Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Egypt Property Pack
Yes, the analysis of Cairo's property market is included in our pack
Cairo's property market has been one of the most dynamic in the Middle East, with prices rising sharply across most districts over the past two years.
In this blog post, which we constantly update, we break down what you can actually buy in Cairo at every budget level in 2026, from $100k all the way to luxury, using real neighborhood names and current prices in Egyptian pounds.
We also cover closing costs, taxes, mortgage options for foreigners, and resale expectations so you can plan with confidence.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Cairo.
What can I realistically buy with $100k in Cairo right now?
Are there any decent properties for $100k in Cairo, or is it all scams?
At the February 2026 exchange rate of about EGP 47.5 per dollar, your $100,000 budget translates to roughly EGP 4.75 million, and that is enough to buy a decent older apartment in Cairo, typically an 80 to 100 sqm unit in an established neighborhood like Nasr City, parts of Heliopolis, or 6th of October City.
For the best value and the most legitimate options at $100k in Cairo, neighborhoods like Nasr City (where apartments average around EGP 24,500 per sqm), Shorouk City, Badr City, and the older phases of 6th of October City tend to give you the most space for your money while still having active resale markets and everyday services.
Buying in popular or upscale areas of Cairo like New Cairo or Sheikh Zayed for $100k is technically possible, but you would be looking at a very small studio or micro one-bedroom (roughly 35 to 50 sqm) since prices in those districts now range from EGP 47,000 to over EGP 64,000 per sqm, and many buyers at this budget use $100k as a down payment on a developer installment plan rather than a full purchase.
What property types can I afford for $100k in Cairo (studio, land, old house)?
With roughly EGP 4.75 million in Cairo in 2026, your realistic options include a studio or small one-bedroom apartment in a newer-city district like parts of New Cairo or 6th of October, an older two-bedroom apartment (around 90 to 110 sqm) in an established neighborhood like Nasr City or parts of Heliopolis, or in rare cases a small plot of land in a satellite city, though foreign buyers face holding-period and build requirements that make land more complicated.
At this price level in Cairo, buyers should typically expect "cosmetic to medium" renovation needs, especially with older stock, meaning you might need to update the kitchen, bathroom, wiring, or air conditioning, and the bigger concern is often building maintenance, water pressure, and elevator condition rather than just surface finishes.
For long-term value in Cairo at the $100k level, a resale apartment in a well-located, high-demand neighborhood like Nasr City or the practical edges of New Cairo tends to outperform a studio in a premium compound, because the larger buyer pool and everyday livability of these neighborhoods create stronger resale liquidity over time.
What's a realistic budget to get a comfortable property in Cairo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the realistic minimum budget to get a comfortable property in Cairo is around EGP 8.5 to 9.5 million, which is roughly $180,000 to $200,000 (or about 150,000 to 170,000 euros), because below that threshold you are usually compromising on either size, location, building quality, or title clarity.
Most buyers in Cairo who want a comfortable standard end up spending between EGP 9.5 million and EGP 14 million (about $200,000 to $300,000, or 170,000 to 253,000 euros), because that range opens up properly sized apartments in the neighborhoods that actually feel good to live in day-to-day.
In Cairo specifically, "comfortable" generally means a two-bedroom apartment of about 90 to 120 sqm, in a decent building with a working elevator, reliable water pressure, and a neighborhood with nearby services, schools, and transport connections, and ideally with finished interiors rather than a shell unit.
That budget can vary a lot within Cairo: for example, EGP 9.5 million gets you a much larger apartment in Nasr City or 6th of October City than it does in New Cairo's Fifth Settlement or Sheikh Zayed, where per-sqm prices are roughly double those of the more established, older neighborhoods.
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What can I get with a $200k budget in Cairo as of 2026?
What "normal" homes become available at $200k in Cairo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, a $200,000 budget gives you roughly EGP 9.5 million at current exchange rates, and at that price point Cairo starts to feel "normal" for many buyers, with well-located two-bedroom apartments of 80 to 120 sqm in strong-demand districts like New Cairo, 6th of October City, Heliopolis, and parts of Nasr City becoming realistic options.
