Popular cities
Cairo Prices & Cost of Living 2026
Egypt · Big city — Cairo is about 82% cheaper than New York. Not just exchange rates: what a fair price is, where it turns into a rip-off, and what that means in your money.
Cairo prices at a glance
Just got quoted a price? Check it
Pick the item and type the price you were quoted or paid — instant verdict. If you actually paid it, you can share it right here.
Open in the app: see it in your money & log it ›Free · no sign-up · Rip-off guide
Cairo travel difficulty
Pyramid camel/horse touts; 'friendly' strangers steer you to shops
English at sights and hotels; streets and taxis mostly Arabic
Uber/Careem everywhere, 3 metro lines; traffic is brutal
Cards at hotels/chains only; cash for markets, tips, street food
Violent crime rare; pickpockets, harassment, chaotic traffic
Good to knowRide with Uber/Careem; for camels or carriages fix the total price before you get on
Handy apps: Uber · Careem · inDrive · DiDi
Visas depend on your passport, so they are not scored. Felt different on the ground? Tell other travelers below. Travel difficulty in the Middle East & Africa › Difficulty ranking for 502 cities ›
In your money
Cairo is about 82% cheaper than New York
Based on 8 things travelers buy most, compared with New York. Each pair of bars is the same purchase in both cities, converted to your currency. Set your own city and currency in “My basis” above.
Cairo in numbers
- 🍜22 local meals
- ☕40 coffees
- 🍺37 beers
- 🚕61 5-km taxi rides
- 💆6.1 h of massage
- 🏨1.6 hotel nights
- Local meal2 h 32 min · New York 52 min
- Coffee1 h 23 min · New York 15 min
- Beer1 h 30 min · New York 23 min
- Taxi55 min · New York 59 min
- Taxi#4 cheapest
- Bottled water#39 cheapest
- Restaurant dinner#55 cheapest
- Entry ticket#186 priciest
- Cocktail & wine#211 cheapest
Cairo price guide & rip-off thresholds
Cairo travel budget
Per person per day, estimated. Flights and shopping not included.
See 4-day, 1-week and 1-month budget tables › · Plan a multi-city trip budget ›
How to spend money in Cairo
Mostly cash; carry plenty of small notes. Hotels and bigger restaurants take cards.
Baksheesh is expected widely: toilets, luggage, even photos.
Restaurants often add 12% service plus 14% VAT.
Uber and Careem avoid haggling.
Always haggle at markets, souvenir stalls and for camels or carriages; fix the total and currency first.
Don't drink tap water.
Camel and horse rides at the Pyramids that cost more to get off than to get on; "free" photos followed by a demand for money.
Live prices reported in Cairo
Loading…
FAQ
Is Cairo cheaper than New York?
Across 8 things travelers buy most (meals, coffee, beer, taxis, hotels…), Cairo is about 82% cheaper than New York. A local meal is about E£ 220 (≈ $4.49) and a coffee about E£ 120 (≈ $2.45).
How hard is Cairo to travel?
Averaging rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, Cairo scores 3.4/5 — 'hard'. The main thing to watch is rip-offs & haggling (5/5): Pyramid camel/horse touts; 'friendly' strangers steer you to shops. Tip: Ride with Uber/Careem; for camels or carriages fix the total price before you get on
Is Cairo good for first-time travelers?
It is doable, but go prepared (3.4/5). Rip-offs & haggling: Pyramid camel/horse touts; 'friendly' strangers steer you to shops. Payments: Cards at hotels/chains only; cash for markets, tips, street food. Tip: Ride with Uber/Careem; for camels or carriages fix the total price before you get on
What is a realistic daily budget for Cairo?
Mid-range (3-star hotel, local meals plus a dinner out, two taxi rides) is about $93.8 a day. Guesthouses and street food bring it to about $35; 4-star and restaurants push it to about $207.
How much does it cost to live in Cairo for a month?
A short-term studio (about $555) plus food, transport and a SIM (about $562) comes to roughly $1,117 a month. A local long-term lease (studio about E£ 12,000) brings it down a lot.
How much should a taxi cost in Cairo?
For 5 km in town, expect E£ 64 – E£ 128; anything above E£ 154 is suspicious. Uber and Careem avoid haggling.
Do you tip in Cairo?
Baksheesh is expected widely: toilets, luggage, even photos. Restaurants often add 12% service plus 14% VAT.
Can you use cards in Cairo?
Mostly cash; carry plenty of small notes. Hotels and bigger restaurants take cards.
Where do these numbers come from?
Base prices start from public cost-of-living data; once 3+ traveler reports come in, the app blends in the median of what people actually paid.
Fair range & rip-off line — each item gets its own spread (tight for transit, wide for street food). Above 1.2× the top of the fair range is flagged as a likely rip-off.
Budgets add up item prices for the lifestyle described above. Peak season and prime tourist spots run higher.
Exchange rate as of October 2026: 1 USD = E£ 49. Last updated 2026-10-05.