# The myth about the cost of living



## Sonrisa

Ok, so here is the thing …

I often hear that the cost of living in Egypt is very low and everything is so cheap and so on and that makes me wonder: what am I doing wrong? I use exactly the same weekly budget in Spain and whilst back home I can indulge in nice food, outing, clothes and lots of little goodies here and there, in Cairo I just seem to have my belt pretty thight actually.


When in Egypt, I try to buy local as much as possible but sometimes I find that I cannot stand the quality of produce so I go for imported. That’s probably where I fail. 
For clothes and shoes and soft furnishing.. I also find that the quality of local doesn’t suit my taste (why Egyptian cotton is so highly regarded around the world is a mystery to me), so do buy imported as well, and I must say that I even find Chinese quality more bearable than local. 

I don’t have the usual perks that many expats enjoy such as cleaner, driver, nanny etc. I walk to places most of the time, clean my own flat, iron my own clothes… So definetly my weekly budget only goes onto things like groceries, internet and phone bills, and getting the kids dressed. 

So my question is : why would you consider Egypt to be cheap compared to your home country and how do you balance your budgets? 
What locally produced food that isn’t expensive would you recommend? Where do you do your shopping that is not too expensive? 


thanks, dizzie


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## MaidenScotland

Dizzie I agree with you.. Cairo is not cheap.

Chicken liver 26 le a kilo... in the UK it is about 60p a pound
Chicken 22 le a kilo.. 
Chicken gizzards 25 le kilo.. we throw these out in the UK
Chicken thighs 23le kilo
Chicken drumsticks 24 le kilo.
Baladi Beef Shank 38.28le 1/2 kilo.. mainly fat.
Tea bags 100 15.75 a box... 
Can of tuna 5.96 le
small sliced loaf known as toast 6.90
Baladi tomato 4.11 per kilo.
milk fresh litre 7.75 

Rice is cheap is you buy Egyptian but to me that is pudding rice so I buy Basmati.
Egyptian pasta is cheap.. and tastes like it so I buy Italian.
All my fruit and veg is bought in the street but the other day I had to pay 42 le kilo for potatoes and not good ones at that. I used to grow all my own veg in the UK so I know that the size of cabbages, cauliflowers etc are not grown without "help" so I do not buy these.
Local bread cheap but has little or no nutritional goodness, it is produced to "fill"
Toothpaste.. cheap
Medicine.. cheap
Bottled water cheap
Local clothes.. expensive for what they are and often badly made
Shoes... cheap and they look it and and last about 5 minutes, even shoes that are bought in the more expensive shops do not last.
Petrol cheap.. but only if you have a car
Taxis cheap
Bus rides cheaper still..but not for me thank you

However there is a shop in Zamalek called Fostok that has imported second clothes that are a pretty good price.. lots of childrens wear.


Your doing nothing wrong it is expensive is you try to eat a healthy balanced diet.

Maiden


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## Helen Ellis

If you live as an Egyptian it can be cheap, the food staples of bread, tomato, potato, local rice/pasta, lentils and other pulses are cheap in the souk ( and Hurghada is cheaper than Cairo it seems). Drink local tea in the local cafes etc but is this what you want?


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## MaidenScotland

Helen Ellis said:


> If you live as an Egyptian it can be cheap, the food staples of bread, tomato, potato, local rice/pasta, lentils and other pulses are cheap in the souk ( and Hurghada is cheaper than Cairo it seems). Drink local tea in the local cafes etc but is this what you want?




For me no.. I want good quality produce and would prefer buying loose pulses etc that had not sat around all day with the pollution from cars beltching over it.
I would not buy meat from a local butcher for the same reason, you see the carcass hanging outside the shop oblivious to the car that is sitting outside blowing black exhust fumes over it. I am not a past lover but on the odd occasion I have it I prefer Italian the local pasta is for me horrible The local bread has no nutrional value at all, there was a report on it about two years ago and the governement said they may add vitamins etc but to my knowledge this has not been done. I would NEVER eat fish from the Nile.

As an expat I haven't come overseas to have a lower standard of living than I would back home. I am happy to pay the higher price here for quality food stuffs but for people to go on about how cheap the place is is laughable.. do they not eat meat or chicken?


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## txlstewart

MaidenScotland said:


> For me no.. I want good quality produce and would prefer buying loose pulses etc that had not sat around all day with the pollution from cars beltching over it.
> I would not buy meat from a local butcher for the same reason, you see the carcass hanging outside the shop oblivious to the car that is sitting outside blowing black exhust fumes over it. I am not a past lover but on the odd occasion I have it I prefer Italian the local pasta is for me horrible The local bread has no nutrional value at all, there was a report on it about two years ago and the governement said they may add vitamins etc but to my knowledge this has not been done. I would NEVER eat fish from the Nile.
> 
> As an expat I haven't come overseas to have a lower standard of living than I would back home. I am happy to pay the higher price here for quality food stuffs but for people to go on about how cheap the place is is laughable.. do they not eat meat or chicken?


I agree! My rent on my 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath flat is more than my mortgage payment on my 2,000 sq foot home in Texas. Choosing what is important to me, then spending on that, is something I try to do. I don't eat out a lot, and try to walk whenever feasible. I brought enough clothes and shoes with me so that I don't have to spend money on that here. 

By the way, all the good Egyptian cotton is exported.


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## Sonrisa

It is reassuring to read that I am not the only one that finds Cairo very expensive. I was told over and over before I came how cheap Cairo was, and I actually find it more expensive than any other place I have lived in . 

I also buy a lots of chicken but I prefer the frozen whole chicken from Brazil, which I choke in the oven and tastes delicious, although I buy local chicken too when it looks fresh, although the taste is not so good. 

I am at loss with fish, The idea of eating anything that comes out of the Nile sounds revolting to me as well, so I currently buy frozen fish from New Zealand that costs an arm and a leg. 

The potatoes are going through a rough period at the moment….They look way too soft to the touch and taste …well, like old potatoes do . I can not find nice potatoes anywhere these days. 

Eggs are very expensive, but I buy them. Fruit is expensive, except for strawberries, that are really nice and buy almost everyday during the 9 months of season here. I hate mangoes. 

I buy broccoli, cauliflower, and cucumber, haven’t found anything wrong with these. But probably Maiden knows better. 

Medicines are cheap, but I am afroid that they do not work. A local pain killer will not kill my headache. I tried some local panadol made somewhere in 6th of October city, and surprise surprise , it was good for nothing. SO I am stuck buying irish (and expensive) panadol, which actually works. I would not dare to use locally made medicines in my children. 
,
I would be happy to live like an Egyptian drinking local tea and eating petit pain with local cream cheese everyday, but I have two little ones to feed that require a balanced and nutritious diet, so I guess that is not what I want. 

And about the cotton, now, that makes sense….

Soooo, my point is, Cairo isn’t cheap at all, it is only a myth


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## Beatle

Dizzie Izzie said:


> It is reassuring to read that I am not the only one that finds Cairo very expensive. I was told over and over before I came how cheap Cairo was, and I actually find it more expensive than any other place I have lived in .
> 
> I also buy a lots of chicken but I prefer the frozen whole chicken from Brazil, which I choke in the oven and tastes delicious, although I buy local chicken too when it looks fresh, although the taste is not so good.
> 
> I am at loss with fish, The idea of eating anything that comes out of the Nile sounds revolting to me as well, so I currently buy frozen fish from New Zealand that costs an arm and a leg.
> 
> The potatoes are going through a rough period at the moment….They look way too soft to the touch and taste …well, like old potatoes do . I can not find nice potatoes anywhere these days.
> 
> Eggs are very expensive, but I buy them. Fruit is expensive, except for strawberries, that are really nice and buy almost everyday during the 9 months of season here. I hate mangoes.
> 
> I buy broccoli, cauliflower, and cucumber, haven’t found anything wrong with these. But probably Maiden knows better.
> 
> Medicines are cheap, but I am afroid that they do not work. A local pain killer will not kill my headache. I tried some local panadol made somewhere in 6th of October city, and surprise surprise , it was good for nothing. SO I am stuck buying irish (and expensive) panadol, which actually works. I would not dare to use locally made medicines in my children.
> ,
> I would be happy to live like an Egyptian drinking local tea and eating petit pain with local cream cheese everyday, but I have two little ones to feed that require a balanced and nutritious diet, so I guess that is not what I want.
> 
> And about the cotton, now, that makes sense….
> 
> Soooo, my point is, Cairo isn’t cheap at all, it is only a myth


You can live cheaply in Egypt otherwise how would most of the local population live?! I appreciate the point you are making that you find the local food is nutritionally poor but isn't that about you making a choice that you don't want to eat that food - others may choose to eat it (and I know expats that do). I have expat friends that only drink in local cafes; take microbuses; eat street food/koshary; buy local produce etc and hence live cheaply. I avoid certain street food and have never dared set foot in a microbus in Egypt but that's a choice. I am quite happy with local medicines although I know a couple of Egyptian pharmacists so they guided me in the right direction as to which brands to take - is there a good pharmacist near you?

