Cairo
Cairo has real challenges — read the full breakdown before deciding.
Quick answer
Cairo, Egypt scores 40/100 on the WhereNext city composite (cost, safety, healthcare, education, climate, career, transport). Estimated single-person monthly cost is around $800/mo (a central 1-bed runs ~$350/mo). Safety index 45/100; healthcare 48/100; internet 45 Mbps. Top neighborhoods: Central Core, Historic Quarter, Modern Suburbs.
Key facts
- ~$800/mo single-person estimated cost of living · 1-bed center $350/mo.
- Safety: 45/100 has some safety concerns city by composite safety index.
- Healthcare: 48/100 below-average healthcare access.
- Internet: 45 Mbps median fixed broadband download — adequate for remote work.
- Top neighborhoods Central Core, Historic Quarter, Modern Suburbs — researched expat-friendly areas.
City composite
Below peers
- Cairo
- 40/100
- Egypt avg
- 49/100
- Global avg
- 63/100
Compared against 4 indexed cities in Egypt and 380 indexed cities globally.
Source: WhereNext 7-dimension city composite (cost, safety, healthcare, education, climate, career, transport, air quality) · updated
The short version
How much does it cost?
~$800/mo for a single person. A central 1-bed is ~$350/mo. Outside the center: ~$200/mo.
Is it safe?
Safety score: 45/100. Exercise caution — research neighborhoods carefully.
Can I work remotely?
Internet: 45 Mbps avg. Adequate for most remote work. Coworking: ~$80/mo.
What's the climate like?
Climate score: 55/100. Moderate climate with distinct seasons.
The honest take
What's great
- Climate — scored 55/100
- Healthcare — scored 48/100
- Safety — scored 45/100
Watch out for
- Cost of Living — scored 22/100
- Air Quality — scored 25/100
- Career — scored 42/100
Is this place viable for you?
Quick decision check — Cairo
Strengths
- Lifestyle55/100
- Healthcare48/100
- Safety45/100
Likely blockers
Cost may stretch typical budgets
Run the free Retirement Budget calculatorCareer market is narrower than average
Re-rank destinations against your priorities
Decision Snapshot
Key metrics at a glance. Scores are out of 100, higher is better.
Monthly Reality Check
What things actually cost in Cairo. Estimated total: ~$800/mo for a single person.
Researched coverage — costs come from verified city-level data, not country-level modelling.
Itemised Costs in Cairo
Verified local pricing from researched sources. 11 of 12 core fields populated.
Rent (1BR, center)
$295/mo
Rent (1BR, outskirts)
$208/mo
Rent (2BR, family)
$492/mo
Utilities (single)
$22/mo
Utilities (family)
$33/mo
Groceries (single)
$110/mo
Transit pass
$16/mo
Coworking
$80/mo
Mobile plan
$7/mo
Inexpensive meal
$6
Cappuccino
$1.72
Daily Life Infrastructure in Cairo
Connectivity, getting around, air quality, English support.
Annual temperature bands — Cairo
Each vertical band shows the monthly low-to-high temperature range. Green = comfortable (5-25°C); amber = hot (>25°C); grey = cold (<5°C).
Verified · Climate-Data.org + WhereNext city-monthly-climate dataset
Cairo
| City | Month | High | Low | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo | Jan | 19°C | 9°C | Comfortable (5–25°C) |
| Cairo | Feb | 21°C | 9°C | Comfortable (5–25°C) |
| Cairo | Mar | 24°C | 12°C | Comfortable (5–25°C) |
| Cairo | Apr | 28°C | 14°C | Comfortable (5–25°C) |
| Cairo | May | 33°C | 18°C | Hot (>25°C) |
| Cairo | Jun | 35°C | 21°C | Hot (>25°C) |
| Cairo | Jul | 36°C | 23°C | Hot (>25°C) |
| Cairo | Aug | 35°C | 23°C | Hot (>25°C) |
| Cairo | Sep | 34°C | 21°C | Hot (>25°C) |
| Cairo | Oct | 30°C | 18°C | Comfortable (5–25°C) |
| Cairo | Nov | 25°C | 14°C | Comfortable (5–25°C) |
| Cairo | Dec | 20°C | 10°C | Comfortable (5–25°C) |
Family & Schools in Cairo
High-level family snapshot — full directory in the schools section.
Will you find your people in Egypt?
Community density signals — quant + qualitative. Loneliness is a top-three relocation-failure factor; this section flags whether Egypt has the expat scene to match your profile.
Expat density
Low0.5% foreign-born
English proficiency
7/100 (EF EPI)
Coworking density
Low
Top nomad hubs
Cairo, Dahab
Safety reality in Egypt
7 dimensions of safety, each scored separately so a single weak axis doesn’t drag the cross-dimensional view. Per Global Peace Index + WHO + national crime statistics.
GPI 2025verified Apr 2026HDR 2024 (HDI 2023 data)verified Apr 2026- Moderate
Overall public safety
Sinai insurgency; high sexual harassment rates; LGBTQ+ individuals face arrest under morality laws.
