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Cairo vs Sharm El Sheikh cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated October 2026
🇪🇬 Cairo
🇪🇬 Sharm El Sheikh
At a glance
- Where Sharm El Sheikh is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (57%↓), Transit (33%↓), Half-day tour (33%↓)
- Where Cairo is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (73%↓), Restaurant dinner (36%↓), Taxi (33%↓)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Sharm El Sheikh is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.4). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling — Cairo 5 vs Sharm El Sheikh 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking ›
Item by item
| Item | Cairo | Sharm El Sheikh | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | E£ 220$4.49 | E£ 300$6.12 | Cairo −27% |
| Street food1 item | E£ 60$1.22 | E£ 50$1.02 | Sharm El Sheikh −17% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | E£ 450$9.18 | E£ 700$14.3 | Cairo −36% |
| Coffeeone cup | E£ 120$2.45 | E£ 100$2.04 | Sharm El Sheikh −17% |
| Beerone bottle | E£ 130$2.65 | E£ 150$3.06 | Cairo −13% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | E£ 350$7.14 | E£ 400$8.16 | Cairo −12% |
| Bottled water | E£ 12$0.24 | E£ 15$0.31 | Cairo −20% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | E£ 20$0.41 | E£ 25$0.51 | Cairo −20% |
| Taxi5 km in town | E£ 80$1.63 | E£ 120$2.45 | Cairo −33% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | E£ 50$1.02 | E£ 70$1.43 | Cairo −29% |
| Transitone ride | E£ 15$0.31 | E£ 10$0.2 | Sharm El Sheikh −33% |
| Scooter rentalper day | E£ 600$12.2 | E£ 2,200$44.9 | Cairo −73% |
| Hotel night3-star | E£ 3,000$61.2 | E£ 2,300$46.9 | Sharm El Sheikh −23% |
| Studio rent (month) | E£ 12,000$245 | E£ 15,000$306 | Cairo −20% |
| Laundry | E£ 50$1.02 | E£ 60$1.22 | Cairo −17% |
| SIM card1 week data | E£ 350$7.14 | E£ 350$7.14 | similar |
| Haircutcut | E£ 150$3.06 | E£ 150$3.06 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | E£ 800$16.3 | E£ 1,000$20.4 | Cairo −20% |
| Half-day tourper person | E£ 1,500$30.6 | E£ 1,000$20.4 | Sharm El Sheikh −33% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | E£ 700$14.3 | E£ 300$6.12 | Sharm El Sheikh −57% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Cairo or Sharm El Sheikh?
Cairo is 15% cheaper than Sharm El Sheikh. Daily budget $93.8 vs $91.4; a month $1,117 vs $1,540.
Which is easier to travel, Cairo or Sharm El Sheikh?
Sharm El Sheikh is easier: Sharm El Sheikh 2.8/5 vs Cairo 3.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Cairo is about $1,117 and Sharm El Sheikh about $1,540 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.