Are you a digital nomad considering living in Egypt for a while? Well, lucky for you, I’m a digital nomad and was born and raised here. So, whatever you need to relocate to Egypt is in this read, whether the ins and outs of the country or if you’re looking for reassurance.

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THE WHY: Pros of Living in Egypt

#1 It’s very cheap

Given the high exchange rates, the Egyptian pound is very cheap. So, if you make money in US dollars or Euros, you’ll have a high purchasing power living in Egypt. Not to mention that if you even compare prices after converting, you’ll find that the cost of living in Egypt in comparison to the cost of living in so many other countries is still much lower. I’ll delve further into this later on in this read when I discuss the cost of living.

#2 So much to explore

I always say that Egypt has so much to offer. People often think of pyramids and temples whenever Egypt is brought up in conversation. Well, yes, our ancient Egyptian history is something that I’m super proud of and even obsessed with, but Egypt is way more beyond that. Egypt doesn’t just offer history and culture, it offers adventure travel, leisure travel, even religious tourism, and more. So, no matter what your travel interests are, Egypt will have something for you.

#3 The culture is interesting to take in

The Egyptian culture is pretty complex, I can’t deny, and even though you might disagree with certain things, it’s still pretty interesting to learn about, and even take a thing or two from. There’s some sort of warmth in the culture that people tend to come back for – the generosity, hospitality, the family-oriented culture, only to name a few.

It’s also worth mentioning that there are so many subcultures in Egypt and in everywhere you go, the people will have different cultures. My favorite two groups whom I very much admire their cultures and absolutely love their people are the Nubians and the Jebeliya Bedouin tribe of Saint Catherine.

#4 The food is absolutely amazing

Egyptian cuisine is so underrated. I traveled to so many places around the world and I’ve seen Middle Eastern cuisines like the Lebanese taking over the west by storm, but I rarely saw any authentic Egyptian restaurants abroad. And trust me, every single foreigner I met or took out to an Egyptian restaurant was raving about the food – so I’m not being biased here. Also, if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, Egyptian cuisine has so many options to offer you, so don’t let your dietary lifestyle stop you from coming to Egypt.

Relevant read: Egyptian Cuisine: 5 Dishes and the Stories Behind Them

#5 Communication won’t be an issue

Communication won’t be a huge problem for you. Yes, not everyone in Egypt speaks English, but many people still do, even if it’s not good English. And Egyptians will get creative trying to understand what you’re trying to say so don’t worry. Worst case scenario, there’s always Google Translate!

#6 Friendly locals

Generally, Egyptians are super friendly and will try their best to make you feel welcome. They’re also known for their sense of humor – they’ll turn everything and anything depressing into a joke or meme.

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Is Egypt safe?

This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions by female travelers, especially solo female travelers. And as a solo female traveler myself, I can definitely understand your concerns, so let’s address this issue in detail.

What women are most concerned about is usually harassment. Let’s first break down the term “harassment” and differentiate between sexual harassment or catcalling and other sorts of harassment like haggling by vendors at touristy places. Unfortunately, both do exist, I can’t deny that. But you can deal with any situation by simply being prepared. You should also use common sense and be cautious – not paranoid, cautious. If you apply this advice, you will definitely be good to go.

It’s also important to note that people often experience such uncomfortable situations more in touristy places, most of which are located in or near ghettos basically, where a tourist is easily going to stand out. And “tourists” are known to be easy prey, in general. whether to be scammed, catcalled, haggled into buying something, etc. 

I’ve compiled a few tips so my safety advice would be more actionable rather than vague and all over the place:

1. Do enough research and dig deep. Don’t generalize the tips you find on the internet because Egypt’s culture is pretty complex and we have a ton of different subcultures here as I said. There are over 100 million citizens so generalizing would be a big mistake. That being said, don’t take some random tip you find online and apply it to everyone or everywhere. For instance, most female bloggers will advise you to dress in a certain way – their advice may be valid but only to a certain extent. Did you know that what’s acceptable to wear in Egypt depends on where you are? I highly doubt that someone who’s sharing their experience of a 1-week trip would know these details.
2. That takes us to where you should get your advice from. When you open Pinterest or Google and type in “Egypt”, most blogs will be the same; the same touristy places, same itinerary, same tips compiled after spending 3-7 days in the country. I definitely don’t recommend that you rely on this for your research. It could be a good starting point to get an idea of everything but that’s definitely not the “research” you should be doing. It’s better to check out the experience of travelers who spent a long time in the country, expats, or even better, local travel creators and bloggers. 

