# Just an example.



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

There is a constant asking of how much does it cost to live in Cairo and people reply with it's very cheap, which I disagree with.
Yesterday I went to Chillis with a 6 year old and we ordered
1 childrens portion of pasta and 1 cola
1 salmon and shrip combo plus 1 cola
Total cost 143LE
Now to me that is expensive, I can get this meal cheaper in the U.K
I expect someone to come on a tell me that I can eat locally for half that price.
My point in this thread is that as expats we generally expect and want a certain standard of food etc and to be told that it is cheap here is not true.


----------



## queenie40something (Jan 14, 2008)

Thats is expensive - cant you get any discounts? In Sharm there are various restaurants that give me discounts - one I have a card that allows me continous 50% which does make it cheap to eat out.


----------



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Hi Queenie, I know that there is a card you can apply for and after an initial payment you then get discount in various places, is this the sort of card you mean? I was never sure if it really worked or not, but it might be worth a try. Is it busy in Sharm just now? Cairo is dead, there are very few Gulf Arabs about and I am wondering if it is because of the prices here that they have decided to go elsewhere. The Marriot hotel here is a great favourite with them and I was there the other night and the place was almost deserted, but then they are charing silly money now, would you believe french toast is 50 le plus taxes!!! and a bottle of water is 22le plus taxes. Not hard to figure out why they are loosing custom


----------



## teacherman (Jul 15, 2009)

oh no!!! my flgiths are booked now and i was hoping i could save half og my wages every month. i will be getting 1400sterling. 80 pounds for my rent. Am i in trouble?


----------



## New Gal (Apr 22, 2009)

teacherman said:


> oh no!!! my flgiths are booked now and i was hoping i could save half og my wages every month. i will be getting 1400sterling. 80 pounds for my rent. Am i in trouble?


Not sure about saving as that depends on your lifestyle but your pay and rent seem more than adequate. Don’t stress and good luck for the move!


----------



## queenie40something (Jan 14, 2008)

Hi MaidenScotland - in Sharm there is a discount card that you can buy for about $4 that will give small discounts off dive schools, tours etc but havent bought one as this is more geared towards ' tourists '. I just go into the restaurant and ask if they will be so kind as to give a staff discount. I believe in the motto dont ask dont get. I get 20% from a fab fish restaurant, 15% from an Italian and 50% from a restaurant in Naama Bay that specialises in seafood but basically sells everything such as pasta, steak, salads etc. I had a fillet steak meal with fries and fresh veg, pud and 2 beers for less than 50le including tax and service charge. I met with the manager and she gave me a special plastic card that was registered on the computer with my name printed on it. She gave me other 10% discount cards to give to other owners. Although I have a washing machine sometimes it is a rush so I have found the local laundry and asked for staff rates which they give me - not as cheap as Egyptians pay but no where near as high as tourists pay.
I also get half price food and drink from my local and 20% off Camel Bar and a couple of others. Try asking you will be surprised. Tell them you are staff and can you have staff prices and if you do you will visit more often!
Cairo is obviously a city and far larger than Sharm. Alot of the shop owners / bar owners, restaurant owners address me by my christian name and quite often get ' freebies ' just by passing and they ask me in for a cold drink on the house and sometimes dips and bread too! Of course it works both ways and I quite often taken them treats too which they appreciate. One Shisha Cafe I made t shirts with the Shisha bar name printed on with cocktail glasses in neon colours and they were over the moon.


----------



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Hi Quennie, I don't pay Egyptian prices but nor do I pay foreign prices somewhere inbetween for taxis etc
I have lived in this present building for 9 years and the locals know me, the local supermarket etc just charge me Egyptian prices but my problem with the fruit man( I can read arabic numerals ) etc, maquabi etc is they know what position I hold and they perceive me to be rich! I often get round this problem by sending one of the staff out to get what I want.


----------



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Hi Quennie, I don't pay Egyptian prices but nor do I pay foreign prices somewhere inbetween for taxis etc
I have lived in this present building for 9 years and the locals know me, the local supermarket etc just charge me Egyptian prices but my problem with the fruit man( I can read arabic numerals ) etc, maquabi etc is they know what position I hold and they perceive me to be rich! I often get round this problem by sending one of the staff out to get what I want.


----------



## queenie40something (Jan 14, 2008)

LOL yeah know what you mean - handy to have one to do the shopping in the local shops!


----------



## khater (Oct 11, 2008)

prices here dpend on names,chillis is expensive ,but some local names r much cheaper like spectra,roastry raspberry ,spectra is well known and has many branches and i think a meal for two including 2*(appetiser+main course+drink+dessert)about 150 pounds


----------



## khater (Oct 11, 2008)

thers a site called disountsegypt duno if they r still having good offers


----------



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

I use spectra and I like it, Yes prices depend on names, but all I am showing is that it is not cheap here, some people it seems think that they can come here and live on practically nothing. In the UK I wouldn't think twice about going into a fast food joint like Chillis as I know it will be cheap, but I think about it here.


----------



## khater (Oct 11, 2008)

in some otehr cafes its even cheaper but not all have good quality of food.theres el omda in gamet el dewal st. ad a quiter branch in algeria(algazaer)square bith r near u,also near spectra el mohandesin and near mostafa mahmoud mosque there r a couple of places which have nice steaks,if u wana egyptian food u know it can be much cheaper
theres the greek club in dowtown nice internaional cusine with rfeasonable prices,also it serves lickers
hoipe u enjoy ur meal lol


----------



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Sadly I do not like Egyptian food, I find it too salty and too greasy and in desserts far too much sugar and the sprinkling of chopped pistachio nut on everything is a no no for me.
I have an Egyptian chef and trying to stop him putting oil in the rice is hard work lol
Also as an expat woman it is not so easy to go alone and eat in a local restaurant in fact it is impossible as we get hassled from men thinking we are all looking for a good time, at least if you go to a 5 star hotel you can sit and eat without bother.


----------



## khater (Oct 11, 2008)

well about food everyone has his taste,hasllement i agree but will be much less in winter anyway i tk greek club wil be nice u can try it at least its in downtown same building of groppi.also there r some reastuarents in zamalek like five bells,and other cafes will serve good food


----------



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Please, have you been to the 5 bells lately, its a grotty place. Hassle from men happens everyday winter and summer there is no closed season here for sleazebags


----------