In terms of size, EGP 9.5 million typically gets you around 70 to 95 sqm in higher-priced new-city districts like New Cairo's Fifth Settlement or Sheikh Zayed (where per-sqm prices can reach EGP 60,000+), but in established neighborhoods like Nasr City or Heliopolis, the same budget can stretch to 100 to 140 sqm because per-sqm prices there tend to sit around EGP 24,000 to EGP 30,000.
By the way, we have much more granular data about housing prices in our property pack about Cairo.
What places are the smartest $200k buys in Cairo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the smartest neighborhoods to buy at $200k (about EGP 9.5 million) in Cairo include New Cairo's Fifth Settlement edges (areas like Al Narges and South Investors Area), 6th of October City, and the masterplanned communities of Al Rehab and Madinaty, because these areas combine strong everyday demand with active resale markets and decent transport links.
What makes these areas smarter buys compared to other $200k options in Cairo is that they attract a wide and consistent buyer pool: families, young professionals, and renters all compete for apartments there, so your resale window tends to be shorter and your vacancy risk lower than in less established satellite cities like Badr or the far edges of Shorouk.
The main growth factor driving value in these smart-buy areas of Cairo is the combination of ongoing infrastructure investment (new roads, metro extensions, and service corridors) and the steady migration of businesses and families from congested central Cairo, which keeps pushing demand and prices upward in well-connected new-city districts.
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Egypt. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
What can I buy with $300k in Cairo in 2026?
What quality upgrade do I get at $300k in Cairo in 2026?
As of early 2026, moving from $200k to $300k (from roughly EGP 9.5 million to EGP 14.25 million) in Cairo means you can stop compromising on size and neighborhood at the same time, because you can now afford a well-finished 110 to 150 sqm apartment in desirable districts like New Cairo's Fifth Settlement, 6th of October City, or even selected pockets of Maadi.
Yes, $300k can definitely buy a property in a newer building in Cairo right now, especially through developer inventory with multi-year installment plans, which are very common in the market and often come with relatively moderate down payments of 10% to 20%.
At this budget level in Cairo, you start seeing proper finished interiors (not just shell units), better building amenities like dedicated parking, security, and maintained common areas, and in compound settings you often get access to pools, gyms, and landscaped grounds that are not realistically available below the $200k mark.
Can $300k buy a 2-bedroom in Cairo in 2026 in good areas?
As of early 2026, finding a two-bedroom property for $300k (roughly EGP 14.25 million) in good areas of Cairo is very realistic, and in fact this is one of the most common purchase profiles at this price point because the budget matches comfortably with well-located two-bedroom apartments in high-demand districts.
Specific good areas in Cairo where $300k two-bedroom options are available include New Cairo's Fifth Settlement, Al Rehab, parts of Madinaty, 6th of October City, and the more accessible edges of Sheikh Zayed, all of which are neighborhoods with strong everyday services and established communities.
A $300k two-bedroom in Cairo typically offers around 100 to 140 sqm depending on whether you choose a newer compound unit (where per-sqm prices are higher but finishes are included) or an older but larger apartment in a more established neighborhood where you get more space per pound.
Which places become "accessible" at $300k in Cairo as of 2026?
At the $300k price point (about EGP 14.25 million) in Cairo, neighborhoods that become much more accessible include New Cairo's Fifth Settlement, Sheikh Zayed and New Zayed, and selected pockets of Maadi, which were either out of reach or only offered very small units at the $200k level.
What makes these newly accessible areas desirable in Cairo is that they are where the city's professional class and families actually want to live: Fifth Settlement has the best mix of commercial and residential infrastructure in East Cairo, Sheikh Zayed offers a greener, quieter lifestyle on the west side, and Maadi has a long-established expat community with walkable streets and international schools nearby.
In these newly accessible areas of Cairo, $300k typically buys a well-finished two-bedroom apartment of 100 to 130 sqm in a compound or a larger older apartment in a standalone building, and in the case of 6th of October City or the edges of Sheikh Zayed, you might even find a small duplex or garden-floor unit at this budget.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current best areas to invest in property in Cairo.