1. Speaking of research, research the neighborhoods before deciding where to stay (I’ll delve into this later on in this post). Do NOT stay near the pyramids. People stay in the ghettos and then complain about not feeling comfortable, feeling out of place, and not being able to manage or find things that are supposedly easy to find like a mall or a cafe with wifi.
2. Use your voice, I read somewhere before that your voice is a powerful self-defense tool which is very true. Yes, you don’t understand the words but you can interpret the context or even what the tone indicates. Try to see through the person that you’re dealing with, as you would anywhere else, and read their body language. Set boundaries, use an aggressive tone of voice if you feel you need to, and it might be useful to learn a few Arabic words. Egyptians, in general, are very friendly people but I guess a grown woman can differentiate between friendly and something else. If someone means no harm, they’re actually going to respect your boundaries and personal space without you saying or doing anything. 
3. When traveling around the country: If you’re not well traveled, join a group. There are so many good women-only tours that have Egypt on their list, but I personally don’t like these in Egypt precisely because I feel they’re so touristy. Their itineraries and style of doing things are maybe suitable for middle-aged women who want to blow off some steam or typical tourists but not for young and adventurous solo female travelers or digital nomads who are looking for things that are off-the-beaten-path. If you’re cool with the tours and that kind of travel style or if you’re not well-traveled, then go for it, if you’re from the other group, then better head out on your own, with good research, a positive mindset, and caution, you should be good to go.

Need help planning your trip to Egypt? Click here to learn more about my travel planning services.

The Top Destinations for Living in Egypt as a Digital Nomad

Cairo

Cairo is Egypt’s capital city and the most inhabited one. You can’t visit Egypt without at least spending a few days here. It’s the place where you get to learn the most about the Egyptian culture simply by walking the streets, observing, and interacting with locals from different backgrounds.

Pros of Living in Cairo

• It’s where you’ll capture the core essence of Egypt. The capital is the most inhabited city in the country. That being said, it’s guaranteed that you’ll witness most of the diversity that is in Egypt.
• It has so much history. The land has witnessed all of the country’s historic events and cultural influences throughout the ages; the ancient Egyptian civilization, the Roman empire, Islamic Cairo, the Ottoman empire, you name it.
• It’s a relatively cheap city that suits all budgets. It’s perfectly affordable for budget travelers, and even luxury here is quite attainable.
• There’s SO much to do. Cairo doesn’t run out of hang-out spots – malls, sites, places that offer activities, nightlife, and party venues, and especially cafés and restaurants.
• It’s the city that never sleeps. Forget about ghost towns that completely shut down at 7 pm – Cairenes stay up late like it’s completely normal to see a lot of cars post-midnight – you might even get stuck in traffic.
• There are lots of expats living in Cairo, so it’s easy for you to connect with other foreigners or even people of your same nationality if you’re ever homesick or feel you need to be part of a group/community. You can check out this Facebook group if you’re looking to connect with other expats in Cairo.

