Cairo - Post Report Question and Answers
What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
It's cheaper than the States - Mar 2023
Everything is affordable! - Aug 2022
Tourism is outstanding, cost of living is low, pay for U.S. Embassy employees is high, childcare is fantastic. There are also flights to Europe readily available if you need to escape! - Aug 2022
Cairo is the 7th largest city in the world and a great blend of Arab and African liveliness (some refer to it as chaos). You can truly find everything and often have it delivered to your doorstep. The traffic and pollution can be grating, but it's easy to escape for the weekend to the beach, desert, or ancient wonder. Egyptians are easy to befriend and wonderfully hospitable. - Mar 2022
Everything is super cheap and has everything you could need once you find it. - Dec 2021
Seeing historical sights, warm weather, going to the beach. Egyptian museums. - Feb 2021
It's fairly cheap, large, no shortage of things to do. - Jan 2020
Easy access to Europe but much cheaper. Great history. - Jan 2018
For me, there were not too many. I didn't love Cairo, but I didn't hate it, either. I did enjoy the European travel that I did while I was here. Cairo is a major city in a developing country and it can be fun to live here but it's also very frustrating, particularly traffic and the local driving/littering habits. - Sep 2017
Living and working with Egyptians. The culture and history. Holiday destinations of all kinds on your doorstep. - May 2017
Most things are super cheap. You can do most of your daily errands on foot. The people are for the most part friendly and interested in interacting. Cairo is a huge expat city and it is easy to have friends from all over the world (there were kids from 35 countries in my daughter's school). The food is great. It is among the sunniest places in the world and you will spend a lot of time sitting outside. If you are US Government, the commissary is amazing and the swim club is a terrific social outlet with lots of fun activities, especially if you have younger kids. - Jan 2016
Great tourism opportunities in Cairo and around Egypt. Easy flights to other countries. - Jan 2016
The Egyptian culture is fascinating, especially the antiquities.The Pyramids are always a thrill, no matter how many times you go. The Egyptians are warm and welcoming, despite what they have been through recently. - Jan 2016
There are so many fantastic things to see. The weather is great although it does get hot in the summer. I admit I love my air conditioning in the summer months. We drive an hour and a half to the Red Sea a couple of times a month. It has great snorkeling just a few feet off the beach. - Oct 2014
Touring the sights and the weather is nice most of the year. The summers are a little too hot but bearable because of the dry heat. - Aug 2014
Fascinating history, ability to see Middle East as it evolves, or does not evolve. Lots to do and see, however lots of restrictions on what one can do and see...many areas of the country are off limits to USGOV personnel. Things are relatively cheap, the weather is lovely, although very hot in the summer months. - Aug 2014
Advantages are tons of Egyptian sites for all types: Luxor, Aswan, Edfu, Alexandria, Egyptian museum, Coptic Cairo, Khan al Khalili bazaar, also outdoors - "camping" they call it - with cooks and stuff, tons of beaches, nice hotels. Golf, I hear. Horseriding, I hear. Also, based on my experience in developing countries, Maadi is wonderfully walkable (esp. because it's pleasant most of the year) to shops, school, yoga, restaurants - it's not more dangerous than any big city. There are malls if you need them. The weather is nice. Sinai - driving to Israel, Dahab in the Sinai, St. Catherine's Sinai (not that I've done those); monasteries out by Ain Sokhna; the food is ok-good. - May 2014
Definitely touring, as long as you don't have travel restrictions. - Apr 2014
I'm at a loss to come up with any; this has been our worst post ever. I cannot wait to leave. - Mar 2014
Traveling Egypt, easy weekend trips to the Red Sea. Great weather. Cheap living. Seeing a totally different world. We requested Egypt because we wanted a total change from America and to see the world. This exactly what we got. Our whole family was truly able to appreciate just how different life is for an egyptian and our tour in Egypt was a social studies lesson for us. It has opened our eyes to a life we had heard of but never seen, and this was probably the greatest take away for all of us. It literally taught our kids the 'there are starving children in Africa' statement to life through first hand experience. - Jul 2013
There is no substitute for Egyptian history. The Pyramids, the Egyptian Museum (where King Tut's regalia reside) and other key sites are all in greater Cairo. Luxor is an hour away and is amazing. Plus, you can golf in the winter. - Jul 2013
Warm weather. Hardship differential (extra money). - Jun 2013
Travel, including the Red Sea, the North Coast, Nile cruises, desert camping and great connections to lots of places in Europe and Africa. Cairo itself is fascinating and very accessible. Caireens are friendly and helpful and will go out of their way to make you feel very welcome, no matter what neighborhood you are in. - Jun 2013
The advantages are saving money and touring, no question. Egypt has much to offer -- even post-revolution. - May 2013
Any special advantages this post used to have are unenjoyable because of the constant danger. - May 2013
Touring Europe, saving money, weather, ... lots of things. - May 2013
Weather, sights, people. - Feb 2013
Its proximity to interesting tourist destinations. - Feb 2013
none - Mar 2013
Living in the midst of a revolution, wondering if we'll begin receiving danger pay, surviving a real-life Argo scenario. - Mar 2013
Cheap fruits and vegetables on the local market---as long as you thorgouhly soak them in chlorine due to the current outbreak of polio in Cairo. - Feb 2013
The weather in Cairo is quite good year around. During the summer it does get very hot, but the winters are very pleasant--down to about 55 Fahrenheit. It is also generally a cheap city: taxis are very very cheap and food is affordable. - Jan 2013
The embassy has a fantastic commissary, and there is a great school community. Also, tourism is popular. - Nov 2012
Tourist opportunities, beautiful weather in the winter, cheap prices - Sep 2011
Egypt is friendly, even during the revolution. It isn't cheap, but for the natural tourist there is much to see. - Aug 2011
Cairo is a huge, sprawling, metropolitan city with access to anything you might need. The cost of living is low, access to transportation is good and there is a wealth of social and cultural activities. - Aug 2011
Egypt is full of ancient antiquities which are stunning to see. Besides the Pyramids of Giza and the Temple of Karnak, there are hundreds of other incredible pharaonic places. Pluse the Islamic architecture and history is amazing. Even with that, the people of Egypt are its biggest asset. It's not the most efficient place, but people are easy to get along with and open to foreigners. - Jul 2011
Their are tons of advantages living in Cairo. It is one of the most fascinating cities in the world! The Pyramids, Sphinx, Khan el Khalili, Alexandria, Sharm el Sheikh, El Alamein the list goes on. The culture is rich and beautiful, the Arabs are wonderfully nice people, the food is amazing (if you go to the right places). Everything is cheap and affordable if you can find it. The weather is hot all year round except for like three months of October type weather stateside (occurs around December). It never rains, their are occasional sand storms. - Jun 2011
Exploring history, diving, and Red Sea resorts. For those intested in history, Egypt has tons of amazing historical sites to explore. The diving in the Red Sea is some of the best in the world, with excellent water clarity and vibrant coral reefs. The Red Sea resorts offer complete luxury, relaxation, beatiful scenery, and night life for the price of a Best Western Hotel in the U.S. - Sep 2010
Saving money. Motorcycle riding. - Jun 2010