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What does a $500k budget unlock in Cairo in 2026?
What's the typical size and location for $500k in Cairo in 2026?
As of early 2026, a $500,000 budget (roughly EGP 23.75 million) in Cairo typically buys a large apartment of 160 to 250+ sqm in desirable districts like New Cairo or Sheikh Zayed, or a townhouse or twin house with private outdoor space in parts of West Cairo, making this the budget level where Cairo truly becomes a "choose your lifestyle" market.
Yes, $500k can buy a family home with outdoor space in Cairo: townhouses and twin houses with private gardens become realistic in 6th of October City, parts of New Zayed, and some New Cairo compounds, though standalone villas in prime locations often start just above this range.
At $500k in Cairo, you can typically expect three to four bedrooms and two to three bathrooms, whether you choose a spacious apartment or a townhouse format, and in many cases these properties come with finished interiors, compound amenities, and dedicated parking.
Finally, please note that we cover all the housing price data in Cairo here.
Which "premium" neighborhoods open up at $500k in Cairo in 2026?
At $500k in Cairo, the premium neighborhoods that open up include Sheikh Zayed and New Zayed (West Cairo's most established upscale corridor), the premium compounds of New Cairo near Katameya, and Zamalek on the Nile, where you can finally compete for larger, higher-quality apartments.
What makes these neighborhoods considered premium in Cairo is very specific: Sheikh Zayed is known for its wide green streets, international schools, and family-oriented compound living; New Cairo's Katameya area has some of the most exclusive gated communities and golf courses in the country; and Zamalek offers a unique island setting with the Nile on both sides, a walkable cultural scene, and a concentration of embassies and upscale dining.
For $500k in these premium Cairo neighborhoods, buyers can realistically expect a well-finished two-to-three-bedroom apartment of 140 to 200 sqm in Zamalek, a new townhouse of about 180 to 220 sqm in a Sheikh Zayed or New Zayed compound, or a large premium apartment in a top-tier New Cairo development with full compound amenities.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Egypt versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
What counts as "luxury" in Cairo in 2026?
At what amount does "luxury" start in Cairo right now?
In Cairo in 2026, luxury properties generally start at around EGP 28 million to EGP 42 million, which is roughly $600,000 to $900,000 (or about 500,000 to 750,000 euros), once you insist on a prime location, top-quality finishing, strong building or compound standards, and views or premium amenities.
What defines the entry point to luxury real estate in Cairo specifically is a combination of factors you will not find at lower price points: imported finishing materials, smart-home systems, direct Nile views or golf-course frontage, 24/7 concierge and security, underground parking, and location within one of the city's handful of "trophy" compounds or buildings that carry real prestige among Cairo's buyer community.
Compared to other regional markets, Cairo's luxury threshold is lower than Dubai or Riyadh in dollar terms but higher than many North African cities, and the gap has been narrowing as Cairo's top-end developers increasingly target international standards.
For mid-tier luxury in Cairo, expect to pay between EGP 42 million and EGP 70 million ($900,000 to $1.5 million, or roughly 750,000 to 1.25 million euros), while top-tier luxury villas and penthouses in locations like Katameya Heights, prime Zamalek, or the best Sheikh Zayed compounds can reach EGP 95 million and above ($2 million+, or 1.7 million euros+).
Which areas are truly high-end in Cairo right now?
The truly high-end areas in Cairo right now are Zamalek (the island district in the Nile), Garden City (a small, supply-constrained central neighborhood), Maadi's Sarayat district, New Cairo's Katameya and Katameya Heights corridor, and the most premium compounds in Sheikh Zayed on the west side.
What makes these areas truly high-end in Cairo is not just price: Zamalek has a unique island geography with embassies, galleries, and the best restaurants in the city; Sarayat Maadi is one of the few neighborhoods in Cairo with mature trees, wide streets, and a village-like feel; and Katameya Heights is Egypt's most prestigious gated community with a championship golf course, making it a status symbol as much as a residential address.
