZS 2.0M
$201E£10.3K
-17.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$469UZS 5.5M
$524E£26.9K
-10.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$319UZS 3.8M
$347E£17.8K
-7.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,263UZS 14.9M
$801E£41.1K
57.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$558UZS 6.6M
$515E£26.4K
8.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$311UZS 3.7M
$211E£10.8K
47.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
23.31
16.21
43.80%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Samarkand: September 7, 2026
Last update for Cairo: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $250 in Samarkand 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 48% higher in Samarkand, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Samarkand versus $30.00 in Cairo. Groceries tell a different story – $159 in Samarkand vs $146 in Cairo – so Cairo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Samarkand vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Samarkand?
Yes – Cairo is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $948 per month in Samarkand and $999 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 Samarkand, 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 Samarkand and in Cairo?
Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Cairo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Samarkand or in Cairo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Samarkand and $30.00 in Cairo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Samarkand or Cairo?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $632 in Samarkand and $666 in Cairo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Samarkand or Cairo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Samarkand – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Samarkand 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 Samarkand. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cairo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.