# Cost of living in El Gouna



## thriftybrit

Any chance that anyone can give an idea of the cost of living in El Gouna, just food and stuff maybe clothes and general things for living. Is it more expensive than UK or cheaper.

Would have no great wish to eat out a lot and dont have extravagent tastes.

I have seen here that people might o from El Gouna to Hurghada for shopping. Is this usual and is it worth the effort. I Hurghada really a lot cheaper or is there just more choice. Understand there is a Spinneys there.

Is it possible for someone to live in El Gouna and not have a car, but to hire a car on occasions and to use buses etc

What about cycling or even motor cycling, are either common.

I will probably be working in El Gouna quite soon. My wife will be with me but unlikely to work. Will she find enough to do and is it possible for her to find casual work or some part time work easily and legally if possibe. I am early fifties and she late forties. Just have to ensure that the "grown up" kids can cope before making final decision.

Any advice appreciated. Thank you


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## Lanason

thriftybrit said:


> Any chance that anyone can give an idea of the cost of living in El Gouna, just food and stuff maybe clothes and general things for living. Is it more expensive than UK or cheaper.
> 
> Would have no great wish to eat out a lot and dont have extravagent tastes.
> 
> I have seen here that people might o from El Gouna to Hurghada for shopping. Is this usual and is it worth the effort. I Hurghada really a lot cheaper or is there just more choice. Understand there is a Spinneys there.
> 
> Is it possible for someone to live in El Gouna and not have a car, but to hire a car on occasions and to use buses etc
> 
> What about cycling or even motor cycling, are either common.
> 
> I will probably be working in El Gouna quite soon. My wife will be with me but unlikely to work. Will she find enough to do and is it possible for her to find casual work or some part time work easily and legally if possibe. I am early fifties and she late forties. Just have to ensure that the "grown up" kids can cope before making final decision.
> 
> Any advice appreciated. Thank you



Ah maybe that answers my last post - but i guess 5 August is not your intended leave UK date.

My advice is GET A CAR. I live in a new city just outside Cairo and would be completely lost without a car. I have access to company drivers but the logistics were a pain the the &&&. :car:


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## Helen Ellis

You don't need a car, far cheaper to just use taxis or the tuk tuks around Gouna, and there is a free bus too. Bus to Hurghada is 3.50le each way for residents. Ok a car is convenient but at around 3,000 per month to hire is it worth it? 
Cost of living is lower than uk for most things and definitely lower overall, clothes will be more expensive and wine. Fresh fruit, veg, meat, eating out, household bills all cheaper. 
Cycling would be great in Gouna, not in Hurghada though, due to poor roads and maniac drivers. Whether your wife will have enough to do will depend on her, there isn't that much to do other than beach, diving, watersports, and meeting people for coffee etc. There is a free open air cinema. But lots of people love it there, it's quiet, clean and safe..... very elegant.
She is unlikely to find casual/part time work easily, maybe voluntary work would suit?


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## Gounie

I have lived in El Gouna for seven years without a car. Where will you be living? Do you know which area? Places like South Marina, Abu Tig Marina, Italian and Rihana Compound, Downtown, Upper Nubia are all an easy walk to the shops in the Marina and Downtown. Areas like West Golf, East Golf, Phase 4 you will need a tok tok (5LE per person) or catch the regular shuttle bus that costs LE20 unlimited use per week. During busy times tok toks don't like going a long distance so you may have to wait if you call one. I think you can hire a car for around LE200 per day. Taxis are expensive going to Hurghada with El Gouna Limousine but around LE50 coming the other way. You can get all the way to Spinneys by bus but it takes a long time.

You can find everything you need in the shops in El Gouna but there are no prices on anything in Best Way and some of the imported stuff is expensive. There is a scanner to check prices. I go once a month with friends to Spinney or Metro to stock up on meat for the freezer and major items. We did have a butchers open up here which was excellent but expensive. The mini markets sell frozen chicken, mince, fish, etc. There is a small shop next to Turtles Inn in the marina that sells very high quality meat and deli products. The fruit and veg shops are excellent in El Gouna and cheap. I usually spend LE30 on two large bags full. They stock unusual things like avocados, ginger, cherries, asparagus, tiny hot chillis, beansprouts, etc. whereas if you go to a typical fruit and veg stall in Hurghada it is more of the basic fruit and veg.

If you rent a villa then they will be very expensive to run because of all the irrigation in the garden and pool maintenance. Apartments are cheap to run but depending how much you use the air conditioning. I'm not a fan of the a.c. but have used it a lot this summer as it has been around 40 degrees and very, very windy. My bills for electric, water, and everything else included in the service charges per year are around GBP450 total for a one bed apartment. But if you have the a.c. on all night and day then it would be much, much more. 

Most of us live on annual tourist visas which clearly state you are not allowed to work and the authorities are clamping down on illegal foreign workers. Having said that many European residents are taking care of properties for friends who live in Europe and rent out their apartments and villas for holiday lets.

There is a great social life here and many different classes for your wife to join in if she likes relaxation, yoga, water aerobics, pilates, etc. You can join the gyms at the hotels or the mega expensive private gym in the new marina. There are lots of parties and dinner parties and we have a great scuba diving club for residents and arrange dive holidays, trips, etc.

There are a few clothes shops here, sometimes you are lucky and find some really nice dresses. There is a nice one in the marina but she rips me off everytime which is crazy because I would buy much more if she didn't play games with the price. Choice of make up is harder to find but there is a shop called Faces in Senzo Mall.

The Smugglers Pub at the back of Abu Tig Marina just before the Duty Free is a great place to meet other ex-pats living in El Gouna.


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## Gounie

I've just seen on another thread that you will be working as a teacher. Congratulations. The teachers' accommodation is usually very central in Downtown near to the school.


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## Sierranabq

Gounie said:


> I've just seen on another thread that you will be working as a teacher. Congratulations. The teachers' accommodation is usually very central in Downtown near to the school.


Good luck. El Gouna was lovely when i went with my friend for a week end from Shar. Not sure if Gounie is lovely lady who sorted out my friends cake and we had a lovely evening in the pub xx


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## Gounie

Sierranabq said:


> Not sure if Gounie is lovely lady who sorted out my friends cake and we had a lovely evening in the pub xx


Aiwa!!  xx


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## thriftybrit

Thanks all for the replies and the realy useful information. I have lived and worked in the ME in the past but it seems that Egypt (I have never visited) is going to be a very different experience.

I will probably post a few more questions before I am done, please be patient.....

Thanks again


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## gabe2010

You have certainly picked a strange time to move - who knows what will happen next in Egypt ?


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