Cairo vs Tunis: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
Cairo costs roughly 12% less than Tunis. Tunis scores higher for retirees on healthcare and overall livability. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Cairo is approximately 26% less expensive than Tunis based on cost of living including rent. This makes Cairo a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Cairo has a FIRE Score of 83/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 68, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Cairo is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About Cairo
Cairo is a bargain hunter's paradise, with a 1-bedroom in the city center renting for just $306/mo and a single adult scraping by on a budget tier of $328/mo. The catch is the local average net salary of $188/mo, which means most Egyptians cannot afford the lifestyle expats take for granted. Air quality is genuinely awful at an index of 130, and English proficiency is limited, so bring patience and a good air purifier. Still, an overall expat score of 81/100 and a FIRE score of 83/100 make it hard to beat for remote workers chasing low costs.
About Egypt
Political stability of -0.98 and no digital nomad visa rule this out for remote workers wanting a straightforward path. But retirees on tight budgets get a real deal: $338/mo living costs, $147 rent, and no dedicated retirement visa. This is for budget-focused retirees who can handle bureaucratic friction, not remote-work nomads or safety-first movers.
$2,490/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
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City Details
About Tunis
Tunis is a genuinely cheap place to live, with a 1-bedroom in the center at $386/mo and a comfortable single lifestyle at $721/mo, though the average local net salary of $346/mo means expat budgets run on foreign income. The Mediterranean climate, 7 km hop to TUN, and strong scores for FIRE (84/100) and overall expat life (82/100) make it a serious contender for early retirees and remote workers. It is less compelling for digital nomads (69/100) and retirees (67/100), and English is mostly common in tourist areas, so French or Arabic helps outside La Marsa, Carthage, and Gammarth. Come for the low costs and mild winters, not for a polished nomad scene.
About Tunisia
Best for retirees on a tight budget, as Tunisia offers a retirement visa (Carte de séjour). A one-bedroom apartment in the city center averages just $241.52/month, making it a very affordable option in Africa. However, limited English proficiency and a low English-speaking doctor availability create significant daily hurdles for non-Arabic speakers.
$2,469/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
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City Details
Battle of Lifestyles
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| Metric | Cairo | Tunis |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $305.57 | $386.01 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $243.5 | $251.38 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $544.3 | $638 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $362.39 | $396.2 |
| Safety Index | 68 | 62 |
| Internet Speed | 30Mbps | 40Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Cairo | Tunis |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $534/mo | $561/mo |
| Excluding rent | $290/mo | $310/mo |
| Rent | $244/mo | $251/mo |
| Groceries | $108/mo | $103/mo |
| Dining out | $57.00/mo | $40.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $60.00/mo | $60.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $65.00/mo | $90.00/mo |
| Transport | N/A | $17.00/mo |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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