The typical buyer profile for these high-end areas in Cairo includes senior executives at multinational companies, successful Egyptian business families, Gulf-based investors looking for a Cairo base, and diplomats, with many transactions happening through personal networks and direct referrals rather than through public listings.
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How much does it really cost to buy, beyond the price, in Cairo in 2026?
What are the total closing costs in Cairo in 2026 as a percentage?
As of early 2026, the total closing costs for buying a property in Cairo typically come to about 4% to 7% of the purchase price, depending on agent fees, title complexity, and whether you register the property immediately after purchase.
The realistic low-to-high range that covers most standard property transactions in Cairo is 4% on the lean side (clean title, no agent, simple paperwork) to 7% or slightly above (agent involved, legal due diligence on a complicated title chain, and full registration).
The main fee categories that make up that total in Cairo are the 2.5% real estate transaction tax (paid to the tax authority), registration and notary fees (which are now capped at relatively small fixed amounts after the Law 9/2022 reform), legal due diligence costs (typically 0.5% to 1.5%), and optional but common agent commissions (usually 2% to 2.5%).
To avoid hidden costs and bad surprises, you can check our our pack covering the property buying process in Cairo.
How much are notary, registration, and legal fees in Cairo in 2026?
As of early 2026, notary, registration, and legal fees in Cairo combined typically cost between EGP 50,000 and EGP 200,000 (roughly $1,050 to $4,200, or about 900 to 3,550 euros) for a standard apartment transaction, though costs can run higher if the title chain is messy or inheritance issues are involved.
As a percentage of the property price, these three fee types together usually represent about 0.5% to 2.5% in Cairo, with the exact figure depending on how complex the documentation is and whether you need additional legal steps like court-driven title verification or power-of-attorney arrangements for foreign buyers.
Of the three, legal due diligence and contracting tends to be the most expensive in Cairo, because Egypt's property system still has significant title-traceability challenges (many properties rely on customary contracts rather than clean registered titles), so a thorough lawyer is not optional, it is essential, and that work typically costs more than the now-capped registration filing fees.
What annual property taxes should I expect in Cairo in 2026?
As of early 2026, the annual property tax for a typical mid-range apartment in Cairo is generally in the low-to-mid four figures in Egyptian pounds, roughly EGP 2,000 to EGP 8,000 per year (about $42 to $170, or 36 to 143 euros), because Egypt's property tax is based on assessed rental value rather than market price and many standard apartments fall into low tax brackets.
Annual property taxes in Cairo represent a very small percentage of property value compared to Western markets, typically well under 0.5%, because the assessed rental values used by the tax authority tend to lag far behind actual market prices.
Property taxes in Cairo do vary based on property type and location: a luxury villa in Katameya Heights or a large apartment in Zamalek with a high assessed rental value could owe EGP 15,000 to EGP 40,000+ per year ($315 to $840+, or 270 to 715 euros+), while a modest apartment in Nasr City or 6th of October City would typically pay much less.
There are exemptions available in Cairo: owner-occupied properties below a certain assessed rental value threshold are exempt from property tax entirely, and many standard apartments used as a primary residence fall under this exemption, so it is worth checking your specific case with the Real Estate Tax Authority (RETA) before assuming you owe anything.
You can find the list of all property taxes, costs and fees when buying in Cairo here.
Is mortgage a viable option for foreigners in Cairo right now?
Getting a mortgage as a foreigner in Cairo is technically possible through some Egyptian banks, but it is not the default or easy path, and most foreign buyers in Cairo end up using either cash or the developer installment plans that are widely available and heavily marketed across the market.
For the few foreign buyers who do pursue a bank mortgage in Cairo, typical loan-to-value ratios are around 50% to 70% (meaning you need a larger down payment than in many Western markets), and interest rates are high by global standards, often in the range of 15% to 25% depending on the bank and economic conditions, though subsidized programs exist at much lower rates but are generally reserved for Egyptian citizens.
To qualify for a mortgage in Cairo as a foreigner, you typically need proof of stable income (often documented through an Egyptian bank account), residency paperwork or a long-stay visa, property valuation by the bank's approved appraiser, and in some cases a local guarantor, which is why most foreign buyers find developer installment plans (often 5 to 10 years with 10% to 20% down) a much simpler financing route.
