😐A single person spends $540 per month in Samarkand vs $532 in Cairo, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $884 per month in Samarkand vs $856 in Cairo, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,228 per month in Samarkand vs $1,181 in Cairo, rent included.
😐Samarkand costs about 1% more than Cairo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Samarkand and Cairo are more affordable than the global median – Samarkand60% lower, Cairo60% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.52UZS 54.5K
$4.00E£207
13.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.65UZS 212.6K
$19.64E£1,017
-10.13%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.30UZS 51.8K
$4.87E£252
-11.70%
Cappuccino
$1.75UZS 21.1K
$1.53E£79.3
14.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42UZS 5,078
$0.33E£17.30
27.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25UZS 3,001
$0.14E£7.32
78.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.30UZS 15.6K
$1.34E£69.5
-2.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01UZS 24.2K
$2.73E£141
-26.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.01UZS 12.1K
$0.88E£45.76
14.77%
White Bread(500g)
$0.41UZS 4,926
$0.60E£30.86
-31.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58UZS 19.0K
$0.70E£36.19
125.71%
Eggs
$1.32UZS 15.9K
$1.46E£75.8
-9.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.65UZS 92.2K
$3.44E£178
122.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.71UZS 44.7K
$4.15E£215
-10.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.75UZS 105.4K
$8.52E£441
2.70%
Apples(1kg)
$0.76UZS 9,206
$1.56E£80.9
-51.28%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69UZS 20.4K
$0.56E£29.23
201.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62UZS 19.5K
$0.48E£24.67
237.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.52UZS 18.4K
$0.42E£21.50
261.90%
Potato(1kg)
$0.48UZS 5,794
$0.46E£24.02
4.35%
Onion(1kg)
$0.16UZS 1,932
$0.43E£22.29
-62.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.25UZS 3,029
$0.22E£11.32
13.64%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40UZS 4,837
$0.23E£11.84
73.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.59UZS 19.2K
$2.01E£104
-20.90%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.37UZS 40.6K
$7.51E£389
-55.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.97UZS 11.7K
$1.28E£66.2
-24.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99UZS 24.0K
$1.70E£87.9
17.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25UZS 3,016
$0.31E£16.24
-19.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$3.18UZS 38.3K
$5.94E£308
-46.46%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.38UZS 4,539
$0.39E£19.95
-2.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.19UZS 2,317
$0.29E£14.85
-34.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.34UZS 28.1K
$0.95E£48.95
146.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95UZS 11.5K
$0.31E£15.89
206.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.1KUZS 241.9M
$36.4KE£1.9M
-44.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2KUZS 304.1M
$30.2KE£1.6M
-16.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$38.86UZS 468.2K
$25.81E£1,336
50.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.67UZS 44.3K
$8.30E£430
-55.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.65UZS 140.4K
$12.52E£648
-6.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.09UZS 434.9K
$15.66E£811
130.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.13UZS 73.9K
$6.71E£348
-8.64%
Cinema Ticket
$2.88UZS 34.7K
$3.60E£186
-20.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$117UZS 1.4M
$91.7E£4,746
27.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,734UZS 57.0M
$2,007E£103.9K
135.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.72UZS 237.6K
$31.34E£1,622
-37.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.41UZS 474.8K
$43.96E£2,276
-10.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.3UZS 858.7K
$105E£5,422
-31.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.6UZS 658.2K
$59.8E£3,095
-8.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$230UZS 2.8M
$202E£10.5K
13.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$129UZS 1.6M
$129E£6,699
-0.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$440UZS 5.3M
$412E£21.3K
6.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$296UZS 3.6M
$251E£13.0K
17.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,229UZS 14.8M
$845E£43.8K
45.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$533UZS 6.4M
$470E£24.3K
13.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Samarkand
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$306UZS 3.7M
$188E£9,758
62.51%
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: June 8, 2026
Last update for Cairo: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $230 in Samarkand versus $202 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 63% 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 $18.00 in Samarkand versus $20.00 in Cairo. Groceries tell a different story – $145 in Samarkand vs $126 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 1%, 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 $797 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 15% 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 $18.00 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 $540 in Samarkand and $532 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.