posted
Uh, good for knowing the minimums, but pretty unreal for a normal expat family that page .
Anything that consumes more electricity like a water heater or A/C will push up the el bill by several hundreds, if you have several or use them a lot. Phone costs depend of how much one talks, minute is around 0.20-0.50EGP I believe? Internet costs around 95EGP if there is no one to share it with.
Schools can be from 2000EGP per year to same amount per month depending how exclusive they are, arabic (private) ones are cheaper. School bus costs a few hundreds extra I think.
In remote areas (6th October etc) one can have a pretty nice new and spacious apartment for under 1000 EGP but that's at the cost of being away from the city then. Heliopolis is pretty nice green and comfortable to live in, everything available in immediate vicinity, and can come for less than 2000 EGP per month. Mixed community. Many private schools in that direction, outside Cairo.
quote:Originally posted by nevermind: Uh, good for knowing the minimums, but pretty unreal for a normal expat family that page .
True.
OT -- the dude who runs that *blog* mostly just copies and pastes things from here without giving reference. A bit odd, if you ask me.
Posts: 2803 | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
After flat hunting in Heliopolis for a month I can assure you anything 2k and under is squalid and vile. The average, spacious and well finished 2 bed apartments are around 4-5k pm.
Schooling... you did not specify what kind of school you want, Brit, Usa, German... they all differ in price (and standard)
As for living costs, well that depends on your lifestyle, I seem to get through thousands in one month and save thousands the next.
Posts: 11097 | From: Cairo | Registered: May 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ok... I have a little more time to post in response.
My gas bill is 4 le a month.
Electric will be around 250 le... with 3 AC's running now and then (never over night)
Food is a personal thing but I prefer a lot of brand names as I am a picky eater. Obviously buying in bulk will also give a saving. Meat is quite expensive in relation to the rest of life here but the cheapness of fruit and veg kinda levels it all out.
My milk is 7le a bottle... it is lush tbh.
I pay 25le for cheese but I do buy imported cheese.
with my apartment I pay extra towards building costs... and I pay my share towards the Bowaabs salary...
I pay travel expenses that total 400le a month, no way am I using public transport, sorry but I have a schedule and they are as inconsistent as UK weather!
cigarettes are around 10le for a decent smoke Alcohol is 9le in bottle shop but around 14le in expat bars and 35le in clubs and hotels.
There is so much to breakdown...
clothes, mostly shite or you pay a lot for decent things. City Stars is a good place for the family, bowling, cinema, eateries, shopping etc. Most folk deem this expensive but for expats it is averagely priced on most things and it is nice and clean with many items pre-priced so you don't have to endure haggling.
Shoes, in abundance, again, mostly shite and cheap unless you want leather and quality made then they are like 500le a pair.
Erm... I know a couple in a 2 storey 2 bed villa that costs 8000le pm. It all depends on what YOU and YOUR family require.
I am sure you will get another expat pop up and give you a total different outlook on expenditure here but this my experience and I have a bloody good life Posts: 11097 | From: Cairo | Registered: May 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't have any well recorded info about prices and costs but definitely the cost of living here is a lot LOT better than any other place I know. Fruits and vegetables are in abundance and of good quality tastewise - agricultural country with plenty of sun. Meat is expensive. We pay from 50 to 80 le per kilo.
Rent, as far as I know, somewhere around 1200-1500 for a simple 2 bed-room apartment in Cairo or in Alexandria furnished with old style furniture.
Like people above mentioned, I also find that clothes here are overpriced. A decent pair of shoes would cost somewhere around 800 le.
Posts: 132 | From: Alex | Registered: Oct 2009
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Huzaifa Ali: Hello to all
i wanting to settle with my family (2 adults 2 kids)in cairo can anyone tell me avg monthly expenses for an expat for a normal living style
1) living in 2 bed house/appt rental
2) utility bills
3) school for 8 year old kid
4) grocery expenses
Thanks in advance Huzi
1.)Look up real-estate websites to get an idea, although those prices are inflated as they cater to foreigners. But you might just get lucky. You can find out a lot by using Google Maps to target the area you want and then finding those areas by doing online searches for rental.
2.) $100 a month and you should be fine, it could be much lower, or much higher, $100 is cool though.
3.) Contact the schools directly, and by that I mean Call Them. Again just as the apartments try to find them online and look them up in directories or even in their own websites.
As others mentioned here it can range considerably from an all Arabic curriculum to a mixed curriculum (language schools) to pricey international schools.
4.) A member here advised to look at spinneys, and also look at metro (they have an online website as well with promo prices. Use the prices online for you own budget) http://www.metro-markets.com/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
. 
Printer-friendly view of this topic