Cons of Living in Cairo

• It may be overwhelming at first. Since it’s where the core essence of Egypt lies, and since it’s the most inhabited city in the country, it’s quite chaotic. It’s an incredibly fast-paced city, and since the Egyptian culture is pretty complex and different at the same time, you’ll most probably experience culture shock. The good news is that if you’re mentally prepared and know what to expect, it’ll pass.
• The traffic is insane. Get used to honking, chaotic traffic lights, lots of passersby, a variety of vehicles, not sticking to lanes, speeding, and most importantly spending at least 30 minutes in the car if you’re commuting from one neighborhood to another.
• Public transportation isn’t ideal, so Uber’s your best option. However, if you’re well-traveled, the metro network in Cairo is huge.
• Cairo is, unfortunately, polluted, unlike the other untouched destinations.
• The dry weather. The heat is inevitable in Egypt, but at least in coastal cities, you can take a dip in the sea anytime, but in Cairo, you’re stuck with that.
• For women: you may not be able to dress as comfortably or freely as you’re used to. You definitely don’t need to cover up but in most neighborhoods, it’s best if you wear pants or long skirts, and short sleeves in the summer. You can definitely wear dresses, shorter skirts, and sleeveless options but it all depends on the setting (e.g: nicer or more upscale neighborhoods, bars or clubs, etc.)

Cairo Reads

• 25+ Activities in Cairo – Complete Local Travel Guide Included
• Best Hotels in Cairo for All Solo Travelers
• Giza Pyramids Tour: A Local’s Ultimate Guide
• 7 Unusual Things to Do in Cairo
• The Saladin Citadel: A Cairo Day Tour You Can’t Miss
• Old Cairo Tour: Where All Three Abrahamic Religions Meet
• Wadi Degla Protectorate: Cairo’s Hidden Gem
• All About Cairo’s Baron Palace and Its Spooky Stories
• Cairo Tower: Where to Capture the City’s Best Nile Views

DON’T FORGET TO GET INSURED

Dahab

Dahab is one of the most beautiful destinations in Egypt – “heaven on earth” would be an understatement. Picture the Red Sea with a mountainous backdrop, sounds like the perfect scenery, right? The morning town is pretty chill and laidback – it’s basically island vibes except for Dahab is actually located in a peninsula, Sinai. There’s also a growing community of digital nomads there because the destination is just perfect for that lifestyle, and here’s why.

Pros of Living in Dahab

• It’s one of the cheapest destinations to live in Egypt – the cost of living there is much cheaper than in Cairo.
• A lot of cafés and restaurants offer free WiFi.
• Nature in Dahab is surreal. Like I said, “heaven on earth” is an understatement and I’m not exaggerating.
• You can travel around Sinai, which has so many other heavenly destinations such as Saint Catherine and Nuweiba.
• So many adventure travel activities for adrenaline junkies – hiking, rock climbing, diving, you name it.
• Speaking of diving, Dahab is one of the best destinations in Egypt to dive, and the cheapest to take diving courses. The Red Sea in Egypt competes every year with Indonesia over the title of the top diving destination in the world.
• The diversity in Dahab is amazing – it’s a melting pot of cultures. People that live in Dahab include the native Bedouins, Egyptians that moved from other cities like Cairo and Alexandria, expats from other foreign countries that have been part of the Dahab community for years.
• Given the diversity, there are so many authentic cuisines available. Food, in general, in Dahab is top-notch – some of my favorite restaurants are there.
• There’s a small community of digital nomads there that started growing especially after 2020 when remote work became normalized. You can check out this Facebook group if you’d like to connect with other digital nomads in Dahab.
• It’s an eco-friendly town. Being environmentally-friendly in Egypt is not easy because lack of awareness and because of how costly this lifestyle might be for the majority of the population. However, in beach towns like Dahab, locals respect the environment because it’s their home – people recycle, use canvas shopping bags and try to reduce single-use plastic, they don’t litter, divers volunteer for beach clean-ups, and of course, they respect their treasured coral reefs.
• Everyone speaks English.
• It’s one of the safest destinations in Egypt. The crime rate is very low, women dress freely since it’s a beach town, and since Sinai is close to the borders, police and military checkpoints are all over the peninsula. And unlike the common misconception that Sinai is unsafe, Sinai actually gets extra security measures, especially South Sinai.

