Cairo vs Sohag Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Cairo vs Sohag: everyday costs favor Sohag (~35% CPI gap), housing index favors Sohag, wage stretch favors Cairo. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Sohag
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Housing (64% gap, Sohag ahead); Utilities (64% gap, Sohag ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $225 lower in Sohag than in Cairo (~62% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $225 (favoring Sohag).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Sohag | CPI 10.8 vs 16.5 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Sohag | Rent index 3.4 vs 9.4 (lower is better) |
| Food | Sohag | Groceries index 17.5 vs 24.2 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Sohag | One-way ticket 7.24 vs 12.25 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Sohag | Utilities (85m²) 326.4 vs 902.4 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Sohag | Internet 453.6 vs 591.36 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Sohag | Restaurant index 9.6 vs 17.1 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Cairo | Avg net salary 66662.4 vs 34521.6 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Cairo | PP index 22.4 vs 11.6 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Housing: Sohag leads with a 64% gap.
Rent index 3.4 vs 9.4 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Sohag — Lower housing / rent index (64% gap).
- Families: Sohag — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Sohag; purchasing power favors Cairo.
- Remote Workers: Sohag — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Sohag (~35% gap).
- Budget Living: Sohag — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Sohag is the overall cost winner on CPI (~35% lower everyday-cost index than Cairo).
- Housing: Sohag leads on rent index (64% gap).
- Food / groceries: Sohag is lower (28% gap).
- Purchasing power: Cairo scores higher (48% gap).
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$225 cheaper in Sohag.
Analysis
Cairo versus Sohag is not a single number. With a 35% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Sohag, while housing follows Sohag's rent index. Purchasing power (22.4 vs 11.6) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
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.