$1,000 for a couple. $1,400 with two kids in homeschooling. $2,000 with international school. Real numbers — lived, not estimated.
The question comes up in every DM, every discovery call, every WhatsApp thread of people considering Egypt. "What does it actually cost to live well?"
Short answer: less than you think. Longer answer: it depends on two or three decisions most families get wrong — because no one told them beforehand.
The budget line by line
A couple with no children in New Cairo: USD 1,000–1,100/month — all in. Restaurants, cafés, normal life.
For a family of 4, everything comes down to one decision:
Situation
USD/month
+ 2 children (homeschooling)
~$1,400
+ 2 children (international school)
~$2,000
+ 3 children (international school)
~$3,400
The equivalent in London or Paris costs USD 6,000–12,000+.
What makes the budget spike
Four line items account for 90% of bad surprises. Two are entirely avoidable if you know about them before you land. The third depends on a decision most families make within the first 48 hours — without proper guidance. The fourth, almost no one talks about.
What brings it down
There are concrete levers that can take a family from $2,500 to $1,400 a month — same lifestyle, same comfort. It's not about cutting back. It's about the order in which you make decisions.