Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Valletta and Cairo

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $643 a month against $2,260 in Valletta, rent and utilities included – about $19,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Valletta
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,260
/mo nomad
Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$643
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Valletta 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 Valletta and in Cairo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,260 per month in Valletta vs $643 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Valletta $2,260
  • Cairo $643

A couple spends around $3,486 per month in Valletta vs $1,037 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Valletta $3,486
  • Cairo $1,037

A family of three spends $4,711 per month in Valletta vs $1,431 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Valletta $4,711
  • Cairo $1,431

Valletta costs about 251% more than Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Valletta sits 69% above the global median, while Cairo is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Valletta
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.88 €20.42
$4.69 E£245
387.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.6 €80.0
$28.49 E£1,491
214.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.64 €12.18
$6.03 E£315
126.20%
Cappuccino
$3.17 €2.83
$1.81 E£94.7
75.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 €2.09
$0.35 E£18.18
568.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 €1.78
$0.15 E£7.95
1226.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.52 €4.92
$1.45 E£76.0
280.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.89 €6.15
$2.24 E£117
207.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Valletta
Cairo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 €1.22
$0.97 E£50.7
41.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 €1.27
$0.73 E£37.96
95.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.48 €3.10
$0.77 E£40.24
351.95%
Eggs
$4.33 €3.86
$1.17 E£61.2
270.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.41 €9.29
$4.32 E£226
140.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.06 €10.76
$5.07 E£265
137.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.93 €16.00
$8.92 E£467
101.01%
Apples (1kg)
$3.70 €3.30
$1.83 E£95.8
102.19%
Banana (1kg)
$2.67 €2.38
$0.75 E£39.07
256.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.87 €3.45
$0.57 E£29.78
578.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.75 €3.35
$0.51 E£26.62
635.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 €1.68
$0.38 E£20.05
394.74%
Onion (1kg)
$3.28 €2.93
$0.42 E£21.88
680.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.29 €2.04
$0.35 E£18.43
554.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 €1.35
$0.24 E£12.57
529.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.35 €5.67
$1.99 E£104
219.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.86 €5.23
$7.48 E£391
-21.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.13
$1.52 E£79.4
56.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.14
$2.13 E£112
12.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Valletta
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.88 €2.57
$0.33 E£17.10
772.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.66 E£453
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.88 €3.46
$0.37 E£19.27
948.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.85 €1.65
$0.20 E£10.65
825.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.52 €29.02
$1.49 E£77.8
2082.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 €1.32
$0.46 E£23.94
219.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K €25.2K
$32.6K E£1.7M
-13.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K €34.9K
$28.4K E£1.5M
37.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Valletta
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$154 €138
$27.54 E£1,441
459.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.14 €27.79
$8.27 E£432
276.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.25 €26.10
$14.05 E£735
108.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Valletta
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.9 €53.4
$28.27 E£1,479
111.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.39 €18.19
$6.70 E£350
204.33%
Cinema Ticket
$11.35 €10.13
$4.40 E£230
157.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Valletta
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$276 €246
$121 E£6,356
126.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K €11.0K
$3,619 E£189.3K
240.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Valletta
Cairo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.1 €50.9
$40.16 E£2,101
42.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.6 €62.2
$49.61 E£2,596
40.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 €100
$115 E£6,033
-2.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 €116
$60.6 E£3,170
115.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Valletta
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,432 €1,278
$220 E£11.5K
550.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,096 €978
$194 E£10.2K
464.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,321 €2,964
$514 E£26.9K
546.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,052 €1,831
$334 E£17.5K
515.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,252 €4,687
$806 E£42.2K
551.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,997 €3,567
$513 E£26.9K
678.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Valletta
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,012 €1,796
$200 E£10.5K
905.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.05
16.21
-75.02%

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

Last update for Valletta: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cairo: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Valletta
$1.1K
Cairo
$194 82.3% $902
Groceries & Markets
Valletta
$341
Cairo
$141 58.6% $200
Eating Out
Valletta
$321
Cairo
$91 71.6% $230
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Valletta
$215
Cairo
$50 76.8% $165
Clothing & Footwear
Valletta
$166
Cairo
$120 28.1% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Valletta
$83
Cairo
$37 55.1% $46
Getting Around
Valletta
$25 *
Cairo
$11 54% $13

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,432 in Valletta versus $220 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 905% higher in Valletta, 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 $90.0 in Valletta versus $28.00 in Cairo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $141 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Valletta
🇪🇬 Cairo
🕒 Local time
06:54 6:54 AM
07:54 7:54 AM
1 h ahead of Valletta
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,700 Capital
9,120,350 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 52.32 EGP (100 EGP = 1.91 USD). 1 EUR = 58.68 EGP (100 EGP = 1.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Valletta Cairo 1,690 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Valletta
  • Cairo

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
Valletta vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Valletta?
Yes – Valletta is pricier by about 251%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,390 per month in Valletta and $965 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.
What are total monthly expenses in Valletta and in Cairo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,260 in Valletta and $643 in Cairo. That's a gap of about 251%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $276 per month in Valletta and $121 in Cairo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Valletta or in Cairo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Valletta at $2,260. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Valletta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Valletta 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, Valletta 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, Valletta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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