Living in Alexandria
What it really costs to live in Alexandria, what you can earn, the visas that get you in, and the taxes you'll pay — for Egypt, updated 2026. Alexandria is the most affordable of the 3 Egypt cities we track, so it can be a smarter base than the capital if budget matters. Alexandria lies in Northern Africa. Egypt's capital is Cairo. The main language is Arabic. The currency is the Egyptian pound. Egypt borders Israel, Libya, Palestine, Sudan.
Cost of Living in Alexandria
Full Monthly Breakdown for Alexandria
How Alexandria Compares to Other Egypt Cities
Alexandria is not the only option in Egypt. Here is how its single-person monthly cost (€370) stacks up against the other cities we track — Alexandria is the cheapest, Cairo the priciest.
| City | Single / month | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Giza | €400/mo | +8% vs Alexandria |
| Cairo (capital) | €450/mo | +22% vs Alexandria |
What You Can Earn in Egypt
Typical gross annual salaries in Egypt by sector (entry · median · senior). Alexandria pay usually sits around the national median.
| Sector | Entry | Median | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| it | €4 000 | €8 000 | €15 000 |
| retail | €1 500 | €2 500 | €3 500 |
| finance | €4 500 | €6 000 | €8 500 |
| education | €2 500 | €3 500 | €5 000 |
| healthcare | €3 000 | €5 000 | €10 000 |
| engineering | €4 000 | €6 000 | €8 000 |
| hospitality | €2 000 | €3 000 | €4 000 |
| construction | €2 000 | €3 000 | €4 500 |
Living in Alexandria: Safety, Health & Climate
Alexandria shares Egypt's wider quality-of-life profile. Alexandria has a dry climate. Here is what daily life looks like on the things that matter most when you relocate.
Visa Routes to Egypt
Affording Alexandria is only half the question — you also need a visa that lets you stay in Egypt. The main routes:
- A job offer is normally required for the main work route.
- Permanent residence after about 5 years.
- Citizenship after ~2 years — dual nationality allowed.
- Investment route from about €50 000 (USD).
Taxes in Egypt
Top marginal rate 22.5%, VAT 14%. Special regime — Requires legal source verification
Settling into Alexandria
- Foreigners can open a local bank account in Egypt.
- Budget around €950 for first-month setup in Alexandria.
- Regulated professions needing credential recognition: Medicine, Law, Engineering, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Psychology.
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How much does it cost to live in Alexandria?
A single person in central Alexandria should budget about €370/month, roughly €314 outside the centre. A family of four needs around €660/month.
Can I get a visa to live in Egypt?
Yes — the main route usually needs a job offer, with permanent residence reachable in about 5 years. See the full Egypt visa comparison for the route that fits you.
Sources: salaries, taxes, safety, healthcare and visa data from World Bank, OECD, the Global Peace Index and official government portals. Cost-of-living figures are community-sourced benchmarks — a guide, not a quote. Last reviewed 2026-05.
Related: Egypt Guide · Visa Comparison · All Countries