Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Cairo

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $643 a month against $1,750 in Zagreb, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Zagreb
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,750
/mo nomad
Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$643
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,750 per month in Zagreb vs $643 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Zagreb $1,750
  • Cairo $643

A couple spends around $2,611 per month in Zagreb vs $1,037 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Zagreb $2,611
  • Cairo $1,037

A family of three spends $3,472 per month in Zagreb vs $1,431 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Zagreb $3,472
  • Cairo $1,431

Zagreb costs about 172% more than Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Zagreb sits 31% above the global median, while Cairo is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zagreb
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.46 €11.12
$4.69 E£245
165.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.1 €56.3
$28.49 E£1,491
121.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.30 €7.40
$6.03 E£315
37.65%
Cappuccino
$2.55 €2.27
$1.81 E£94.7
40.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 €2.65
$0.35 E£18.18
748.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.34
$0.15 E£7.95
1653.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.31 €2.95
$1.45 E£76.0
128.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.50 €4.02
$2.24 E£117
100.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zagreb
Cairo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 €1.14
$0.97 E£50.7
31.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.66 €1.48
$0.73 E£37.96
127.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.70 €2.41
$0.77 E£40.24
250.65%
Eggs
$4.00 €3.57
$1.17 E£61.2
241.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.17 €13.54
$4.32 E£226
251.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.00 €10.71
$5.07 E£265
136.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.74
$8.92 E£467
97.76%
Apples (1kg)
$2.31 €2.06
$1.83 E£95.8
26.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 €1.53
$0.75 E£39.07
129.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$0.57 E£29.78
263.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.50 €2.23
$0.51 E£26.62
390.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.35 €1.21
$0.38 E£20.05
255.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 €1.06
$0.42 E£21.88
180.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 €1.05
$0.35 E£18.43
237.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.20
$0.24 E£12.57
462.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.91 €5.27
$1.99 E£104
196.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 €9.10
$7.48 E£391
36.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 €1.46
$1.52 E£79.4
7.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 €2.29
$2.13 E£112
20.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Zagreb
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 €0.54
$0.33 E£17.10
84.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 €47.57
$8.66 E£453
515.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.22 €1.98
$0.37 E£19.27
500.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 €1.28
$0.20 E£10.65
615.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.01 €10.72
$1.49 E£77.8
706.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.65
$0.46 E£23.94
302.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K €25.4K
$32.6K E£1.7M
-12.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K €24.6K
$28.4K E£1.5M
-3.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zagreb
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 €195
$27.54 E£1,441
692.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.68 €21.13
$8.27 E£432
186.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.14 €36.71
$14.05 E£735
192.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zagreb
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.2 €44.75
$28.27 E£1,479
77.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69 €16.68
$6.70 E£350
178.96%
Cinema Ticket
$8.76 €7.82
$4.40 E£230
99.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zagreb
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$489 €436
$121 E£6,356
302.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.0K €8,926
$3,619 E£189.3K
176.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zagreb
Cairo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$106 €95.0
$40.16 E£2,101
164.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.58 €38.00
$49.61 E£2,596
-14.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.2 €85.9
$115 E£6,033
-16.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €96.5
$60.6 E£3,170
78.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zagreb
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$861 €768
$220 E£11.5K
291.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$194 E£10.2K
235.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,459 €1,302
$514 E£26.9K
183.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,038 €926
$334 E£17.5K
211.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,152 €4,598
$806 E£42.2K
539.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,551 €3,169
$513 E£26.9K
591.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zagreb
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,984 €1,771
$200 E£10.5K
891.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.3
16.21
-79.64%

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

Last update for Zagreb: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cairo: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Zagreb
$652
Cairo
$194 70.2% $458
Groceries & Markets
Zagreb
$318
Cairo
$141 55.6% $177
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zagreb
$283
Cairo
$50 82.4% $233
Eating Out
Zagreb
$203
Cairo
$91 55.1% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Zagreb
$159
Cairo
$120 24.8% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Zagreb
$68
Cairo
$37 45.2% $31
Getting Around
Zagreb
$65
Cairo
$11 82.6% $54

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $861 in Zagreb 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 891% higher in Zagreb, 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 $63.0 in Zagreb versus $28.00 in Cairo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $141 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇷 Zagreb
🇪🇬 Cairo
🕒 Local time
07:22 7:22 AM
08:22 8:22 AM
1 h ahead of Zagreb
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
767,131 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
  • Zagreb Cairo 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Zagreb
  • 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
Zagreb vs Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Zagreb?
Yes – Zagreb is pricier by about 172%, 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 $2,625 per month in Zagreb 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.
How do food prices compare in Zagreb and in Cairo?
Groceries cost about 125% more in Zagreb, 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 Zagreb or in Cairo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Zagreb and $28.00 in Cairo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Zagreb or in Cairo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Zagreb at $1,750. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zagreb it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Zagreb 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, Zagreb 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, Zagreb makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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