You can also read our latest update about mortgage and interest rates in Egypt.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Egypt compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
What should I predict for resale and growth in Cairo in 2026?
What property types resell fastest in Cairo in 2026?
As of early 2026, the property types that resell fastest in Cairo are finished two-bedroom apartments in broad-demand neighborhoods like New Cairo's Fifth Settlement, Al Rehab, Madinaty, and 6th of October City, because these are the units that attract the largest pool of buyers, from young families to investors to renters.
The typical time on market to sell a property in Cairo in early 2026 is about 2 to 5 months for a well-priced apartment in a liquid neighborhood with clean paperwork, and 6 to 12 months or more for higher-ticket properties, niche layouts, or anything where title verification and registration friction slow the buyer down.
What makes certain property types sell faster in Cairo specifically is the combination of clean, registered title (which eliminates the fear factor for serious buyers), finished interiors (because shell units require extra budget and time that most Cairo buyers want to avoid), and location within a masterplanned community where everyday services, schools, and transport are already in place rather than "coming soon."
The slowest property types to resell in Cairo tend to be shell or core units in less popular compounds (because buyers discount the cost and hassle of finishing), overpriced luxury villas where the buyer pool is very thin, and most critically, any property relying on a customary contract without a clear path to full registration, since educated Cairo buyers increasingly walk away from unclear title situations.
If you're interested, we cover all the best exit strategies in our real estate pack about Cairo.
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What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Cairo, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can ... and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why we trust it | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) - Exchange Rates | Egypt's central bank sets the official FX rate that most contracts reference. | We used it to convert USD budgets into Egyptian pounds at the current rate. We then sized "how much home you can buy" using EGP-per-sqm market data. |
| Knight Frank - Cairo Residential Market Review (Q1 2025) | A major global real estate consultancy with transparent methodology. | We used it as our anchor dataset for EGP per sqm by district and property type. We then adjusted those benchmarks to early 2026 using inflation context. |
| JLL - Cairo Living Market Dynamics (Q3 2025) | A top-tier global consultancy with on-the-ground Cairo tracking. | We used it to validate supply additions and where new stock is being delivered. We used it to explain why new-city corridors behave differently on resale. |
| Savills - Cairo Property Report 2025 | A long-established global advisory firm with structured research. | We used it to cross-check demand shifts, financing patterns, and product mix. We used it as a second opinion against Knight Frank and JLL. |
| Aqarmap - Egypt Real Estate Trends 2025 | One of Egypt's largest property portals with a published methodology. | We used it as a ground-truth check for affordability clusters in Greater Cairo. We also used its methodology notes to justify using portal data carefully. |
| Global Property Guide - Egypt Price History | A long-running international housing tracker that cites its sources. | We used it to triangulate price growth rates around 2024 to 2025. We used it only where it clearly attributes the underlying index. |
| GAFI - Land & Real Estate Ownership Laws | The official government body publishing Egypt's investment regulations. | We used it to summarize what foreigners can legally own in Egypt. We used it to keep the foreign-ownership section grounded in an official source. |
| U.S. State Department - Egypt Investment Climate Statement | A high-scrutiny government report flagging recurring risks. | We used it to support the warning that customary contracts and unclear titles are a real risk. We used it to motivate the due-diligence recommendations. |
| HG.org - Property Registration Under Law 9/2022 | A legal-information platform citing the specific law change. | We used it to check what Law 9/2022 changed for registration fees. We used it only for the specific legal mechanics, not for market pricing. |
| PwC - Worldwide Tax Summaries (Egypt) | A major global tax firm with verifiable, current summaries. | We used it to anchor the existence of property and transaction taxes. We used it as the conservative baseline for buyer tax exposure. |
| Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) - Inflation Statistics | A primary public dataset for national inflation tracking. | We used it to check how fast nominal prices can drift between 2025 and early 2026. We used it to justify a cautious uplift on 2025 price benchmarks. |
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Egypt. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
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