Cairo vs Johannesburg
🌡️
Desert vs Temperate climate
🛂
South Africa offers a digital nomad visa
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Cairo
Johannesburg
Total Budget
$1,100/mo ✓
$1,150/mo
Rent (1BR)
$350/mo ✓
$450/mo
Coworking
$180/mo
$165/mo ✓
Meal Out
$4
$4
Coffee
$2.5
$2.5
Cairo is $50/mo cheaper (4% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🌍 Cairo
📶 Internet80 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+2
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West1h
🇺🇸 US East4h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🇿🇦 Johannesburg
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+2
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West1h
🇺🇸 US East4h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Cairo
ClimateDesert
Avg Temp24°C
Rainy Days4/year
Best months: March, April, May, January
Johannesburg
ClimateTemperate
Avg Temp16°C
Rainy Days93/year
Best months: September, May, June, July
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
16°20°
Apr
23°16°
Jul
32°10°
Oct
25°18°
CairoJohannesburg
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🌍Cairo
🇿🇦Johannesburg
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,100
$1,150
📶
Internet Speed
80 Mbps
100 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
3/5
Winner2.5/5
⭐
Nomad Score
3.6/10
3.6/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
7/10
🚶
Walkability
6/10
Winner4/10
👥
Community
small
medium
Winner2
Cairo wins
vs
2
Johannesburg wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Either works
Similar costs - choose based on other factors
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Johannesburg
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Cairo
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🌍Cairo
Pros
- +Very low cost of living for a megacity if you pay in strong currencies while earning abroad
- +World-class historical sites in and around the city including the Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx and Islamic Cairo
- +Egypt leads Africa for fixed broadband speeds with improving fibre coverage and growing digital infrastructure
- +Strong café and coworking ecosystem emerging in Zamalek, Maadi and Downtown, with laptop-friendly spots and MQR / The GrEEK Campus hubs
Cons
- −Traffic, noise and air pollution can be intense, especially in central districts and on main arteries
- −Summer heat, dust and occasional sandstorms make June–September uncomfortable for many remote workers
- −Frequent haggling and a high level of petty scams and tourist overcharging around major sights
- −Sidewalks and road crossings are often chaotic and not very pedestrian-friendly
🇿🇦Johannesburg
Pros
- +Very affordable cost of living
- +Fast fiber and 5G internet
- +Excellent food scene with diverse cuisines
- +Gateway to Kruger National Park safaris
Cons
- −Safety concerns require vigilance
- −CBD and some areas are unsafe
- −Load shedding affects power reliability
- −Car-dependent city with limited walkability