I wondered about the Egyptian cotton issue though when I came to Egypt until I read it was all exported!


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## MaidenScotland

Beatle said:


> You can live cheaply in Egypt otherwise how would most of the local population live?! I appreciate the point you are making that you find the local food is nutritionally poor but isn't that about you making a choice that you don't want to eat that food - others may choose to eat it (and I know expats that do). I have expat friends that only drink in local cafes; take microbuses; eat street food/koshary; buy local produce etc and hence live cheaply. I avoid certain street food and have never dared set foot in a microbus in Egypt but that's a choice. I am quite happy with local medicines although I know a couple of Egyptian pharmacists so they guided me in the right direction as to which brands to take - is there a good pharmacist near you?
> 
> I wondered about the Egyptian cotton issue though when I came to Egypt until I read it was all exported!




Well I would expect anywhere would be cheap if you choose to live on nutritionally poor food.. but generally the point of being an expat is working to make a better quality of life for you and your family. So maybe when people ask if Egypt is cheap I should say.. yes if you want nutritinally poor quality food and take transport that is not mechanically sound, however if you want a well balanced diet then no it is more expensive than the U.K.

Egyptian medicine is generally fine however you will find sometimes that it does not work as there tends not to be any quality control in the factories but if you speak to the pharmacist he generally knows what ones to avoid.
I suffer from migraine and the only thing that takes it away is Imigran which I buy locally it does cost 15 le for two tablets but one is enough to take the pain away and it does work when nothing else will.


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## Sam

MaidenScotland said:


> I suffer from migraine and the only thing that takes it away is Imigran which I buy locally it does cost 15 le for two tablets but one is enough to take the pain away and it does work when nothing else will.


Zomig should do the trick too, though not sure if it's made locally as it's quite expensive.


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## NZCowboy

MaidenScotland said:


> Dizzie I agree with you.. Cairo is not cheap.
> 
> 
> .... All my fruit and veg is bought in the street but the other day I had to pay 42 le kilo for potatoes and not good ones at that. I used to grow all my own veg in the UK so I know that the size of cabbages, cauliflowers etc are not grown without "help" so I do not buy these.......
> 
> Maiden


Fruit and vege are very seasonal, very cheap in season, but expensive out of season, or if there is a poor season and imports are required. I'm not sure about potatoes this year the quality isn't there, maybe its been a bad season.
As for the "size" thing, rather than the "help" is more about they grow different varieties here. With smaller households in the UK, and no demand for big cabbage leaves for "mahshi kurumb", and every vege having to met EU standards for shape size etc, growers have developed quick maturing small cabbages. I sure if you search the seed banks in the UK you will find traditional slow maturing cabbages that will grow huge like the local ones here.


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## MaidenScotland

NZCowboy said:


> Fruit and vege are very seasonal, very cheap in season, but expensive out of season, or if there is a poor season and imports are required. I'm not sure about potatoes this year the quality isn't there, maybe its been a bad season.
> As for the "size" thing, rather than the "help" is more about they grow different varieties here. With smaller households in the UK, and no demand for big cabbage leaves for "mahshi kurumb", and every vege having to met EU standards for shape size etc, growers have developed quick maturing small cabbages. I sure if you search the seed banks in the UK you will find traditional slow maturing cabbages that will grow huge like the local ones here.




Of course I am aware that fruit and veg are seasonal and cheap in season.. the same as the UK.. my point in showing the price of potatoes is that you can pay the same price here as in the U.K...

The veg.. I didn't buy many in the U.K as I grew my own so the standard size for the EU didn't apply.


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## NZCowboy

MaidenScotland said:


> Of course I am aware that fruit and veg are seasonal and cheap in season.. the same as the UK.. my point in showing the price of potatoes is that you can pay the same price here as in the U.K...
> 
> The veg.. I didn't buy many in the U.K as I grew my own so the standard size for the EU didn't apply.


Yes but you would have brought the seeds!!! As the commercial growers only grow cabbages to met EU standards etc, these varieties become the norm, and the older slower maturing traditional varieties that are less commerical become harder to obtain.
We did alot of work on our farm in NZ on research into brassicas, (swedes, turnips, neeps as you probably call them) as the are important part of animal feed systems. By natural breeding and selection the plant researchers developed earlier muturing (less than 100days) fast growing swedes with plenty of top and a very little bulb for summer grazing/finshing to late maturing (up to 240days) with big bulbs - bigger than your dinner plate for winter food, and everthing in between. The small fast growing ones actually reqired more "help"!!
Cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli are brassicas too.
Totally depends on which seed you select to the potential size not how much "help" you give the seed.


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## Horus

I try and eat meat, fish and eggs, yoghurt, cottage cheese, as much as possible so when I move to Sharm I will need to be buying plenty of chicken I suppose if I can find organ meat like liver and heart that's a bonus as I really like it!!

I ate Nile fish in Cairo without knowing, I only found out after when I asked and it tasted quite earthy not something I would eat again

I already eat pulses, pasta and cous cous so not much of a change 

I can wrangle up a nice tasty meal with a few ingredients I have always cooked med food.

I don't want to lose tone when I am out there, I did not see anything like whey or soya protein out there unless the gyms stock it; I get through about 2 litres of skim milk a day and don't ever touch alcohol

All I need is some gym equipment and I am set:eyebrows:


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## MaidenScotland

Horus said:


> I try and eat meat, fish and eggs, yoghurt, cottage cheese, as much as possible so when I move to Sharm I will need to be buying plenty of chicken I suppose if I can find organ meat like liver and heart that's a bonus as I really like it!!
> 
> I ate Nile fish in Cairo without knowing, I only found out after when I asked and it tasted quite earthy not something I would eat again
> 
> I already eat pulses, pasta and cous cous so not much of a change
> 
> I can wrangle up a nice tasty meal with a few ingredients I have always cooked med food.
> 
> I don't want to lose tone when I am out there, I did not see anything like whey or soya protein out there unless the gyms stock it; I get through about 2 litres of skim milk a day and don't ever touch alcohol
> 
> All I need is some gym equipment and I am set:eyebrows:



Local yoghurt is delicious and not unlike Greek yoghurt and it is cheap
Liver is very expensive.. I looked at veal liver this week and it was around the 110 LE per kilo... veal here is not raised as we know veal to be raised. I have never seen lambs liver being sold.. it probably is but I have not come across it.
I have never seen heart nor have I ever seen kidney being sold .. ohh steak and kidney pudding.
Most large chemists stock high protein and soya drinks


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## Horus

MaidenScotland said:


> Local yoghurt is delicious and not unlike Greek yoghurt and it is cheap
> Liver is very expensive.. I looked at veal liver this week and it was around the 110 LE per kilo... veal here is not raised as we know veal to be raised. I have never seen lambs liver being sold.. it probably is but I have not come across it.
> I have never seen heart nor have I ever seen kidney being sold .. ohh steak and kidney pudding.
> Most large chemists stock high protein and soya drinks


Hey thanks I need at least 200g - 300g protein per day and 3,000 calories 

No fried food, cake or pudding for me but I am impartial to falafel 

I make a wicked cucumber, mint and yoghurt salad with that Egyptian yoghurt and dips for the few tomatoes I can find that look edible and put that with the cous cous

I am going to need an oven so I can make some of my wicked thin crust pizza murhahahahahah 

As for Egyptian pasta I boil it and make a cold salad with it to eat next day, cut cucumber, canned tomato and pepper with some basil thrown in


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## NZCowboy

Horus
Whey Protein is about the same price as the UK, as my wifes cousin ask her to bring some back, which she did. In City Stars there is a kiosk that sells whey protein bars etc.


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## Horus

NZCowboy said:


> Horus
> Whey Protein is about the same price as the UK, as my wifes cousin ask her to bring some back, which she did. In City Stars there is a kiosk that sells whey protein bars etc.


Hey thanks anyway we will see when I get over this is what I need



















And some work out drinks as well 










I think I will have to import these if I want to open that gym I am dreaming about :boxing:


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## DeadGuy

For locally made medications, and coming from a couple of qualified pharmacists that I know, go for the ones made by GlaxoWellcome or Amoun, stay away from the ones made by EIPICO or any other local none sense, but I'd recommend that ONLY if you're not willing to buy the imported ones!!.....Hope you don't need to buy any meds anyway!

