Ismailia vs Port Said Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Ismailia vs Port Said: everyday costs favor Port Said (~1% CPI gap), housing index favors Ismailia, wage stretch favors Ismailia. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Port Said
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Salary (2% gap, Ismailia ahead); Purchasing Power (2% gap, Ismailia ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $0 lower in Port Said than in Ismailia (~0% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $0 (favoring Port Said).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Port Said | CPI 10.9 vs 11 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Ismailia | Rent index 3.6 vs 3.6 (lower is better) |
| Food | Port Said | Groceries index 18 vs 18.1 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Ismailia | One-way ticket 7.38 vs 7.38 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Ismailia | Utilities (85m²) 345.6 vs 345.6 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Port Said | Internet 467.04 vs 470.4 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Ismailia | Restaurant index 9.6 vs 9.6 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Ismailia | Avg net salary 36902.4 vs 36307.2 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Ismailia | PP index 12.4 vs 12.2 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Salary: Ismailia leads with a 2% gap.
Avg net salary 36902.4 vs 36307.2 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Ismailia — Lower housing / rent index (0% gap).
- Families: Ismailia — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Ismailia; purchasing power favors Ismailia.
- Remote Workers: Port Said — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Port Said (~1% gap).
- Budget Living: Port Said — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Port Said is the overall cost winner on CPI (~1% lower everyday-cost index than Ismailia).
- Housing: Ismailia leads on rent index (0% gap).
- Food / groceries: Port Said is lower (1% gap).
- Purchasing power: Ismailia scores higher (2% gap).
- Largest category gap: Salary (2%), favoring Ismailia.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$0 cheaper in Port Said.
Analysis
Ismailia versus Port Said is not a single number. With a 1% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Port Said, while housing follows Ismailia's rent index. Purchasing power (12.4 vs 12.2) 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.