Cost of Living Comparison Between Sheikh Zayed and Hurghada Cost of Living Comparison Between Sheikh Zayed and Hurghada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $473 per month in Sheikh Zayed vs $534 in Hurghada, rent included.

A couple spends around $769 per month in Sheikh Zayed vs $1,008 in Hurghada, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,065 per month in Sheikh Zayed vs $1,482 in Hurghada, rent included.

Sheikh Zayed is about 12% cheaper than Hurghada, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sheikh Zayed and Hurghada are more affordable than the global median – Sheikh Zayed 65% lower, Hurghada 60% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sheikh Zayed
Hurghada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.51 E£182
$4.00 E£208
-12.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.93 E£827
$39.52 E£2,051
-59.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.99 E£207
$6.07 E£315
-34.27%
Cappuccino
$1.50 E£78.1
$1.61 E£83.5
-6.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 E£16.28
$0.35 E£18.09
-11.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12 E£6.38
$0.13 E£6.61
-7.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.22 E£63.1
$2.00 E£104
-39.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 E£153
$2.67 E£139
10.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sheikh Zayed
Hurghada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.82 E£42.31
$1.02 E£53.1
-19.61%
White Bread (500g)
$0.74 E£38.22
$0.56 E£29.17
32.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.70 E£36.12
$1.02 E£53.1
-31.37%
Eggs
$1.40 E£72.5
$2.14 E£111
-34.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.97 E£206
$3.41 E£177
16.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.33 E£225
$6.56 E£341
-33.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.62 E£499
$10.04 E£521
-4.18%
Apples (1kg)
$1.49 E£77.1
$1.31 E£68.1
13.74%
Banana (1kg)
$0.47 E£24.45
$0.43 E£22.27
9.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.40 E£20.62
$0.39 E£20.23
2.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.37 E£19.18
$0.58 E£30.02
-36.21%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 E£19.61
$0.46 E£23.73
-17.39%
Onion (1kg)
$0.38 E£19.88
$0.58 E£29.95
-34.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.24 E£12.47
$0.28 E£14.43
-14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.14 E£7.26
$0.18 E£9.42
-22.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.70 E£88.2
$1.96 E£102
-13.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.92 E£307
$7.21 E£374
-17.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 E£72.3
$1.25 E£64.9
11.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 E£135
$1.82 E£94.7
42.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Sheikh Zayed
Hurghada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 E£13.03
$0.09 E£4.65
177.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.53 E£27.27
$0.38 E£19.93
39.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 E£22.24
$0.19 E£9.76
126.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.03 E£105
$2.01 E£104
1.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.31 E£15.90
$0.35 E£18.42
-11.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K E£1.8M
$17.3K E£897.8K
104.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.6K E£1.7M
$33.2K E£1.7M
1.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sheikh Zayed
Hurghada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$11.24 E£583
$25.73 E£1,335
-56.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.64 E£293
$8.66 E£450
-34.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.13 E£526
$12.40 E£644
-18.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sheikh Zayed
Hurghada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.73 E£2,062
$26.99 E£1,401
47.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.74 E£505
$7.07 E£367
37.77%
Cinema Ticket
$3.02 E£157
$3.54 E£184
-14.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sheikh Zayed
Hurghada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$88.3 E£4,581
$97.1 E£5,038
-9.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,875 E£97.3K
$599 E£31.1K
213.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sheikh Zayed
Hurghada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.13 E£1,408
$11.12 E£577
143.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.83 E£2,483
$19.84 E£1,030
141.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 E£5,693
$110 E£5,704
-0.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.7 E£2,630
$51.0 E£2,645
-0.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sheikh Zayed
Hurghada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$189 E£9,795
$261 E£13.5K
-27.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$99.5 E£5,164
$129 E£6,694
-22.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$433 E£22.5K
$261 E£13.5K
66.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$176 E£9,108
$445 E£23.1K
-60.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,073 E£55.7K
$556 E£28.9K
92.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$577 E£30.0K
$619 E£32.1K
-6.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sheikh Zayed
Hurghada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$132 E£6,844
$155 E£8,028
-14.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17
16.67
1.98%

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

Last update for Sheikh Zayed: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hurghada: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $189 in Sheikh Zayed versus $261 in Hurghada. 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 17% higher in Hurghada, 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 $16.00 in Sheikh Zayed versus $40.00 in Hurghada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $145 – making Sheikh Zayed the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Sheikh Zayed vs Hurghada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hurghada cheaper than Sheikh Zayed?
Yes – Hurghada is pricier by about 13%, 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 $709 per month in Sheikh Zayed and $801 in Hurghada. 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 Sheikh Zayed, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sheikh Zayed vs Hurghada?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $473 in Sheikh Zayed and $534 in Hurghada. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $88.3 per month in Sheikh Zayed and $97.1 in Hurghada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,200 enough for either Sheikh Zayed or Hurghada?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $473 in Sheikh Zayed and $534 in Hurghada, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Sheikh Zayed or Hurghada more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sheikh Zayed – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Sheikh Zayed or Hurghada?
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 Sheikh Zayed. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hurghada makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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