As for the cotton stuff, it's exported yes but you can still find SOME good quality products in here in some stores (100% Cotton Stores if I'm allowed to "advertise" it!) They sell the stuff made to be exported, the quality varies in their branches, depending in which area the store is located!!! (No racism meant LOL!)

Foods.........I don't even wanna think about what I'm eating, I'm not a big eater already so I don't wanna start thinking about it cause I'd probably stop eating.......!

Egypt being a cheap place to live in is a myth yes but for some reason many people find it "ok" in exchange for the "Sun, being on a place with +7000 years of history, nice people" and the rest of the...........blah blah blah if I can say it?!

Good luck folks!


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## elrasho

I landed in Cairo 2 days ago and went to a posh Lebanese restaraunt. I had some bonless chicken with salad which cosr 75LE = about £8 and it wasn't very nice. Not much meat and it was chewy.

I'm looking for a place in Zamalek now so if anyone could recommend where I can get good quality meat I will be very greatful


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## Beatle

elrasho said:


> I landed in Cairo 2 days ago and went to a posh Lebanese restaraunt. I had some bonless chicken with salad which cosr 75LE = about £8 and it wasn't very nice. Not much meat and it was chewy.
> 
> I'm looking for a place in Zamalek now so if anyone could recommend where I can get good quality meat I will be very greatful


Did you eat in Tabouleh in Garden City?


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## elrasho

No it was called Sabaya in the same hotel The Birdcage is. i will be starting my blog once i find an apartment. also any recomendations where i can get meat in Zamalek i really want to start cooking


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## MaidenScotland

Welcome in Egypt El Rasho,

Meat here is not particularly good but you can get lovely meat from Gourmet, it is imported from New Zealand and it really is worth the price. Gourmet does deliver so you can go on line and order.

Maiden


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## Beatle

elrasho said:


> No it was called Sabaya in the same hotel The Birdcage is. i will be starting my blog once i find an apartment. also any recomendations where i can get meat in Zamalek i really want to start cooking


I think there's a butchers on 26th July St (the main street in Zamalek) although I don't know about the quality. There are also various Metro supermarkets scattered round the city which sell meat - there's one in Zamalek but not sure about Garden City


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## Horus

Maiden Scotland mentioned chicken liver - they are REALLY nice slowly simmered in some broth; I also make them into a pate delicious on toast next day 

Get some orange zest / rind (without the white bits) and it's well PUKKA :clap2:

Fresh ground pepper will finish it off REALLY nice

Did I mention I am a good cook?

MURHAHAHAHAA FOOD!!!


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## MaidenScotland

Horus said:


> Maiden Scotland mentioned chicken liver - they are REALLY nice slowly simmered in some broth; I also make them into a pate delicious on toast next day
> 
> Get some orange zest / rind (without the white bits) and it's well PUKKA :clap2:
> 
> Fresh ground pepper will finish it off REALLY nice
> 
> Did I mention I am a good cook?
> 
> MURHAHAHAHAA FOOD!!!




I love chicken liver only problem here is they don't clean it very well and you have to often cut off bits of intestine and that just puts me right off eating it


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## NZCowboy

MaidenScotland said:


> Welcome in Egypt El Rasho,
> 
> Meat here is not particularly good but you can get lovely meat from Gourmet, it is imported from New Zealand and it really is worth the price. Gourmet does deliver so you can go on line and order.
> 
> Maiden


Its not from NZ!! 
Its Australian grain feed beef, pretty tasteless but alot more tender than anything else you can get here.

Beef and lamb here is pretty terrible, tough as old boots. Traditionally its mostly stewed, and you can understand why. As for cuts and the way the meat is butchered ..... chunks doesn't matter wether its ribeye, porterhouse, just hacked (bones included lots of chips and bone splinters) into chunks with a cleaver!


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## MaidenScotland

NZCowboy said:


> Its not from NZ!!
> Its Australian grain feed beef, pretty tasteless but alot more tender than anything else you can get here.
> 
> Beef and lamb here is pretty terrible, tough as old boots. Traditionally its mostly stewed, and you can understand why. As for cuts and the way the meat is butchered ..... chunks doesn't matter wether its ribeye, porterhouse, just hacked (bones included lots of chips and bone splinters) into chunks with a cleaver!


whoops well I was in the right part of the world


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## elrasho

MaidenScotland said:


> Welcome in Egypt El Rasho,
> 
> Meat here is not particularly good but you can get lovely meat from Gourmet, it is imported from New Zealand and it really is worth the price. Gourmet does deliver so you can go on line and order.
> 
> Maiden


Thanks Maiden, once I'm settled it would be really nice to meet you 

I just had some Koshary, was nice and went down well with some ice cold orange juice. I got a two cans of tuna, a loaf of bread (they call it toast here), 2l of milk for 15EGP. I thought that was good value.

I got a taxi from Modan Tahareer square to Zamalek for 10EGP, does that sound about right? I need to find a Gourmet store close to my apartment, well once I find one that it lol


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## Horus

NZCowboy said:


> Its not from NZ!!
> Its Australian grain feed beef, pretty tasteless but alot more tender than anything else you can get here.
> 
> Beef and lamb here is pretty terrible, tough as old boots. Traditionally its mostly stewed, and you can understand why. As for cuts and the way the meat is butchered ..... chunks doesn't matter wether its ribeye, porterhouse, just hacked (bones included lots of chips and bone splinters) into chunks with a cleaver!


Off topic but when I lived in Canada they had a saying when asked "how do you want your steak" the reply was "cut off it's horns and wipe it's bum and throw it on the fire" 

Yes the meat in Egypt is dire I am convinced it's either buffalo or camel  but then again I never see many older stray cats in Egypt... I wonder where they go?


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## NZCowboy

MaidenScotland said:


> whoops well I was in the right part of the world


Yeah you poms are all the same ....


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## Beatle

elrasho said:


> I just had some Koshary, was nice and went down well with some ice cold orange juice. I got a two cans of tuna, a loaf of bread (they call it toast here), 2l of milk for 15EGP. I thought that was good value.
> 
> I got a taxi from Modan Tahareer square to Zamalek for 10EGP, does that sound about right? I need to find a Gourmet store close to my apartment, well once I find one that it lol


Did you add the chilli sauce to the koshary? My egyptian friends always look very alarmed by the amount I put on it!

10EGP isn't bad - 7 or 8LE would probably be ok too. Very impressive - I was shelling out 20LE left, right and centre on my first trip to Cairo, so you have got into the swing of things very quickly


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## Tinytraveler

For my family living in 6th October it is cheaper.
If you are going to live here for any length of time and have the money buy a 1/2 finished apartment. Then finish it to your liking with all the appliances you would have back home. Property values go up in this country in the blink of an eye. 
We installed a multi-stage water filter to save money on the bottled water. In just one year it will pay off for itself for our family. We use this to water down juices as we find them too sweet for us and we drink coffee a lot. We are able to find organic milk for 6EL. Tea we only drink when we have a cough or cold. 
If you are looking for nutritious foods for your family try nut butters, legumes, and dates. Peanut butter can be difficult to find in Carrefour/Metro but you can buy peanuts and make you own in the blender. Out comes healthy homemade peanut butter just after a few minutes. You can make your own Museli mix with drying bananas in the oven, mix with dried apricots, raisins, coconut, nuts, and oatmeal as buying the tiny bag at Carrefour is 30-55EL. We don't use tomatoe sauce anymore but make our own with tomatoes and it is so much better. However tomatoes were 3EL per Kg now they are 10EL so we will be cutting back on them for a while. We do eat what ever is in season. Last year we were swimming in appricot but this year they must have been exported because it was hard to find them at a reasonable price, so we just ate something else. We love broccoli, cuccumbers and melons, guave and apples are big in our house this season. We are not having a problem finding good potates for 3EL/kg.
We don't have a cable tv bill, our internet is 1/4th the cost we paid in the states, telephone is cheaper as well, and our electric is 1/5 the price we would pay for a space this size, we don't have cellphone plans to pay for (we use pay as you go). We love to use tuk tuks when ever we can and resort to taxi when we have to. We buy veggies from the souk but most everything else is from Carrefour/Metro/Khairzaman. 
I think we could save more when we get an additional freezer. That way I can get extra fruits and veggies when they are cheap and have tomatoes all winter long. I would love to have a solar water heater but not sure we can get away with installing one. I have yet to buy clothes or shoes for myself. We did buy shoes for daughter they were cheaply made but they were only 30EL. We did have difficulty finding her size in any shoe. There must be a lot of other little girls wanting pink trainers that were the same size. We have only bought 3 toys since we got here and they were a good price compared to what they would have been states side. We bought the toys when we saw them and not right before the occassion we needed them for. I have finally found a books store where I can get Clifford the big red dog books or other childrens books for 10-20EL. I would have to really work to get *Used* childrens books for that price in the states. I think the key is to ask your Egyptian neighbors were to find the bargains and to be concious of prices so you can stock up when there is a good sale.