Cons of Living in Dahab

• It’s a small town in the middle of the desert, so the facilities and advanced technologies of the bigger cities like Cairo aren’t available. For instance, if your laptop breaks down, you’d have to send it to Cairo to get fixed.
• That being said, don’t expect a fancy lifestyle either. Dahab and its people are all about simplicity and minimalism – which isn’t really a downside in my point of view. But to some people, it may be a little bit outdated, so it’s important to set the right expectations.
• Also, medical care isn’t as advanced as in Cairo. So, in case you need more serious care for a major health issue, you need to head to Sharm El Sheikh, the closest big city, or even better, go to Cairo.
• Secluded places don’t have coverage, let alone an internet connection. If you need WiFi to get your work done, you need to stay in town. It’s important to note that the internet in Egypt, in general, is limited. So, high-speed internet here may not be the high-speed internet you’re used to – however, it’s still reliable.
• You can’t fly to Dahab; however, you can fly to Sharm El Sheikh which is 1 hour away. And the only other means of transportation that takes you to Dahab is by bus or car – it’s a 7-hour ride from Cairo.

Check out my travel guide to Dahab: Epic Things to Do in Dahab: Your Unconventional Guide

El Gouna

El Gouna is a beautiful privately owned beach town near Hurghada. It’s best known for its pristine lagoons, impressive architecture, and upscale community.

Pros of Living in El Gouna

• El Gouna is only a little bit over 30 years old so the sense of community is amazing.
• The town has premium quality facilities, including a decent hospital and a reliable healthcare system.
• El Gouna is also another beach town with plenty of water activities to enjoy.
• There are so many events happening all around the year.
• There’s WiFi available almost everywhere around town and there’s a big co-working space called GSpace.
• It’s also an eco-friendly town.
• And it’s an incredibly safe one too.
• It’s a morning town, yes, but unlike Dahab, it’s also a place where you can enjoy a little bit of nightlife, especially during the holidays.

Cons of Living in El Gouna

• The cost of living there is very expensive. It’s an upscale town, so it may not be suitable for the average backpacking digital nomad on a tight budget. However, it’s become an entrepreneurial hub, so if you’re an online entrepreneur who managed to build an empire and a 6-figure online business, then El Gouna is the place to go.

Check out my travel guide to El Gouna: El Gouna, Red Sea: How to Take in Egypt’s Hottest Beach Town

Cost of Living in Egypt

As I previously mentioned, it’s very cheap to live in Egypt if your income is in powerful currencies like the US dollar or Euro. It’s even become cheaper after the Egyptian pound plunged to its lowest value to date against the US dollar in March 2022. For your reference, here are some examples of different exchange rates (disclaimer: these rates are subject to change every day).

• 1 USD = EGP 18.91
• 1 Euro = EGP 19.34
• 1 Pound Sterling = 23.02

The cost of living in Egypt may vary according to your lifestyle and income level, but generally, it can fit various budgets. To have a basic understanding of the cost of living, here are some prices of products you may consume regularly:

• A small bottle of water: EGP 3
• A large bottle of water: EGP 5
• Local beer: EGP 25
• Koshari plate: EGP 16

P.S: It’s important to know that imported goods are very expensive in Egypt. Also, some products may be consumed regularly where you come from; however, they’re considered luxuries here, such as greek yogurt, granola, and almond or coconut milk. Hence, these products will be expensive in Egypt.

Something you need to note is that VAT is applied in Egypt, so if you’re sitting in a restaurant, this tax as well as an extra service fee will most probably be added to your bill.

By now, you’re probably wondering how much you’ll be paying for rent. Well, rent depends on the city, the neighborhood, and of course, the size of the unit. Another factor can also be whether you’ll be renting a whole apartment or a studio by yourself (studios are more expensive than apartments), or if you’ll be living with a flatmate(s).

Let’s take Cairo as an example, rentals may be starting EGP 5,000 a month and up. There’s cheaper, of course, but probably not up to your living standards. If you’re aiming for nicer places in Maadi or Zamalek, you may pay around USD 1,000 a month (some landlords actually only rent for foreigners), or you might find yourself a nice 2 or 3-bedroom apartment for EGP 6,000 (more or less) in Maadi – Zamalek is usually more expensive. And if you’re staying with flatmates, you can always split the rent, so you could pay as low as EGP 3,000, for instance.

