# Possibly Moving to Cairo, Questions



## Shnoof (Apr 16, 2010)

Hi forum,
I've been reading a lot of posts here today (reached page 20) to try to get a feel for living in Cairo. I worked there for a summer 4 years ago, but was living with a coworker who acted as a host. Now I might move back to Cairo this summer for the same job, but for a year or two. I'm a young guy in my late 20s, very self sufficient, with a lot of travel experience around the world (UAE, China, Thailand, Mexico and more) so I know how to handle myself around the poorer countries. The company I might be working for is in Maadi, which I hear is a nice part of town. I'm not sure what my salary will be like though.

Here is a long list of questions I have gathered. No need to reply to them all, just the ones you can offer an educated answer:
1) What are apartment prices roughly like in Maadi? I only need a little 1 bedroom/1 bathroom place with an AC unit capable of handling summer heat. If Maadi is too pricey, what are some other nearby neighborhoods that are relatively good for expats?
2) I will want to drive. I have an American license, but my international permit has expired. What are the chances a traffic officer will be able to understand that it is expired? 
3) What are prices like for a 10 year old hatchback (something along the lines of a Peugeot 306)? Here in Greece it's about 20000-30000 EGP.
4) What are the laws regarding weapons, such as pocket knives and pepper spray?
5) What are electronics prices like? Should I buy any computer hardware before I go?
6) What would a typical monthly bill total be, for cell phone (already have the device), 1Mbps DSL, water, electricity? What is the price of gas like there?
7) Besides hotels, are there any nice pubs to hang out at to grab a drink? Are there any shops to buy bottles of beer/spirits? 
8) Someone mentioned that there are import exemptions for diplomats and people in the oil industry. As the company I will work for is a private oil company, would I qualify?

That's all for now. If I think of anything more to ask that Google can't answer, I'll post it here. Cheers.


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## MensEtManus (Jul 30, 2009)

*
1) What are apartment prices roughly like in Maadi? I only need a little 1 bedroom/1 bathroom place with an AC unit capable of handling summer heat. If Maadi is too pricey, what are some other nearby neighborhoods that are relatively good for expats?* A Cairo expert will answer...

*2) I will want to drive. I have an American license, but my international permit has expired. What are the chances a traffic officer will be able to understand that it is expired? * If you are driving within city limits, then not much of an issue as you won't be stopped. If you plan on driving long-distances, then you typically encounter many stops. Things become tricky. Bribes are easy to get away with things, but ultimately you are still at risk.....


*3) What are prices like for a 10 year old hatchback (something along the lines of a Peugeot 306)? Here in Greece it's about 20000-30000 EGP.
* The market for 10 year old used cars isn't something that you can walk up to a dealer and easily find. In general, I wouldn't recommend a Peugeot in Egypt. For the same amount of money you can probably grab a 15 year old opel vectra or for a few thousand more get yourself a Jeep Cherokee. 


*4) What are the laws regarding weapons, such as pocket knives and pepper spray?
* I forget the exact rule, but if the knife is longer than the width of 4 fingers it is considered a weapon. In short, yet knives are weapons. They don't understand pepper spray. They'll think it is a perfume or something. 

*5) What are electronics prices like? Should I buy any computer hardware before I go?*
They are a ripoff compared to USA prices. Things here cost 200%-300% more than USA items. However, there is a huge Chinese market of cheap electronics that provide the opportunity to find items cheaper than the USA. I've found them to be useful but I've had to replace many of them because they have a short life.

*6) What would a typical monthly bill total be, for cell phone (already have the device), 1Mbps DSL, water, electricity? What is the price of gas like there?* Incoming calls and texts are free. Only outgoing calls/texts cost money. It truly depends on your usage of the phone. Some folks can have a bill of 20LE/month for cell phones whereas others can have a bill of 500LE. Throw in data usage on your phone and international calls and you'll see yourself in the 1000LE range easy. I would say if you plan to make a few phone calls, then max around 100LE/month. Internet (just google TEDATA) and you'll get the prices. Water is a joke. Electricity - a cairo expert will shine on this. Gas is subsidized 80 is 1LE/liter 92 is 1.75LE/liter 

*7) Besides hotels, are there any nice pubs to hang out at to grab a drink? Are there any shops to buy bottles of beer/spirits? *
A Cairo expert will answer...

*8) Someone mentioned that there are import exemptions for diplomats and people in the oil industry. As the company I will work for is a private oil company, would I qualify?* no idea


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## mardini (Apr 29, 2010)

MensEtManus said:


> *
> 1) What are apartment prices roughly like in Maadi? I only need a little 1 bedroom/1 bathroom place with an AC unit capable of handling summer heat. If Maadi is too pricey, what are some other nearby neighborhoods that are relatively good for expats?* A Cairo expert will answer...
> 
> - Depending on the specific area of Maadi, a 2 bedroom apartment would cost anywhere from 450,000 to 1,200,000 Egyptian Pounds. Really hard to tell without knowing the location in Maadi. Not sure you can find a one bedroom apartment there.
> ...



Sorry MensEtManus, I put my answers right after yours.

Top of the Day....

Ibrahim


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