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## Tinytraveler

You know maybe it just seems more difficult to be frugal here because you want certain things that give you that comfort feeling of home. It is easier to find them back home because you know the system and know exactly where to find the specific item you are looking for. Here you have to be lucky to find the item you know was on the shelf the last time you went to the store. It seems like my carrefour totally rearranges the store constantly, and it makes it more difficult to find the item that I want to get. Then there is the side of things where you don't even know if an items is sold in this country because there isn't an easy system to go to like the yellow pages telephone book or even the internet to search for an item. The only way I have found to find anything is ask Egyptians. Ask the tuktuk or taxi driver, your doorman, the maid, anyone. My man finally asked the right neighbor where to find borax (so we can kill some ants) and he is going to take husband into Cairo to get it. 
If you want the luxury of going into one store and finding everything you want, all at a very reasonable price it isn't going to happen, you will pay top EL for that convience. If you are willing to do a big of networking and leg work you can find what you want for a fair price.


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## MaidenScotland

Tinytraveler said:


> For my family living in 6th October it is cheaper.
> If you are going to live here for any length of time and have the money buy a 1/2 finished apartment. Then finish it to your liking with all the appliances you would have back home. Property values go up in this country in the blink of an eye.
> We installed a multi-stage water filter to save money on the bottled water. In just one year it will pay off for itself for our family. We use this to water down juices as we find them too sweet for us and we drink coffee a lot. We are able to find organic milk for 6EL. Tea we only drink when we have a cough or cold.
> If you are looking for nutritious foods for your family try nut butters, legumes, and dates. Peanut butter can be difficult to find in Carrefour/Metro but you can buy peanuts and make you own in the blender. Out comes healthy homemade peanut butter just after a few minutes. You can make your own Museli mix with drying bananas in the oven, mix with dried apricots, raisins, coconut, nuts, and oatmeal as buying the tiny bag at Carrefour is 30-55EL. We don't use tomatoe sauce anymore but make our own with tomatoes and it is so much better. However tomatoes were 3EL per Kg now they are 10EL so we will be cutting back on them for a while. We do eat what ever is in season. Last year we were swimming in appricot but this year they must have been exported because it was hard to find them at a reasonable price, so we just ate something else. We love broccoli, cuccumbers and melons, guave and apples are big in our house this season. We are not having a problem finding good potates for 3EL/kg.
> We don't have a cable tv bill, our internet is 1/4th the cost we paid in the states, telephone is cheaper as well, and our electric is 1/5 the price we would pay for a space this size, we don't have cellphone plans to pay for (we use pay as you go). We love to use tuk tuks when ever we can and resort to taxi when we have to. We buy veggies from the souk but most everything else is from Carrefour/Metro/Khairzaman.
> I think we could save more when we get an additional freezer. That way I can get extra fruits and veggies when they are cheap and have tomatoes all winter long. I would love to have a solar water heater but not sure we can get away with installing one. I have yet to buy clothes or shoes for myself. We did buy shoes for daughter they were cheaply made but they were only 30EL. We did have difficulty finding her size in any shoe. There must be a lot of other little girls wanting pink trainers that were the same size. We have only bought 3 toys since we got here and they were a good price compared to what they would have been states side. We bought the toys when we saw them and not right before the occassion we needed them for. I have finally found a books store where I can get Clifford the big red dog books or other childrens books for 10-20EL. I would have to really work to get *Used* childrens books for that price in the states. I think the key is to ask your Egyptian neighbors were to find the bargains and to be concious of prices so you can stock up when there is a good sale.



You make some very good points but not everyone has room nor the money to buy a freezer nor the time or indeed the inclination to make their own sauces, blanch vegetable etc. 
Ask my neighbours where to find the bargains! My neighbours would be insulted if I asked them that as it would indicating that they could only afford cheap produce.
You must also have enough funds to stock up when there is a good price on something and not everyone can do that.. Martha Stuart rules cannot apply to everyone. Vegetables from the souk.. well I think we all do that. I do not want to be frugal I have not left my family and come here to be frugal I came here to give my family a better life not run around town trying to make one LE do the work of two. I can live very well in the U.K/Spain on the money I earn here and I find cost here other than utilities which are of course subsidised on a par with Europe. I do not eat local meat for the reasons I stated and it is very expensive and poor quality, tasteless and tough. Chicken I eat because I need protein but they too are very poor quality and tasteless unless you tart them up with something.. I have yet to find corn fed chicken.


----------



## Helen Ellis

Don't know where your meat comes from but the local meat in Hurghada is delicious and very very tender. I've had steaks you could cut with a plastic knife, if you so desired. Egyptians like their meat fresh, ie slaughtered and eaten on the same day, not hung to develop flavour as we would.
In Alex we had a couple of regular butchers who kept their meat in walk in fridges/cool stores, fresh and as hygenically stored as you're going to get. They'd also been taught how to cut for Europeans and Americans.


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## Tinytraveler

MaidenScotland said:


> You make some very good points but not everyone has room nor the money to buy a freezer nor the time or indeed the inclination to make their own sauces, blanch vegetable etc.


As long as you are living on this earth you will be searching for heaven. If back home was so wonderful then you would be living there and not here. There is a reason that you would consider coming to a foreign country....maybe the job market sucks for your talents back home? There has to be a pay off for moving here and if there isn't why haven't you packed up and gone back home if it is so much better??? 



MaidenScotland said:


> Ask my neighbours where to find the bargains! My neighbours would be insulted if I asked them that as it would indicating that they could only afford cheap produce.


WOW I have never had that reaction from anyone here. Actually I think they find it refreshing to find a foreigner that doesn't just waste money willy nilly. It lets them see that we really are no different. Mind you I have very unpretentious neighbors.



MaidenScotland said:


> You must also have enough funds to stock up when there is a good price on something and not everyone can do that.


We are talking about expats right??? I find it hard to believe there would be an expat here that would be living pay check to pay check barely getting by unless the expat was unemployed or retired and on a fixed income. Even in those case I would believe their situation to be better here than in the states if they ran out of government assistance. They wouldn't be living the 5 star lifestyle in the states and they wouldn't be doing it here either. 






MaidenScotland said:


> I do not want to be frugal I have not left my family and come here to be frugal I came here to give my family a better life not run around town trying to make one LE do the work of two. I can live very well in the U.K/Spain on the money I earn here and I find cost here other than utilities which are of course subsidised on a par with Europe.


Wether or not your are frugal is a choice you have to make. For every choice we make there are consequences for that choice. Don't be frugal then pay the extra price. You left your beloved family for some pay off you were promised in to find in Egypt and if you are not getting it then do something about it other than to complain. The reason why produce many times costs the same in Europe as it does here is because a lot of the produce grown here is sent to Europe. 

Maybe if you were not spending time being the moderator you would have more time to plot your escape from this country you have such disdain for. I just have one question for you please tell me what country it is that you think you will be able to move to and have utopia???


----------



## Horus

NZCowboy said:


> Fruit and vege are very seasonal, very cheap in season, but expensive out of season, or if there is a poor season and imports are required. I'm not sure about potatoes this year the quality isn't there, maybe its been a bad season.
> As for the "size" thing, rather than the "help" is more about they grow different varieties here. With smaller households in the UK, and no demand for big cabbage leaves for "mahshi kurumb", and every vege having to met EU standards for shape size etc, growers have developed quick maturing small cabbages. I sure if you search the seed banks in the UK you will find traditional slow maturing cabbages that will grow huge like the local ones here.


I am a very avid grower of plants, if you are after heritage seed try Chiltern Seed

Chiltern Seeds rare flower heirloom veg and herbs - Chiltern Seeds secure online shop

Failing that the MOST fantastic website for heritage vegetable seed is here:

Great Vegetable Seeds from The Real Seed Catalogue

Many are suited to arid conditions

I have used both myself.

If you are after a certain type of seed send me a PM and I will do my best to help and provide advice, and no it's not spam as I would only charge you for the cost of the item and postage

There are a few Italian heirlooms at Real Seeds from Italy as well that might suit your purpose

When I am off in September 2011 I can assure you I am taking some of my achimenes tubers and dibley's rare streptocarpus cuttings to grow indoors and some herb seed I know I can't get over there....and my favourite CHOCOLATE MINT :clap2:

Those are going on my balcony together with some morning glory, probably some ipomoea tricolor heavenly blue they love the heat and the sun and will grow really nice along the balcony murhahahahahahahaah (sorry I get excited about plants and food)


----------



## aykalam

Tinytraveler said:


> If you want the luxury of going into one store and finding everything you want, all at a very reasonable price it isn't going to happen, you will pay top EL for that convience. If you are willing to do a big of networking and leg work you can find what you want for a fair price.


