🏙️ Cairo vs 📚 Alexandria

🏙️ Cairo

• 1-BR apt (Zamalek / Maadi)$300–$600
• Groceries (supermarket + local)$100–$180
• Dining out (3–4x/week)$80–$160
• Utilities (electric, water, AC)$40–$90
• Mobile (20 GB data plan)$8–$15
• Transport (Uber/Careem + metro)$50–$100
• Private health insurance$50–$150
• Gym / fitness$20–$50
• Entertainment & social$80–$150
• Total (comfortable)$700–$1,200

📚 Alexandria

• Rent (1-BR, San Stefano/Smouha)EGP 20,000–30,000 ($420–$630)
• Rent (1-BR, Gleem/Kafr Abdo)EGP 12,000–20,000 ($250–$420)
• GroceriesEGP 4,000–7,000 ($85–$145)
• Transport (tram + taxi)EGP 1,000–2,000 ($20–$40)
• UtilitiesEGP 1,500–2,500 ($30–$50)
• Health insuranceEGP 1,500–3,000 ($30–$60)
• Dining out (2–3×/week)EGP 2,000–4,000 ($40–$85)
• EntertainmentEGP 1,500–3,000 ($30–$60)
• Total$400–$800

🏙️ Cairo

• Zamalekhigh

  Upscale Nile island — tree-lined streets, embassies, art galleries, cafés, and a genuinely walkable neighbourhood feel rare in Cairo

• Maadihigh

  Leafy, suburban, and deeply international — Cairo's traditional expat heartland with supermarkets, international schools, and a relaxed compound lifestyle

• New Cairo (5th Settlement)mid

  Modern, planned suburban district with gated compounds, malls, Western restaurants, and significantly less congestion than central Cairo

• Heliopolismid

  Historic east Cairo suburb with belle-époque architecture, wide boulevards, and a well-established middle-class expat community near the airport

📚 Alexandria

• San Stefanohigh

  Upscale waterfront district — San Stefano Grand Plaza, Mediterranean views, modern apartments, and the city's most international atmosphere.

• Smouhamid

  Central residential area — shopping malls, hospitals, parks, and a good mix of expat and local families.

• Gleemmid

  Established mid-range neighborhood — Corniche access, traditional cafés, and genuine Alexandrian character with value pricing.

• Montazamid

  Eastern district around the Montaza Palace gardens — beachfront parks, quieter residential streets, and royal-era architecture.

🏙️ Cairo

• Consoleya (Downtown Cairo)

  ~$140/mo (EGP 7,000)

  Cairo's most stylish coworking, in a 95-year-old former French Consulate building; meeting rooms included

• CO-55 (New Cairo & Nasr City)

  ~$2/day~$40/mo (EGP 2,000)

  Affordable local chain with reliable Wi-Fi; popular with Cairo's startup community

• Regus (Nile City Towers)

  ~$7/day~$210/mo (EGP 10,350)

  Premium international provider; Nile views, professional environment, meeting rooms on demand

📚 Alexandria

• Alexandria CoWork

  EGP 200/day ($4)EGP 2,500/mo ($50)

  Central space with fast fiber — AC, meeting rooms, and bilingual staff

• The Hub Alex

  EGP 150/day ($3)EGP 2,000/mo ($40)

  Budget-friendly space near Smouha — community events and networking

• Bibliotheca Alexandrina Study Spaces

  Free–EGP 50/day

  The modern Library of Alexandria — iconic setting, limited Wi-Fi, best for reading/research

🏙️ Cairo

📚 Alexandria

🏙️ Cairo

• • Cairo Metro: 3 lines covering much of the city — clean, air-conditioned, and costs ~$0.10/ride; the single most reliable transport option
• • Uber & Careem: Cheap and widely used — a 20-minute crosstown ride rarely exceeds $3–$5; strongly preferred over street taxis for expats
• • Microbus: The ultra-local option — extensive network, extremely cheap ($0.05–$0.15), but requires Arabic and Cairo knowledge to navigate
• • Taxis: White cabs are cheap but always negotiate or insist on the meter; many expats prefer apps

📚 Alexandria

• • Tram: one of the world's oldest tram systems (since 1863); EGP 2/trip — slow but iconic
• • Minibus: shared transport; EGP 3–5/trip — navigating routes requires local knowledge
• • Uber/Careem: available and affordable; typical city fare EGP 30–80 ($0.60–$1.70)
• • Walking: Corniche is perfect for walking; central areas walkable but crowded

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