Cost of Living: Cairo vs Marrakech (2026)

Cairo is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $215/month there vs $495/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Cairo is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Cairo has a rate of 1.31 per 100,000 and Marrakech has 1.70 per 100,000.

Marrakech scores 62 to Cairo's 52 on livability — the gap is real. Cairo has its charms, but the numbers favor Marrakech. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Marrakech is easier for street-level English (32/100) than Cairo (21/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $215/month in Cairo, $495/month in Marrakech (Numbeo). That's 57% cheaper rent in Cairo.

Marrakech scores 5.0/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 2.8/10 for Cairo. Worth researching — neither scores as a 'full democracy,' so dig into press freedom and judicial independence before committing.

Cairo scores higher on our composite healthcare index (59/100 vs 53/100 for Marrakech). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.