Well Tiny,

I think you just proved that life in Egypt is definitely not cheap. For anyone with a full time job it is nigh on impossible to do all that leg work:nono: Most expats I know do want the "luxury" of doing the weekly shop under one roof and getting on with their life.

I do have to agree though that most Egyptians would not mind if you ask them where to shop. I do ask sometimes, but not my neighbours, just friends or family. And they have never been snob enough to be offended... I guess it depends who you are dealing with! 

Must try that Gourmet meat, all expats have recommended it, even if it's not so cheap:hungry:

aykalam


----------



## elrasho

I noticed Gourmet only do beef and lamb. I really need to get some chicken in me, I had the chicken supreme pizza from pizza hut but there wasnt much chicken in there


----------



## MaidenScotland

Tinytraveler said:


> As long as you are living on this earth you will be searching for heaven. If back home was so wonderful then you would be living there and not here. There is a reason that you would consider coming to a foreign country....maybe the job market sucks for your talents back home? There has to be a pay off for moving here and if there isn't why haven't you packed up and gone back home if it is so much better??? .
> 
> 
> WOW I have never had that reaction from anyone here. Actually I think they find it refreshing to find a foreigner that doesn't just waste money willy nilly. It lets them see that we really are no different. Mind you I have very unpretentious neighbors.
> 
> 
> We are talking about expats right??? I find it hard to believe there would be an expat here that would be living pay check to pay check barely getting by unless the expat was unemployed or retired and on a fixed income. Even in those case I would believe their situation to be better here than in the states if they ran out of government assistance. They wouldn't be living the 5 star lifestyle in the states and they wouldn't be doing it here either.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wether or not your are frugal is a choice you have to make. For every choice we make there are consequences for that choice. Don't be frugal then pay the extra price. You left your beloved family for some pay off you were promised in to find in Egypt and if you are not getting it then do something about it other than to complain. The reason why produce many times costs the same in Europe as it does here is because a lot of the produce grown here is sent to Europe.
> 
> Maybe if you were not spending time being the moderator you would have more time to plot your escape from this country you have such disdain for. I just have one question for you please tell me what country it is that you think you will be able to move to and have utopia???





The original poster asked why people are told that living in Egypt is cheap.. she is an expat who finds it difficult to budget and she has none of the usual expat benefits I replied saying I agree with her and don't find it cheap despite having all the expat benefits. 

You replied with your home making tips on how to live frugally and I have said I dont want or need to live frugally and I would suspect most people dont and as expats who are working here they may not have the time... I can pay the prices but that still doesn't make it cheap. People come here expecting it to be cheap they do not expect it to be cheap because they are spending all their time in the kitchen making tomoto sauce or going from store to store, doing all your shopping under one roof is not a luxury. 
I do get the pay off for living here I make sacrifices for my family and the biggest one is working here. ....... Egypt doesn't pay my salary so I take nothing away from the country but I do spend a great deal of it here so yes I can say if I think the prices are cheap or not. 


Egypt grows produce and sends it to Europe to be sold in markets and stores at the same price we can buy it here.... so how can that be cheap?

What I do with my time is my business...


----------



## Horus

DeadGuy said:


> For locally made medications, and coming from a couple of qualified pharmacists that I know, go for the ones made by GlaxoWellcome or Amoun, stay away from the ones made by EIPICO or any other local none sense, but I'd recommend that ONLY if you're not willing to buy the imported ones!!.....Hope you don't need to buy any meds anyway!
> 
> As for the cotton stuff, it's exported yes but you can still find SOME good quality products in here in some stores (100% Cotton Stores if I'm allowed to "advertise" it!) They sell the stuff made to be exported, the quality varies in their branches, depending in which area the store is located!!! (No racism meant LOL!)
> 
> Foods.........I don't even wanna think about what I'm eating, I'm not a big eater already so I don't wanna start thinking about it cause I'd probably stop eating.......!
> 
> Egypt being a cheap place to live in is a myth yes but for some reason many people find it "ok" in exchange for the "Sun, being on a place with +7000 years of history, nice people" and the rest of the...........blah blah blah if I can say it?!
> 
> Good luck folks!


Viagra and Cialis are also heavy faked but all still good, if you barter you can get 2 for 1, 400 LE for 100 /100mg tablets of Viagra or Cialis :clap2: if you ask nice they give you a sample


----------



## MaidenScotland

Horus said:


> I am a very avid grower of plants, if you are after heritage seed try Chiltern Seed
> 
> Chiltern Seeds rare flower heirloom veg and herbs - Chiltern Seeds secure online shop
> 
> Failing that the MOST fantastic website for heritage vegetable seed is here:
> 
> Great Vegetable Seeds from The Real Seed Catalogue
> 
> Many are suited to arid conditions
> 
> I have used both myself.
> 
> If you are after a certain type of seed send me a PM and I will do my best to help and provide advice, and no it's not spam as I would only charge you for the cost of the item and postage
> 
> There are a few Italian heirlooms at Real Seeds from Italy as well that might suit your purpose
> 
> When I am off in September 2011 I can assure you I am taking some of my achimenes tubers and dibley's rare streptocarpus cuttings to grow indoors and some herb seed I know I can't get over there....and my favourite CHOCOLATE MINT :clap2:
> 
> Those are going on my balcony together with some morning glory, probably some ipomoea tricolor heavenly blue they love the heat and the sun and will grow really nice along the balcony murhahahahahahahaah (sorry I get excited about plants and food)




Are you allowed to bring seeds into the country?


----------



## Beatle

MaidenScotland said:


> Egypt grows produce and sends it to Europe to be sold in markets and stores at the same price we can buy it here.... so how can that be cheap?.


Do you have any examples of that? I have recently bought Egyptian oranges and grapes in the UK and they are definitely more expensive than in Egypt.

I do understand the point Tiny is making - people ask if it's possible to live cheaply in Egypt. The answer I (and others) have given in the past is that it's possibly to live relatively cheaply if you adopt a more Egyptian lifestyle. There are people who are happy to do so even if it includes making sauces/hunting out bargains/not buying imported Western produce/not shopping at Western supermarkets. That's a choice they can make - you may not choose to make that choice because of your income (or whatever reason) but it's still a choice.


----------



## Beatle

elrasho said:


> I noticed Gourmet only do beef and lamb. I really need to get some chicken in me, I had the chicken supreme pizza from pizza hut but there wasnt much chicken in there


Try Abou Shakra which does reasonable grilled meats and is relatively cheap. There are branches throughout the city but there's one halfway down Arab League St (sharia gamet el dowal) in Mohandiseen


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## Beatle

Horus said:


> Viagra and Cialis are also heavy faked but all still good, if you barter you can get 2 for 1, 400 LE for 100 /100mg tablets of Viagra or Cialis :clap2: if you ask nice they give you a sample


I was very alarmed the first time I ate at Gad as they have viagra sandwich on the menu but it turned out to be shrimp....

What's chocolate mint by the way?


----------



## MaidenScotland

Beatle said:


> Do you have any examples of that? I have recently bought Egyptian oranges and grapes in the UK and they are definitely more expensive than in Egypt.
> 
> I do understand the point Tiny is making - people ask if it's possible to live cheaply in Egypt. The answer I (and others) have given in the past is that it's possibly to live relatively cheaply if you adopt a more Egyptian lifestyle. There are people who are happy to do so even if it includes making sauces/hunting out bargains/not buying imported Western produce/not shopping at Western supermarkets. That's a choice they can make - you may not choose to make that choice because of your income (or whatever reason) but it's still a choice.




No I do not have any examples.. ask Tiny it was her quote.

The thread was originally... 

Ok, so here is the thing …

I often hear that the cost of living in Egypt is very low and everything is so cheap and so on and that makes me wonder: what am I doing wrong? I use exactly the same weekly budget in Spain and whilst back home I can indulge in nice food, outing, clothes and lots of little goodies here and there, in Cairo I just seem to have my belt pretty thight actually.

Not can you live cheaply in Egypt.. I have said you can live cheaply.. but would you want to?

