Cairo vs Port Said Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Port Said leads on CPI (10.9 vs 16.5, NYC=100), Port Said leads on rent index, and Cairo leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Port Said
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Housing (62% gap, Port Said ahead); Utilities (62% gap, Port Said ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $217 lower in Port Said than in Cairo (~60% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $217 (favoring Port Said).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Port Said | CPI 10.9 vs 16.5 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Port Said | Rent index 3.6 vs 9.4 (lower is better) |
| Food | Port Said | Groceries index 18 vs 24.2 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Port Said | One-way ticket 7.38 vs 12.25 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Port Said | Utilities (85m²) 345.6 vs 902.4 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Port Said | Internet 467.04 vs 591.36 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Port Said | Restaurant index 9.6 vs 17.1 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Cairo | Avg net salary 66662.4 vs 36307.2 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Cairo | PP index 22.4 vs 12.2 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Housing: Port Said leads with a 62% gap.
Rent index 3.6 vs 9.4 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Port Said — Lower housing / rent index (62% gap).
- Families: Port Said — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Port Said; purchasing power favors Cairo.
- Remote Workers: Port Said — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Port Said (~34% gap).
- Budget Living: Port Said — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Port Said is the overall cost winner on CPI (~34% lower everyday-cost index than Cairo).
- Housing: Port Said leads on rent index (62% gap).
- Food / groceries: Port Said is lower (26% gap).
- Purchasing power: Cairo scores higher (46% gap).
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$217 cheaper in Port Said.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 16.5/10.9, rent 9.4/3.6, purchasing power 22.4/12.2. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-20
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.