- Serious
Political stability22/100
Material political instability — track-record of policy reversals or civil unrest. Verify residency rights are durable before committing.
- Strong
Natural disaster resilience80/100
Moderate exposure (earthquake, flood, drought). Insurance coverage usually sufficient; check policy fine print.
- Serious
Women's safety28/100
Elevated harassment / personal-safety reports — research neighbourhoods and apply additional precautions.
- Serious
LGBTQ+ safety8/100
Hostile legal regime — same-sex relationships may be criminalised or unrecognised. Do not relocate without legal advice.
- Caution
Emergency healthcare quality48/100
Limited emergency capacity — international medical evacuation insurance strongly advised. Avoid relocation without local-network research if managing chronic conditions.
- Caution
Terrorism risk
Active advisories — avoid known target areas, register with home embassy.
National averages only. Within-country variation is large — Mexico City vs Mérida differ massively. Cross- reference at the city / neighbourhood level before relocating.
Verify with current government advisories
Static-data signals don’t reflect this week’s situation. Cross-check against your home government’s current travel advisory before any irreversible commitment.
Neighborhoods
Where expats and locals actually live in Cairo.
Maadi
premiumTree-lined leafy district south of central Cairo, the historic expat enclave with embassies, Cairo American College, and the highest concentration of expat housing/cafes/restaurants in Egypt.
Zamalek
luxuryNile island district with the Cairo Tower, Gezira Sporting Club, embassies, and Belle Époque architecture. The most walkable and elegant central neighborhood.
New Cairo / Fifth Settlement
premiumModern eastern suburb with American University in Cairo (AUC), gated compounds, and most international schools (Hayah, Modern English School). The new family expat zone.
Housing reality: Standard rental laws apply. Direct landlord negotiations are common, with 1-2 months deposit standard.
Premium Report
Plan your move to Cairo
A personalized report covering visa pathways, monthly budgets, neighborhood deep-dives, tax optimization, and a step-by-step relocation timeline — built for Cairo.
Deep Research
Expand any section for detailed data and narrative.
Transport & Getting Around
Transport & Getting Around
Ridesharing apps (Uber/Bolt/Local equivalent) are highly recommended outside the walkable core.
Monthly transport pass: $12
Egypt — Policy & Systems
Egypt — Policy & Systems
Visa, tax, healthcare, and education policies are set at the national level. See the Egypt country guide for full details.
Language & Expat Community
Language & Expat Community
Official Languages
Arabic
English Proficiency
Low
Foreign-born
0.5%
Expat Level
Low
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo a good place to live for expats?
Cairo scores 40/100 overall. It is very affordable (~$800/mo), has some safety concerns, and has a healthcare score of 48/100. Top neighborhoods include Central Core, Historic Quarter, Modern Suburbs.
What does it cost to live in Cairo?
The estimated monthly cost of living in Cairo is ~$800 for a single person. A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs about $350/mo. Standard rental laws apply. Direct landlord negotiations are common, with 1-2 months deposit standard.
What are the best neighborhoods in Cairo?
The most recommended neighborhoods are Central Core, Historic Quarter, Modern Suburbs. A growing hub balancing local authenticity with emerging remote-work infrastructure.
How do I get around Cairo?
Cairo has a transport score of 45/100. Ridesharing apps (Uber/Bolt/Local equivalent) are highly recommended outside the walkable core.
Continue Your Research
Suggested citation
CC BY 4.0This dataset is free to redistribute, quote, and embed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. The composite form below preserves source lineage so AI assistants can cite both WhereNext and the underlying institutional publishers.
WhereNext composite — WhereNext Cairo, Egypt City Profile 2026 (2026-05-20). Derived from: Numbeo (city-level cost; verified via WhereNext audit); World Bank ICP (country-level PPP anchor); OECD + Eurostat (where applicable); WhereNext flagship-city research (qualitative + neighborhood depth). Available at https://getwherenext.com/city/eg/cairo?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. (2026). WhereNext Cairo, Egypt City Profile 2026. Retrieved from https://getwherenext.com/city/eg/cairo?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
WhereNext. "WhereNext Cairo, Egypt City Profile 2026." WhereNext, 20 May 2026, https://getwherenext.com/city/eg/cairo?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. Accessed via https://getwherenext.com/city/eg/cairo?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation. CC BY 4.0.
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author = {{WhereNext}},
title = {WhereNext Cairo, Egypt City Profile 2026},
year = {2026},
url = {https://getwherenext.com/city/eg/cairo?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation},
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}<a href="https://getwherenext.com/city/eg/cairo?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=citation&utm_campaign=data-citation">WhereNext — WhereNext Cairo, Egypt City Profile 2026</a>
Next step
Anchor Cairo as your destination. Cost, neighborhoods, visa, healthcare and schools tools inherit the same context.
Important Notice
WhereNext provides data-driven insights for informational purposes only. Scores and rankings are algorithmically generated from public institutional data and may not reflect your individual circumstances. This tool does not replace professional advice for immigration, legal, tax, or financial matters.