Maiden


----------



## Sam

Horus said:


> I am a very avid grower of plants, if you are after heritage seed try Chiltern Seed
> 
> Chiltern Seeds rare flower heirloom veg and herbs - Chiltern Seeds secure online shop
> 
> Failing that the MOST fantastic website for heritage vegetable seed is here:
> 
> Great Vegetable Seeds from The Real Seed Catalogue
> 
> Many are suited to arid conditions
> 
> I have used both myself.
> 
> If you are after a certain type of seed send me a PM and I will do my best to help and provide advice, and no it's not spam as I would only charge you for the cost of the item and postage
> 
> There are a few Italian heirlooms at Real Seeds from Italy as well that might suit your purpose
> 
> When I am off in September 2011 I can assure you I am taking some of my achimenes tubers and dibley's rare streptocarpus cuttings to grow indoors and some herb seed I know I can't get over there....and my favourite CHOCOLATE MINT :clap2:
> 
> Those are going on my balcony together with some morning glory, probably some ipomoea tricolor heavenly blue they love the heat and the sun and will grow really nice along the balcony murhahahahahahahaah (sorry I get excited about plants and food)


I brought some morning glory seeds over with me last time I came from UK, just haven't yet worked out where to plant them


----------



## Sonrisa

Oh no, Looks like I have missed all the action! Thank you all for your input, I was looking for some tips for saving money and definitely got some. 

Someone mentions that red meat here is butchered very fresh and is not hung for a couple of days as we do back in Europe or US . THats true and it is for that very reason that local meat is so stiff and hard, as, traditionally, it should be allowed to rest for a period in order to get tender. 
I guess they like the meat hard (albeit fresh) here! It's a question of getting used to it. My little ones have a hard time (no pun intended) chewing it. 

ANyways the point I was trying to make is that on the same budget, I find quality of produce low and very difficult to follow a rich and varied diet, unless I am ready to spend a small fortune. But then again, people here manage to eat in very low budgets so there must be a way. As for clothes and other goods, they are definitely more expensive here than back home, even locally made ones. 

Tiny traveller, overreacting a little, are we? I don’t think any expat is looking for utopia or promised land, most of us in Cairo are here due to work commitments and try to balance our budget as we would back home…take it easy


----------



## Horus

Dizzie Izzie said:


> Oh no, Looks like I have missed all the action! Thank you all for your input, I was looking for some tips for saving money and definitely got some.
> 
> Someone mentions that red meat here is butchered very fresh and is not hung for a couple of days as we do back in Europe or US . THats true and it is for that very reason that local meat is so stiff and hard, as, traditionally, it should be allowed to rest for a period in order to get tender.
> I guess they like the meat hard (albeit fresh) here! It's a question of getting used to it. My little ones have a hard time (no pun intended) chewing it.


Just tenderise your meat with a mallet on the patio while it's in a plastic bag that's what I do get some whole peppercorns in there and job done don't add salt until almost ready to serve. I just think of all the people who try to scam me and hammer away 

I also marinate it in fresh papaya in a bag in the fridge overnight the enzymes help get it nice and soft

My slow cooker and pressure cooker are coming with me as well lane: did I also add the panini machine? 

It's all down to the cooking technique ladies


----------



## CEgypt04

Dizzie Izzie said:


> Oh no, Looks like I have missed all the action! Thank you all for your input, I was looking for some tips for saving money and definitely got some.
> 
> Someone mentions that red meat here is butchered very fresh and is not hung for a couple of days as we do back in Europe or US . THats true and it is for that very reason that local meat is so stiff and hard, as, traditionally, it should be allowed to rest for a period in order to get tender.
> I guess they like the meat hard (albeit fresh) here! It's a question of getting used to it. My little ones have a hard time (no pun intended) chewing it.
> 
> ANyways the point I was trying to make is that on the same budget, I find quality of produce low and very difficult to follow a rich and varied diet, unless I am ready to spend a small fortune. But then again, people here manage to eat in very low budgets so there must be a way. As for clothes and other goods, they are definitely more expensive here than back home, even locally made ones.
> 
> Tiny traveller, overreacting a little, are we? I don’t think any expat is looking for utopia or promised land, most of us in Cairo are here due to work commitments and try to balance our budget as we would back home…take it easy



First of all, it's important to note that the cost of living HAS gone up in the last few years. The first time I was here in 2007, prices were much cheaper. Egyptians are struggling left and right to make ends meet.

Not all Expats are on cushy salaries, and many of us came to Egypt because we were under the impression our dollar/pound/euro would go a little further than it does back home.

Tiny Traveller has some great recommendations on how to live cheaply and maintain an excellent quality of life. No one (especially the moderator, of all people) ought to chastise anyone for responding with tips on how to live cheaply. A little bit of Sarcasm goes just as far as that hot chili sauce on Koshary, and preferring that Martha Stewart doesn't work for everyone has really turned me off to the threads.

When I first came in 2007, I fell in love with Egypt because I found that I had far more time than I did back home (the states) to do things like make fresh tomato sauce (rather than buy canned), cook from scratch, hang clothes to dry on the line, etc. I didn't have the means for modern convenience, so I was forced to make ends meet the way many locals do, and while it wasn't necessarily luxurious, I lived cheaply and happily.

This time around as I'm working full time, I have less time to spend keeping up my home or pickling things from scratch, and I understand that if you want convenience, modernity, and luxury in Egypt it certainly comes at a price.

I understand not all of us are here by choice, some of us are here for work assignments and what not, and we're all entitled to our own opinions. Moreover, sometimes it can be hard to maintain a cheerful disposition when all the smog, high prices, pollution, traffic, and discomfort really get to you. 

Anyways, what I want to note (other than the fact that prices have risen and I agree that Cairo isn't so inexpensive these days) is that I am very surprised how many of you jumped down each others' throats so quickly when offering advice.


----------



## DeadGuy

The “Egyptian lifestyle”!!!!! This description just kills me!!!

There are people who live on a “style” that’s even better and more luxurious than the British Queen’s lifestyle!!

There are people who are living on a less budget, but they can travel in a first class train/bus/plane, afford the 5* hotels/holidays/foods etc.

There are people who are living on their income (Meaning that there’s no bank account to help in emergencies!).

There are people who eat one meal each day!

And there are people who can’t even afford buying something to eat for days!!

And all those “people” are “Egyptians”!! So which “Egyptian lifestyle” that you people keep talking about?!?!

Anyway!! :focus:

I’m not a rich Egyptian for sure but I can tell you that no matter how hard you try and save any money!! You just CAN’T!!! If you save a penny on this, you spend 10 extra pennies elsewhere trying to fix the problemS caused by the one penny cheaper sh!t that you bought earlier!! So it’s just not worth it!!!

What is the point if you eat kushary or whatever cheap crap and drink the tap water on a regular basis if you’d end up getting sick with an anemia, kidneys' failure and whatever sh!t comes with it and then needing health care that meds that’s worth thousands of dollars?!

What’s the point of using buses for moving if you just get late to work every day?!

What’s the point of buying cheap garments if you’d just need to buy more cause there’s a hole in it after it comes out of your washing machine for the second or third time?!! (Usually a BIG hole!! Just in case someone dares to say that you can still wear it if the hole was small!! )

What’s the point if you get a cheap spare part for your car if it would just get you killed on a car accident cause it’s just faulted?!

I can give more examples but hopefully I won’t need to do that!! But personally speaking??! I think it's just stupid to try to save a penny when you know that it would just cost you much much more later!! It's not "investment" for bloody Christ's sake! 

Good luck folks!


----------



## Horus

Well I thank goodness don't need to worry about the horrid things :boxing:

When I joined the forum I would have needed to look at a budget however I am selling whatever assets I have and having a paid 2 bed apartment in Sharm

I discovered the magic of drop shipping and my online fitness business has picked up so no worries about sending items from Egypt or getting a company to do it from within Egypt as I don't hold any stock 

My business has gone from £500 per month profit to about £200 - £300 per day  and I will be opening a gym in Sharm, all going well  I was REALLY upset and distraught things were not going well

Move date is set to no later than September 1st 2011

My wife does not seem enthused, if she decides not to come or does not like it I will be the most eligible bachelor in Sharm 

I am coming to Egypt because I love the country and England is going to ruin and the weather is getting worse yearly


----------



## layla13

I find the rent in cairo and hurghada very cheap just have to look round and go directly to the doormen NOT agents. in cairo paid 300$ a month for a 2 bedroom flat in maadi. and hurghada a one bedroom not studio for 250$ with a sea view. i wonder if anyone is aware that there are 2 prices for local stuff.. egyptian price and foreign price. get a local to get stuff for you. everything is cheaper locally eggs, produce.. anything. i foiunbd the best pain relief is called Brofin 800mg. its ibuprofin and its great and about 3$ for like 40 pills. i think the produce is very delicious and prefer to get it from local sources then to buy it in places like carrefour, metro etc. the best grocery store in egypt is spinneys in my opinion. new store, great prices and very clean. i noticed recently all the prices went up... with produce and meat. but the quality reduced. does anyone know what happened? i love to buy a lot of tomatoes and make my own sauce with them in a blender. i think in egypt you have to know where to go to live cheap as a forigner. if u go to the crowded shopping areas in cairo u can find high quality clothes for under 20$ places such as attaba .. we always call the crowded area lol even tho all of cairo is crowded. lol i basically live as an egyptian wife even tho im american.. and i am spoiled in the fact i have to have certian things that i eat that are american. such as peanut butter and taco mix...some things in the states are cheaper there then here.. but its because theres competition. but overall i do think its cheaper to live then in the states.. also electicity bill is like 20$ a month.. that just dosnt happen in the states lol cars are expensive but gas isnt.. i think u can live very well if u can start out with money to get the basics first. im marrie to an arab and there is no way hed let us pay over 2000le for a flat lol


