For one person, living is cheaper in Egypt: $449 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $27,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in the United States and in Egypt
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the United States and in Egypt actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in the United States versus $449 in Egypt.
United States $2,734
Egypt $449
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,985 in the United States versus $733 in Egypt.
United States $3,985
Egypt $733
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,235 in the United States versus $1,017 in Egypt.
United States $5,235
Egypt $1,017
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $295–$677 in Egypt. City choice carries more weight in the United States.
🌍
Living in the United States is roughly 509% more expensive than in Egypt on average.
📊
The United States (101% above) and Egypt (67% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
United States
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.03$20.03
$3.46E£194
478.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0$80.0
$17.81E£998
349.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.80$11.80
$4.51E£253
161.64%
Cappuccino
$5.55$5.55
$1.38E£77.6
302.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66$2.66
$0.34E£18.80
682.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17$2.17
$0.14E£7.68
1450.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.12$6.12
$1.37E£76.6
346.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.94$7.94
$2.70E£152
194.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United States
Egypt
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.04$1.04
$0.79E£44.22
31.65%
White Bread(500g)
$3.59$3.59
$0.68E£38.15
427.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.52$4.52
$0.60E£33.41
653.33%
Eggs
$4.28$4.28
$1.18E£65.9
262.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.22$13.22
$3.18E£179
315.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.60$12.60
$3.91E£219
222.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.60$17.60
$7.74E£434
127.39%
Apples(1kg)
$5.30$5.30
$1.45E£81.3
265.52%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69$1.69
$0.67E£37.30
152.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.44$4.44
$0.49E£27.31
806.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.77$4.77
$0.35E£19.89
1262.86%
Potato(1kg)
$2.97$2.97
$0.36E£20.26
725.00%
Onion(1kg)
$3.15$3.15
$0.35E£19.78
800.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.20$2.20
$0.28E£15.77
685.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.35$2.35
$0.19E£10.42
1136.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.98$10.98
$1.83E£103
500.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.05$15.05
$6.19E£347
143.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06$2.06
$1.30E£72.6
58.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79$3.79
$1.87E£105
102.67%
🚌 Getting Around
United States
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.94$1.94
$0.28E£15.72
592.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$59.4$59.4
$7.24E£406
720.30%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.58$3.58
$0.37E£20.88
867.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.88$1.88
$0.26E£14.55
623.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.84$29.84
$1.82E£102
1539.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.02$1.02
$0.40E£22.33
155.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K$28.8K
$29.9KE£1.7M
-3.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K$26.2K
$24.0KE£1.3M
9.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United States
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$218$218
$20.40E£1,144
968.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$62.5$62.5
$6.78E£380
821.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.5$74.5
$12.41E£696
499.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United States
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.86$41.86
$17.00E£953
146.24%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.81$22.81
$6.36E£357
258.65%
Cinema Ticket
$14.70$14.70
$2.93E£165
401.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United States
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,489$1,489
$94.2E£5,281
1481.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$25.3K$25.3K
$2,362E£132.4K
969.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United States
Egypt
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3$54.3
$25.33E£1,420
114.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.71$42.71
$41.23E£2,312
3.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.1$94.1
$105E£5,886
-10.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114$114
$47.95E£2,689
136.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United States
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,659$1,659
$140E£7,840
1086.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,348$1,348
$88.9E£4,983
1416.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,682$2,682
$282E£15.8K
850.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,169$2,169
$179E£10.0K
1111.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,283$3,283
$683E£38.3K
380.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,482$2,482
$432E£24.2K
475.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United States
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,296$4,296
$141E£7,914
2943.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.55
17.11
-61.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026
Last update for Egypt: October 25, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
United States
$1.3K 49.3%
Egypt
$89 19.8% ↓ 93.4%$1.3K
🛒Groceries & Markets
United States
$415 15.2%
Egypt
$117 26% ↓ 71.9%$299
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
United States
$355 13%
Egypt
$40 8.8% ↓ 88.8%$315
🍽Eating Out
United States
$328 12%
Egypt
$72 16% ↓ 78.1%$256
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
United States
$137 5%
Egypt
$99 22% ↓ 28%$38
🚌Getting Around
United States
$80 2.9%
Egypt
$10 2.2% ↓ 87.5%$70
🎉Sport & Entertainment
United States
$71 2.6%
Egypt
$23 5.1% ↓ 67.9%$48
🏠Accommodation & Living
United States
$2.2K 41.4%
Egypt
$179 17.6% ↓ 91.7%$2K
🛒Groceries & Markets
United States
$953 18.2%
Egypt
$268 26.3% ↓ 71.9%$685
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
United States
$417 8%
Egypt
$46 4.6% ↓ 88.9%$371
🍽Eating Out
United States
$1.1K 20.3%
Egypt
$232 22.8% ↓ 78.2%$831
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
United States
$305 5.8%
Egypt
$219 21.6% ↓ 28%$85
🚌Getting Around
United States
$164 3.1%
Egypt
$21 2% ↓ 87.4%$143
🎉Sport & Entertainment
United States
$165 3.2%
Egypt
$52 5.1% ↓ 68.5%$113
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $1,620 in the United States, $136 in Egypt. Capital cities: $2,768 in Washington, DC vs $203 in Cairo.
💰National salary averages: $4,549 in the United States, $129 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 1091% higher in the United States.
⭐Dining out costs 369% more in the United States.
⭐Public transport is 800% more expensive in the United States.
⭐Salaries are about 35 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
United States vs Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and the United States?
At $449 per month in Egypt and $2,734 in the United States, Egypt comes out about 84% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Egypt: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $136 in Egypt. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Should I move to Egypt or to the United States?
It depends on what you’re after: Egypt wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.
United States vs other spots: cost of living compared