It’s also important to note that, in Egypt, your apartment costs won’t be limited to rent and insurance only. Other separate bills that you’ll be paying on a monthly basis include landline, internet, electricity, gas, and building maintenance. The latter would include things like your share of the water bill (that goes for the whole building) and the bawab‘s salary (a bawab is like a doorman in Egypt).

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How to Find a Place to Live in Egypt?

My best advice is to come to Egypt first and then find a place – renting online when you’re still in your home country could be risky. It’s better if you see the place for yourself first, and it’s easier to negotiate in person. Also, you’d be less prone to getting scammed.

If you happen to know a local who knows the language to help you in your search and negotiation process, that would be great. A lot of landlords and brokers would just want to charge foreigners extra and you just need to make sure that what you’re paying is within a reasonable range.

So, you’ve arrived in Egypt and you want to find your new home, how to start your search and where to look? You can check out property websites like OLX or Property Finder, or if you know a local, you can let them ask a bawab in the neighborhood where you want to live. Bawabs usually know each other and would know if any fellow bawab has an apartment available for rent in their building. In this case, you need to factor in a commission/tip you’d give that bawab.

Personally, my favorite way of finding an apartment is scouring Facebook groups dedicated to that. There are so many groups dedicated to property rentals and some are even dedicated to certain neighborhoods. On these groups, you’ll find posts by landlords, brokers, or even tenants looking for flatmates – and some groups even ban brokers. Here are some of the groups.

• CAIRO 🇪🇬 – Rent a House, Villa, Apartment, Flat, Condo, Room, Bedspace
• Flats For Rent Cairo
• Maadi property(without brokers)
• Rent room and flat directly -NO BROKERS ALLOWED
• WhatsUp for Sale or Rent in Sahel. Gouna & Sokhna
• Sokhna and Gouna Rentals & Sales
• Dahab For Sale And Rent

P.S: If you’re working with a broker, you’ll be paying 3-months worth for the first payment; a month’s worth for the landlord (which is your first month of stay), a month’s worth for the insurance (which you take back when leaving the apartment in case you didn’t cause any damages), and a month’s worth which is the broker’s fee.

Where to stay in Cairo?

When it comes to Dahab and El Gouna, they’re small towns, so everywhere is pretty much the same. Sure, some areas are nicer or more expensive than others, but when it comes to feeling comfortable, you shouldn’t have any issues anywhere. Cairo on the other hand is a big city with so many subcultures, so the neighborhoods can be very different in terms of facilities, infrastructure, the standard of living, and so on. Many foreigners, whether coming to live or visit, fall for this pitfall and end up finding themselves in ghettos or in neighborhoods where they won’t necessarily feel comfortable. That being said, here are my recommendations, as a local, for neighborhoods that I think are fine for foreigners:

• Maadi
• Zamalek
• New Cairo
• Garden City
• Heliopolis
• Sheikh Zayed
• Some parts of Downtown (if you have a lower budget)
• Mohandeseen (if you have a lower budget)
• Dokki (if you have a lower budget)
• Agouza (if you have a lower budget)

Egypt Visa

To enter Egypt for any purpose, you first need to apply for a tourist visa which is valid for 30 days for a single entry. You need to have a valid passport for at least 6 months, and most nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival or even apply for an e-visa – some nationalities can also enter Sinai without a visa at all. Click here to see your eligibility for an e-visa and to apply.

For those who’ll be extending their stay in Egypt or will be working or studying, they need to apply for a residence permit/visa. The residence permit is renewable for up to 5 years. To apply for your residence permit and obtain your residence card, you need to go to the General Administration of Passports, Immigration, and Nationality in Abbasia, Cairo. They’re open from Saturdays to Thursdays from 8 AM to 2 PM. You will most probably need your passport, 2 copies of it, 2 copies of your latest visa, 2 copies of your last entry stamp, one copy of your rental contract, passport photos, and cash.

P.S: Procedures and processing fees are subject to change so it’s better to contact them and get the latest updates yourself.

P.SS: If you’ll be employed in a company in Egypt, you need to apply for a work permit.

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