----------



## Sonrisa

CEgypt04 said:


> First of all, it's important to note that the cost of living HAS gone up in the last few years. The first time I was here in 2007, prices were much cheaper. Egyptians are struggling left and right to make ends meet.
> 
> Not all Expats are on cushy salaries, and many of us came to Egypt because we were under the impression our dollar/pound/euro would go a little further than it does back home.
> 
> Tiny Traveller has some great recommendations on how to live cheaply and maintain an excellent quality of life. No one (especially the moderator, of all people) ought to chastise anyone for responding with tips on how to live cheaply. A little bit of Sarcasm goes just as far as that hot chili sauce on Koshary, and preferring that Martha Stewart doesn't work for everyone has really turned me off to the threads.
> 
> When I first came in 2007, I fell in love with Egypt because I found that I had far more time than I did back home (the states) to do things like make fresh tomato sauce (rather than buy canned), cook from scratch, hang clothes to dry on the line, etc. I didn't have the means for modern convenience, so I was forced to make ends meet the way many locals do, and while it wasn't necessarily luxurious, I lived cheaply and happily.
> 
> This time around as I'm working full time, I have less time to spend keeping up my home or pickling things from scratch, and I understand that if you want convenience, modernity, and luxury in Egypt it certainly comes at a price.
> 
> I understand not all of us are here by choice, some of us are here for work assignments and what not, and we're all entitled to our own opinions. Moreover, sometimes it can be hard to maintain a cheerful disposition when all the smog, high prices, pollution, traffic, and discomfort really get to you.
> 
> Anyways, what I want to note (other than the fact that prices have risen and I agree that Cairo isn't so inexpensive these days) is that I am very surprised how many of you jumped down each others' throats so quickly when offering advice.



Interesting post. I arrived here also end 2007 and have witnessed a sharp rise in prices during the last three years, together with an overall decrease of quality. 

El Ahram weekly were running an article this week about it, according to the newspaper a kilo of tomato is now LE10, while grene beans are sold at LE16 per kilo and appleas at LE15. I paid yesterday LE 7 for carrots, although admitely season should only be starting now. It is worse for meat prices, it rose from LE 45 to 80 pero kilo, meaning that many low and medium income families have had to stop eating meat altogether. 

I quote from the newspaper: "the government has asked the citizen to boycott anyh good that is countinuously rising in price. So the citizen boycotted meat, chicken, fish, fruit, vegetables and dairy products... What's left?"

To me, this high cost of living means that I have to tighten up my belt and give up luxuries that I could normally afford. To many egyptians, it means that they will have to go hungry. And the worst thig for the stability of a country is for its people going hungry.


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## MaidenScotland

Dizzie Izzie said:


> Interesting post. I arrived here also end 2007 and have witnessed a sharp rise in prices during the last three years, together with an overall decrease of quality.
> 
> El Ahram weekly were running an article this week about it, according to the newspaper a kilo of tomato is now LE10, while grene beans are sold at LE16 per kilo and appleas at LE15. I paid yesterday LE 7 for carrots, although admitely season should only be starting now. It is worse for meat prices, it rose from LE 45 to 80 pero kilo, meaning that many low and medium income families have had to stop eating meat altogether.
> 
> I quote from the newspaper: "the government has asked the citizen to boycott anyh good that is countinuously rising in price. So the citizen boycotted meat, chicken, fish, fruit, vegetables and dairy products... What's left?"
> 
> To me, this high cost of living means that I have to tighten up my belt and give up luxuries that I could normally afford. To many egyptians, it means that they will have to go hungry. And the worst thig for the stability of a country is for its people going hungry.




It really is disgusting that a country has people going hungry through no fault of their own.


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## Sonrisa

MaidenScotland said:


> It really is disgusting that a country has people going hungry through no fault of their own.


absolutely.


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## layla13

Dizzie Izzie said:


> Interesting post. I arrived here also end 2007 and have witnessed a sharp rise in prices during the last three years, together with an overall decrease of quality.
> 
> El Ahram weekly were running an article this week about it, according to the newspaper a kilo of tomato is now LE10, while grene beans are sold at LE16 per kilo and appleas at LE15. I paid yesterday LE 7 for carrots, although admitely season should only be starting now. It is worse for meat prices, it rose from LE 45 to 80 pero kilo, meaning that many low and medium income families have had to stop eating meat altogether.
> 
> I quote from the newspaper: "the government has asked the citizen to boycott anyh good that is countinuously rising in price. So the citizen boycotted meat, chicken, fish, fruit, vegetables and dairy products... What's left?"
> 
> To me, this high cost of living means that I have to tighten up my belt and give up luxuries that I could normally afford. To many egyptians, it means that they will have to go hungry. And the worst thig for the stability of a country is for its people going hungry.




It seems since Ramadan the produce prices went up drastically. I dont know what happend but there was a big fight with knives in the produce market in hurghada, dahar.. i was told.. probably fights over the prices im sure. but i did notice all during ramadan the power and water kept going on and off for a long time every single day and i still dont know what that was about.. does anyone know? maybe thats part of the problem. and yes beef is rediculously priced now.. i buy the frozen helwani bros. minced beef its really good and 100% beef. the price of that didnt seem to change so far.


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## Horus

As I am into fitness and try for hard lean gains I can keep the aspect of finding 200 - 300 grams proper "clean" protein is worrying, even with money.

That's the only good thing about the UK; I think the produce is excellent and we are spoiled here but can't help but think due to EU & UK Regulations much of it get's wasted.

With a bit of clever cooking however food bought at the metro can be turned into something tasty


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## layla13

Horus said:


> As I am into fitness and try for hard lean gains I can keep the aspect of finding 200 - 300 grams proper "clean" protein is worrying, even with money.
> 
> That's the only good thing about the UK; I think the produce is excellent and we are spoiled here but can't help but think due to EU & UK Regulations much of it get's wasted.
> 
> With a bit of clever cooking however food bought at the metro can be turned into something tasty


yes thats true.. i do buy at metro some things. but the one here is like not that clean.. i dunno im used to clean stores like in the states.. like u said there are regulations. but the minced beef( if your talking about lean meat proteins) doesnt have a alot of fat.. like.. i have to add a bit of oil to the pan when i cook it as burgers. i have tried different brands and most of them are dyed and have additives. not nice. but it costs like 22le for nice sized package maybe a kilo.


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## Horus

layla13 said:


> yes thats true.. i do buy at metro some things. but the one here is like not that clean.. i dunno im used to clean stores like in the states.. like u said there are regulations. but the minced beef( if your talking about lean meat proteins) doesnt have a alot of fat.. like.. i have to add a bit of oil to the pan when i cook it as burgers. i have tried different brands and most of them are dyed and have additives. not nice. but it costs like 22le for nice sized package maybe a kilo.


I don't care if the store is filthy or clean the meat can come off a hook for all I care in a shop front in Cairo, just give me my meat so I can keep to 13% body fat or less for a shredded look

Clean protein means getting your protein from fat free meat or things like milk and cottage cheese rather than cheddar cheese however there is always tuna in brine

You know you like keeping lean and hard when you go snorkeling and think I wonder what that parrot fish tastes like


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## layla13

Horus said:


> I don't care if the store is filthy or clean the meat can come off a hook for all I care in a shop front in Cairo, just give me my meat so I can keep to 13% body fat or less for a shredded look
> 
> Clean protein means getting your protein from fat free meat or things like milk and cottage cheese rather than cheddar cheese however there is always tuna in brine
> 
> You know you like keeping lean and hard when you go snorkeling and think I wonder what that parrot fish tastes like


yeah true lol. i love snorkeling.. never had parrot fish.. but i get talipia whole fish for about 12le a kilo at metro and spinneys.. and shrimp at spinneys is awesome. i get a lot of meals from it and its cheaper priced then metro.. about 35le a kilo compared to like70 at metro. i dunno how much protein i get but i always prepare some kind of meat, rice, tomato sauce and salad..(and tahini ofcourse) lol but now small salads because of the price! lol its sad the food used to be so well priced.


