Student Life Guide in Egypt

Monthly Budget Overview

🏠

Accommodation $150–$400

🍽️

Food $100–$200

🚇

Transport $20–$50

💡

Utilities & Internet $30–$60

📚

Books & Materials $20–$50

🎭

Entertainment $50–$100

Total Monthly Budget: $370–$860 USD

🏠 Accommodation

University Dorm

$100–$200/month

Most affordable option. Includes utilities. Great for socializing with other students.

Shared Apartment

$150–$300/month

Split with 2-4 roommates. More independence than dorms. Common choice among international students.

Private Studio

$300–$600/month

Full privacy and independence. Available near universities. Best for postgraduate students.

Most international students choose to live near their university campus. Popular student areas in Cairo include Giza (near Cairo University), Nasr City (near Ain Shams), and New Cairo.

🍽️ Food & Cuisine

Egyptian cuisine is delicious, diverse, and incredibly affordable. Local staples include ful medames (fava beans), kushari (rice, lentils, pasta), shawarma, falafel, and koshari. Street food is abundant and very cheap.

🥙 Street meal $1–$3

🍽️ Restaurant meal $3–$8

🛒 Grocery shopping/week $15–$30

☕ Coffee at café $1–$3

🍔 Fast food meal $3–$6

🥤 Fresh juice $0.5–$1

🚇 Transportation

Cairo has an extensive public transportation network. The Cairo Metro is clean, efficient, and very affordable. Buses, minibuses, and microbuses cover almost every area of the city. Ride-sharing apps like Uber and Careem are also available at reasonable prices.

Cairo Metro (one ride)

Fast and comfortable

~$0.10

Monthly Metro pass

Best value for daily commuters

~$10-15

Uber/Careem (5km)

Convenient and safe

$1–$3

Intercity bus

Connect to other Egyptian cities

$2–$10

🛡️ Safety Tips

Always keep your university ID and copies of important documents with you
Register with your country's embassy when you arrive in Egypt
Use verified Uber or Careem rides rather than unofficial taxis at night
Stay connected with your university's international student community
Learn basic Egyptian Arabic phrases for emergencies
Save emergency contact numbers: police (122), ambulance (123)
Keep family and friends informed of your whereabouts