Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarkand and Cairo Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarkand and Cairo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $539 per month in Samarkand vs $518 in Cairo, rent included.

A couple spends around $895 per month in Samarkand vs $831 in Cairo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,251 per month in Samarkand vs $1,144 in Cairo, rent included.

Samarkand costs about 4% more than Cairo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Samarkand and Cairo are more affordable than the global median – Samarkand 60% lower, Cairo 61% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.72 UZS 57.1K
$3.84 E£199
22.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.24 UZS 208.2K
$20.05 E£1,042
-14.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.22 UZS 51.0K
$4.92 E£256
-14.23%
Cappuccino
$1.80 UZS 21.8K
$1.55 E£80.5
16.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 UZS 5,144
$0.36 E£18.90
19.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 UZS 3,000
$0.13 E£6.73
92.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.28 UZS 15.4K
$1.40 E£72.8
-8.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UZS 24.2K
$2.77 E£144
-27.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 UZS 12.7K
$0.93 E£48.29
12.90%
White Bread (500g)
$0.38 UZS 4,575
$0.64 E£33.06
-40.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 UZS 19.1K
$0.72 E£37.57
119.44%
Eggs
$1.26 UZS 15.2K
$1.53 E£79.8
-17.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.87 UZS 95.1K
$3.42 E£178
130.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.73 UZS 45.0K
$4.34 E£225
-14.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.78 UZS 106.0K
$8.81 E£458
-0.34%
Apples (1kg)
$0.83 UZS 10.0K
$1.52 E£78.9
-45.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 UZS 21.0K
$0.60 E£31.41
190.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 UZS 19.6K
$0.50 E£26.12
226.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 UZS 18.2K
$0.38 E£19.90
294.74%
Potato (1kg)
$0.48 UZS 5,817
$0.50 E£25.97
-4.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.17 UZS 2,053
$0.43 E£22.57
-60.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.25 UZS 3,035
$0.22 E£11.38
13.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.38 UZS 4,570
$0.20 E£10.27
90.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.61 UZS 19.4K
$2.03 E£106
-20.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.22 UZS 38.9K
$7.78 E£404
-58.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 UZS 11.6K
$1.22 E£63.4
-21.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 UZS 24.4K
$1.73 E£89.9
16.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 UZS 3,034
$0.29 E£15.04
-13.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$3.08 UZS 37.3K
$6.21 E£323
-50.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 UZS 4,586
$0.42 E£21.77
-9.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.18 UZS 2,159
$0.29 E£14.95
-37.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.33 UZS 28.1K
$0.97 E£50.4
140.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 UZS 11.4K
$0.31 E£15.87
203.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.0K UZS 241.3M
$36.1K E£1.9M
-44.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K UZS 299.2M
$30.0K E£1.6M
-17.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$38.84 UZS 469.1K
$26.21 E£1,363
48.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.58 UZS 43.2K
$8.03 E£418
-55.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.68 UZS 141.0K
$12.43 E£646
-6.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.27 UZS 438.1K
$16.01 E£833
126.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.40 UZS 77.3K
$6.74 E£351
-5.04%
Cinema Ticket
$2.95 UZS 35.6K
$3.65 E£190
-19.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$118 UZS 1.4M
$93.7 E£4,870
26.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,645 UZS 56.1M
$1,976 E£102.8K
135.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.54 UZS 236.1K
$31.27 E£1,626
-37.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.93 UZS 482.2K
$44.03 E£2,289
-9.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.2 UZS 860.0K
$107 E£5,542
-33.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56.1 UZS 677.4K
$59.5 E£3,096
-5.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$227 UZS 2.7M
$208 E£10.8K
9.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$129 UZS 1.6M
$131 E£6,809
-1.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$431 UZS 5.2M
$414 E£21.5K
4.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 UZS 3.6M
$248 E£12.9K
20.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,248 UZS 15.1M
$929 E£48.3K
34.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$546 UZS 6.6M
$523 E£27.2K
4.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$293 UZS 3.5M
$173 E£8,980
69.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.07
16.67
32.39%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Samarkand: April 21, 2026

Last update for Cairo: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $227 in Samarkand versus $208 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 70% higher in Samarkand, 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 $17 in Samarkand versus $20 in Cairo. Groceries tell a different story – $145 in Samarkand vs $129 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 – Samarkand is pricier by about 4%, 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 $809 per month in Samarkand and $778 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 Samarkand and Cairo?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Samarkand, 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 Samarkand or Cairo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Samarkand and $20.00 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 $539 in Samarkand and $518 in Cairo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Samarkand 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, 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 Cairo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Samarkand makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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