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## Horus

layla13 said:


> yeah true lol. i love snorkeling.. never had parrot fish.. but i get talipia whole fish for about 12le a kilo at metro and spinneys.. and shrimp at spinneys is awesome. i get a lot of meals from it and its cheaper priced then metro.. about 35le a kilo compared to like70 at metro. i dunno how much protein i get but i always prepare some kind of meat, rice, tomato sauce and salad..(and tahini ofcourse) lol but now small salads because of the price! lol its sad the food used to be so well priced.


If anyone caught and ate Red Sea reef fish, esp parrot fish or any members of the Cetoscarus family there would be plenty of time in prison to think about it


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## layla13

Horus said:


> If anyone caught and ate Red Sea reef fish, esp parrot fish or any members of the Cetoscarus family there would be plenty of time in prison to think about it


i believe you.. ive seen fishermen using nets in the red sea but its for eating fish not tropicals.. i stick to the fish markets for fish to eat. lol for snorkeling just watching


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## MaidenScotland

layla13 said:


> It seems since Ramadan the produce prices went up drastically. I dont know what happend but there was a big fight with knives in the produce market in hurghada, dahar.. i was told.. probably fights over the prices im sure. but i did notice all during ramadan the power and water kept going on and off for a long time every single day and i still dont know what that was about.. does anyone know? maybe thats part of the problem. and yes beef is rediculously priced now.. i buy the frozen helwani bros. minced beef its really good and 100% beef. the price of that didnt seem to change so far.




The power went off during Ramadan because we were having a heat wave and using too much power and the system could not cope.. that is the official stance.

Produce always goes up in the month or so before Ramadan and of course stays that way until after Eide but nothing has come done since.


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## aykalam

Here's some food for thought

Rise in vegetable prices means no cooked meals for Egyptian families | People | Society


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## MaidenScotland

aykalam said:


> Here's some food for thought
> 
> Rise in vegetable prices means no cooked meals for Egyptian families | People | Society




Thank you ... hopefully Horus will read it.


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## layla13

MaidenScotland said:


> The power went off during Ramadan because we were having a heat wave and using too much power and the system could not cope.. that is the official stance.
> 
> Produce always goes up in the month or so before Ramadan and of course stays that way until after Eide but nothing has come done since.


really. I dont know its been that hot ever since Ive lived here for about 5 years lol. and I dont use my a/c in the daytime i suffer thru it kuz I dont like the closed in feeling all day and night. ramadan was not good this year had no electricity and no water for most of it.


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## MaidenScotland

layla13 said:


> really. I dont know its been that hot ever since Ive lived here for about 5 years lol. and I dont use my a/c in the daytime i suffer thru it kuz I dont like the closed in feeling all day and night. ramadan was not good this year had no electricity and no water for most of it.




Yes but Ramadan being August when it was a heat wave meant that everyone was cooking and sitting down to iftar at the same time.. no one is running AC in December etc so no problems with the system then,


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## layla13

MaidenScotland said:


> Yes but Ramadan being August when it was a heat wave meant that everyone was cooking and sitting down to iftar at the same time.. no one is running AC in December etc so no problems with the system then,


you are right that does make sense..


did anyone hear about the guy who killed his wife over tomatoes? she wanted some and he didnt get them because of the price and they had a fight and she called him a loser to not be able to support etc. and he stabbed her... it was an arabic article i heard about. im sure the issue went beyond tomatoes but to be the last straw is crazy... i dunno about people sometimes.


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## Jameskarnak

*Definitely NOT CHEAP*

I have been living in Egypt 8 years and I cans honestly say it is definitely not cheap to live in Cairo, I had a better quality of life in Cyprus, on less salary.

You cannot live here as the locals do for long, working for a long time in such a hostile polluted environement where very little works properly or is maintained, means that you will end up buying more foreign goods etc for a quality life.

Apart from when I first came to Egypt where my little (minimal furnishing - not even a cup or spoon) accomodation is expensive, for the last 4 years I have paid more for 3 bedroom apartments, than I rent a four bedroom house out for in the UK!

As soon as the locals see you are an expat the price doubles. Cars are a ridiculous price here, so I walk or end up arguing with taxis drivers who are asking for more than your average UK salary.

In any other country the way the local Egyptians treat and overcharge expats here would be regarded as racist.


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## MaidenScotland

Jameskarnak said:


> I have been living in Egypt 8 years and I cans honestly say it is definitely not cheap to live in Cairo, I had a better quality of life in Cyprus, on less salary.
> 
> You cannot live here as the locals do for long, working for a long time in such a hostile polluted environement where very little works properly or is maintained, means that you will end up buying more foreign goods etc for a quality life.
> 
> Apart from when I first came to Egypt where my little (minimal furnishing - not even a cup or spoon) accomodation is expensive, for the last 4 years I have paid more for 3 bedroom apartments, than I rent a four bedroom house out for in the UK!
> 
> As soon as the locals see you are an expat the price doubles. Cars are a ridiculous price here, so I walk or end up arguing with taxis drivers who are asking for more than your average UK salary.
> 
> In any other country the way the local Egyptians treat and overcharge expats here would be regarded as racist.



Welcome in Egypt as they say


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## MaidenScotland

2 cans of campbells soup
2 mars bars
1 large pkt crips
2 milky ways
a skipping rope
kilo sugar
cinnamon
a cotton wrap on sale at 55le
4 cans cola
jar of coffee
2 packets of nuts
jar of marmite
2 large packets of chews
and for me 1 large packet of Revels

total bill....... 475LE!!!!


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## MaidenScotland

whoops I had forgotten... 2 packets of moondust maybe half a teaspoonful in each packet is included in the shopping bill


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## Sonrisa

I have made a breakthrough discovery!: 

Nowadays, to buy beautiful aussi meat from Gourmet works out cheaper than buying local from my corner shop. Has anyone else noticed?

Ha! We are eating like royalty this week.


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## layla13

has anyone noticed all the hashish busts this year? maybe that has something to do with the economy. it said on the egypt country info site that atleast 45% of egyptians smoke hash. maybe theyre in a bad mood now lol anyway i read that the rise in produce is because of dieases and pests which made it low yields so that had to raise the prices. thats why we pay more for carp tomatoes now. :-(


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## MaidenScotland

Yes I don't buy local meat ever.... gourmet works out much much cheaper and it is tastier... you are not paying for all the fat and gristle


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## layla13

MaidenScotland said:


> Yes I don't buy local meat ever.... gourmet works out much much cheaper and it is tastier... you are not paying for all the fat and gristle


where would I get that in hurghada? I wish i could find more tender meat, i know that much. i have not had a good steak that isnt stewed in years.


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## MaidenScotland

layla13 said:


> where would I get that in hurghada? I wish i could find more tender meat, i know that much. i have not had a good steak that isnt stewed in years.




I think they may deliver 


Gourmet Egypt | Home


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## layla13

MaidenScotland said:


> I think they may deliver
> 
> 
> Gourmet Egypt | Home


thank you i will check it out.


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## hurghadapat

layla13 said:


> thank you i will check it out. [/QI,but
> 
> I used to buy my meat in Hurghada either from the market in Dahar or the two butchers in Midan,Sakalla but always used to buy the whole fillet (which is where the fillet steaks come from) this also comes with the thick end of fillet which makes lovely casseroles.


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## samertalat

Jameskarnak said:


> I have been living in Egypt 8 years and I cans honestly say it is definitely not cheap to live in Cairo, I had a better quality of life in Cyprus, on less salary.
> 
> You cannot live here as the locals do for long, working for a long time in such a hostile polluted environement where very little works properly or is maintained, means that you will end up buying more foreign goods etc for a quality life.
> 
> Apart from when I first came to Egypt where my little (minimal furnishing - not even a cup or spoon) accomodation is expensive, for the last 4 years I have paid more for 3 bedroom apartments, than I rent a four bedroom house out for in the UK!
> 
> As soon as the locals see you are an expat the price doubles. Cars are a ridiculous price here, so I walk or end up arguing with taxis drivers who are asking for more than your average UK salary.
> 
> In any other country the way the local Egyptians treat and overcharge expats here would be regarded as racist.


One thing I agree with you that the price of a car is damn too high , I always drove luxury cars in the USA and in Europe when we lived there , But in Egypt I will not spend more than $60.000.00 on a car might buy a Mercedes c class where it runs about $55000.00 Or if I can buy an SUV Love to have a Cadillac Escalade where i had one in the states , But a Range Rover is over $230.000.00 WOWWWWWW that is one thing that will bug me , but I will get used to it and buy one good German car or Japanese keep it for ever 
As per other things I am not sure how expensive they are , Electronics and Furniture .. Etc.....


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