Cairo vs Aswan Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Cairo vs Aswan: everyday costs favor Aswan (~36% CPI gap), housing index favors Aswan, wage stretch favors Cairo. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Aswan
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Housing (66% gap, Aswan ahead); Utilities (66% gap, Aswan ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $233 lower in Aswan than in Cairo (~65% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $233 (favoring Aswan).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Aswan | CPI 10.6 vs 16.5 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Aswan | Rent index 3.2 vs 9.4 (lower is better) |
| Food | Aswan | Groceries index 16.9 vs 24.2 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Aswan | One-way ticket 6.96 vs 12.25 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Aswan | Utilities (85m²) 307.2 vs 902.4 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Aswan | Internet 440.16 vs 591.36 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Aswan | Restaurant index 9.6 vs 17.1 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Cairo | Avg net salary 66662.4 vs 32140.8 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Cairo | PP index 22.4 vs 10.8 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Housing: Aswan leads with a 66% gap.
Rent index 3.2 vs 9.4 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Aswan — Lower housing / rent index (66% gap).
- Families: Aswan — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Aswan; purchasing power favors Cairo.
- Remote Workers: Aswan — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Aswan (~36% gap).
- Budget Living: Aswan — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Aswan is the overall cost winner on CPI (~36% lower everyday-cost index than Cairo).
- Housing: Aswan leads on rent index (66% gap).
- Food / groceries: Aswan is lower (30% gap).
- Purchasing power: Cairo scores higher (52% gap).
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$233 cheaper in Aswan.
Analysis
Cairo versus Aswan is not a single number. With a 36% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Aswan, while housing follows Aswan's rent index. Purchasing power (22.4 vs 10.8) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-26
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.