Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tanta and Cairo

For one person, living is cheaper in Tanta: $344 a month against $647 in Cairo, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tanta
🇪🇬 Egypt
$344
/mo nomad
Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$647
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tanta and in Cairo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tanta and in Cairo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $344 per month in Tanta vs $647 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Tanta $344
  • Cairo $647

A couple spends around $573 per month in Tanta vs $1,035 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Tanta $573
  • Cairo $1,035

A family of three spends $803 per month in Tanta vs $1,423 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Tanta $803
  • Cairo $1,423

Tanta is about 47% cheaper than Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tanta and Cairo are more affordable than the global median – Tanta 75% lower, Cairo 52% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tanta
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.91 E£102
$4.64 E£248
-58.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.31 E£925
$28.12 E£1,501
-38.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.74 E£253
$6.03 E£322
-21.39%
Cappuccino
$0.83 E£44.55
$1.72 E£92.1
-51.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 E£17.19
$0.36 E£19.38
-11.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.11 E£5.76
$0.12 E£6.41
-8.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.31 E£70.0
$1.51 E£80.4
-13.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 E£156
$2.32 E£124
25.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tanta
Cairo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.57 E£30.38
$0.92 E£48.92
-38.04%
White Bread (500g)
$0.27 E£14.26
$0.73 E£38.92
-63.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.51 E£27.43
$0.74 E£39.64
-31.08%
Eggs
$1.13 E£60.2
$1.19 E£63.7
-5.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.01 E£107
$4.33 E£231
-53.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.14 E£221
$5.03 E£269
-17.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.14 E£328
$9.28 E£496
-33.84%
Apples (1kg)
$1.35 E£72.3
$1.77 E£94.4
-23.73%
Banana (1kg)
$0.61 E£32.48
$0.73 E£39.03
-16.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.31 E£16.75
$0.55 E£29.51
-43.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.27 E£14.37
$0.50 E£26.91
-46.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.24 E£12.78
$0.42 E£22.42
-42.86%
Onion (1kg)
$0.17 E£8.90
$0.41 E£21.81
-58.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.08 E£4.24
$0.33 E£17.51
-75.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.18 E£9.45
$0.21 E£11.20
-14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.85 E£98.6
$1.98 E£106
-6.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 E£307
$7.81 E£417
-26.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 E£59.5
$1.59 E£84.7
-30.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 E£92.3
$2.09 E£112
-17.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Tanta
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.10 E£5.10
$0.35 E£18.83
-71.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.52 E£615
$8.69 E£464
32.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.37 E£19.68
$0.39 E£21.02
-5.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 E£12.24
$0.22 E£11.57
4.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.67 E£196
$1.51 E£80.5
143.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.38 E£20.31
$0.43 E£22.88
-11.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.9K E£1.7M
$32.7K E£1.7M
-2.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.7K E£1.2M
$27.2K E£1.5M
-16.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tanta
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$13.98 E£747
$27.27 E£1,456
-48.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.65 E£355
$8.58 E£458
-22.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.24 E£387
$13.99 E£747
-48.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tanta
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.42 E£1,144
$29.69 E£1,585
-27.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.68 E£250
$7.25 E£387
-35.45%
Cinema Ticket
$2.88 E£154
$4.86 E£260
-40.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tanta
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$19.19 E£1,025
$121 E£6,438
-84.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,119 E£59.8K
$3,560 E£190.1K
-68.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tanta
Cairo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.81 E£898
$40.28 E£2,151
-58.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.34 E£1,780
$49.53 E£2,645
-32.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$130 E£6,967
$115 E£6,137
13.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$20.67 E£1,104
$60.0 E£3,206
-65.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tanta
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$63.9 E£3,411
$222 E£11.9K
-71.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$34.40 E£1,837
$195 E£10.4K
-82.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$144 E£7,712
$550 E£29.3K
-73.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$69.5 E£3,709
$346 E£18.5K
-79.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$821 E£43.8K
$800 E£42.7K
2.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$310 E£16.5K
$525 E£28.0K
-40.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tanta
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$111 E£5,953
$200 E£10.7K
-44.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15
16.21
-7.46%

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

Last update for Tanta: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Tanta
$97
Cairo
$142 46% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Tanta
$91
Cairo
$119 31.5% $29
Eating Out
Tanta
$54
Cairo
$90 67.9% $36
Accommodation & Living
Tanta
$34
Cairo
$195 467% $161
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tanta
$28
Cairo
$50 78.8% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Tanta
$27
Cairo
$39 44.9% $12
Getting Around
Tanta
$13
Cairo
$12 13.7% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $63.9 in Tanta versus $222 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 79% higher in Cairo, 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 $17.00 in Tanta versus $28.00 in Cairo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $97.0 vs $142 – making Tanta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Tanta
🇪🇬 Cairo
🕒 Local time
20:07 8:07 PM
20:07 8:07 PM
Same time as Tanta
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
658,798
9,120,350 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.04 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tanta Cairo 85 km
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  • Tanta
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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
Tanta vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Tanta?
Yes – Cairo is pricier by about 88%, 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 $516 per month in Tanta and $970 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 Tanta, 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 Tanta and in Cairo?
Groceries cost about 46% more in Cairo, 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 Tanta or in Cairo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Tanta and $28.00 in Cairo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,200 enough for either Tanta or Cairo?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $344 in Tanta and $647 in Cairo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Tanta or Cairo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tanta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tanta. 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.

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