greetings...

i'm an american interested in an extended stay in cairo. although i've never been to cairo... i've lived in namibia, south africa, niger, cameroon, cote d'ivoire. additionally, i've visited india (delhi), ecuador, japan and greece.

i'm seeking an insider's perspective on living in cairo... specifically accommodations (renting a flat), what's basic things are expensive and what's not? internet access/availability (wireless?) and general info about what i should do in preparation for a 6-month stay in cairo.

any and all comments would be appreciated.

thanks!

awiseswan

AWS -

I've been living in Cairo for nearly 10 years.

Flats can be found from LE2000 and up. Generally the LE2000 flats will have NO furniture and NO furniture means no appliances or anything. You are better off to look for a furnished flat. Since you will only be here for 6 months, I would expect to pay closer to $800 per month in a decent neighborhood. This is because of short term rental and lack of time to look for a really good place at a low price. Due to time constraints you will probably find it easier to use a "semsar" (realestate agent on the street) or a real realestate agent and costs will be up a bit due to that. You'll also be expected to pay a fee to the semsar...maybe as much as a months rent. That is usually negotiable though.
If you want to share with someone you might go over to AUC and see who is looking for roommates on their public boards.

DSL is widely available, but you may have to jump through hoops to get your flat wired for it. Wireless is widely available at coffee shops and elsewhere too.

You will find food, electricity, gas and general living expenses economical. If you insist on eating foods imported from America, you will find they are expensive.

Regarding what to do to prepare for a 6 month stay sort of depends on which 6 months you will be here. In the winter, don't kid yourself, it is COLD here and a down comforter is very nice to have, but it would be a waste of luggage space if you are here in the summer.

Welcome to Cairo.

I've lived in Cairo for about a year & a half and love it. It does take some getting used to, however. I'd read as much as I can on living here before I move.

I'd fool around on the web to find sites that address these concerns. The American University of Cairo (aucegypt.edu?) has information. I think the State Department may for embassy personnel. I know it has one, but am not sure if it's available for non-embassy types. Transitions Abroad.com (?) has information. There's a web site for wives of embassy personal which is not an official US government site.

Check out the Australian, British, South African & Canadian government sites for information, too.

Buy Living in Cairo which is published by the AUC Press & can be ordered over the Internet from the US. (i.e. you don't have to order in Egypt & wait an interminable time.)

Debbie is generally right about renting flats, but it really depends on where you are. Debbie lives in Heliopolis, so those prices may be correct for there, but they are not for Ma'adi where I live. I live in the non-international part of Ma'adi & pay about $800 for a fairly nice place with limitations including a crazy landlord. And they go up substantially from that.

I think of her idea of a roomate or two sounds good. You'll have someone to talk with which is especially important if you don't speak the language.

Will you be by yourself? Will you have children? What is your budget? If you are not bringing children, I'd live in Zamalek. It's a nice area with international as well as Egyptian residents. It's close to downtown and the places you'll want to see. There are a number of restaurants & all-important cafes which seat women & serve lattes.

thanks so much for your insights! they are really helpful and i will be following up on your suggestions.

a little bit more about me and my impending trip to cairo. i'm single, no children, and will be travelling alone. i should mention that i'm 45 years old and less inclined to share an apartment/flat. although my arabic is nonexistent, i'm proficient in french.

ideally, i'd like to find a furnished one-bedroom flat or studio if available. thus far, most of the flats i've seen online are 2 or 3 bedrooms and are described as "superlux" which i assume will be out of my price range. being centrally located is important as this will be my first time to cairo. i've heard about "garden city" as a "nice" area of cairo to live in. i'd also like to find out more about "zamalek" per your suggestion.

my budget for accommodations is between $500-$700. is this a doable amount for a furnished one-bedroom or studio in a decent neighborhood?

thanks again for your thoughts and suggestions. keep them coming!

Fool around on the web & you'll find some web sites for real estate agents in Cairo. We have a couple of the big american ones -- Coldwell-Banker, etc.-- and then there are some local sites. Remember that the prices are higher than you'll actually pay. Gafrden City is a nice area, not as nice as Zamalek, but a better value. It's right on the southern edge of downtown. I know what you mean about a roomate, but since it's only for 6 months, you might at least see what's out there. As for size, this is egypt where people don't move out of their parents' homes until they get married &, generally, they have a child right away, so I think that there are not a lot of one bedroom/studios around that you'd like to live in. Debbie might have better info on that.