Moving to Egypt from Illinois
What to Expect
Considering a move from Illinois to Egypt? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Illinois to Egypt, you would find that Egypt is 81.6% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly EGP760,000 in Egypt to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Cairo averages 82°F vs 59°F in Chicago, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Egypt cheaper than Illinois?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 77.3% less
Groceries
pay 76.9% less
Transportation
pay 65.0% less
Housing
pay 90.3% less
Childcare
pay 93.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 73.1% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Egypt?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → EGP760,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Egypt
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Egypt cost about 54% less than cities in Illinois.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Egypt
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Illinois to Egypt.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Egypt compared to Illinois.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Illinois performs better than Egypt across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois performs better than Egypt across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois performs better than Egypt across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Illinois performs better than Egypt across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Egypt vs Illinois
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Chicago | Cairo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/22°F (3°/-6°C) | 70°/51°F (21°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) | 89°/65°F (32°/18°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) | 94°/73°F (34°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/32°F (9°/0°C) | 77°/59°F (25°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Chicago | Cairo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/17°F (-0.6°/-8.6°C) | 66°/49°F (19.0°/9.7°C) |
| Feb | 35°/20°F (1.8°/-6.6°C) | 69°/51°F (20.3°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 47°/29°F (8.1°/-1.6°C) | 74°/54°F (23.4°/12.3°C) |
| Apr | 59°/39°F (15.0°/3.8°C) | 83°/60°F (28.2°/15.4°C) |
| May | 70°/48°F (21.1°/9.1°C) | 89°/65°F (31.9°/18.4°C) |
| Jun | 80°/58°F (26.5°/14.5°C) | 94°/71°F (34.6°/21.4°C) |
| Jul | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 95°/73°F (34.8°/22.9°C) |
| Aug | 82°/63°F (27.7°/17.2°C) | 94°/74°F (34.5°/23.3°C) |
| Sep | 75°/54°F (23.8°/12.4°C) | 92°/71°F (33.1°/21.7°C) |
| Oct | 62°/43°F (16.8°/6.0°C) | 85°/66°F (29.7°/19.0°C) |
| Nov | 48°/32°F (9.0°/0.2°C) | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.6°C) |
| Dec | 35°/21°F (1.6°/-6.3°C) | 69°/52°F (20.4°/11.0°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA)
Can you move from Illinois to Egypt?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Egypt. To live, work, or study long-term in Egypt, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Egypt's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Egypt
Visa on Arrival
Egypt passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Egypt than Illinois?
On average Egypt is about 82% less expensive than Illinois, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Egypt?
Budget about EGP190,000 for 3 months in Egypt (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Egypt?
From major Egypt cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and Egypt are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Egypt compared to Illinois?
Illinois performs better than Egypt across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Egypt compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Cairo is 82°F, compared to 59°F in Chicago. Cairo receives around 1.0 in of rainfall per year, while Chicago gets 36.9 in.
What language do they speak in Egypt?
The official language in Egypt is Arabic. In Illinois, the official language is English.
