Own in Egypt

Comparison · Last reviewed October 2026

Egypt vs Dubai property prices

Dubai is the region's best-known market for foreign buyers. Egypt costs a fraction as much per square meter but carries more currency and resale risk. Here is how the two compare on price, rules, costs and residency.

Egypt average~EGP 41kper m², national average
vs
Dubai average~EGP 291kper m², city-wide average 2026

Side by side

The full comparison

S1 Backed by a listed source Check General knowledge, needs verifying
Factor
Egypt
Dubai
Average priceper m²
~EGP 41,000 national average S3
~EGP 291,000 city-wide (AED 1,916 per sq ft) S8
Prime areasper m²
New Cairo EGP 25k–124k, El Gouna EGP 52k–259k S2
Downtown EGP 457k, Palm Jumeirah apartments EGP 644k, Palm villas EGP 1.2M S8
Who can own
Freehold outside restricted zones; max 2 homes, 4,000 m² S1
Freehold in designated zones; no cap on number of homes Check
Resale restrictions
5-year hold before selling S1
No minimum hold period Check
Buying costs
Registration ~2.5% S1
Land Department fee 4%, plus agent ~2% Check
Gross rental yield
New Cairo 7–10%; North Coast 2–5% seasonal S2
About 5–7% in Downtown, 4–5% in prime areas S8
Recent price growth
North Coast +15–20%, Cairo +3–5% (2025–26) S4
Downtown +5.5%, JVC villas +17%, Dubai South villas +22% (2025) S8
Residency
1 yr from EGP 2.6M · 3 yr from EGP 5.2M · 5 yr from EGP 10.4M S5
2 yr from about EGP 10.6M · 10-yr Golden Visa from about EGP 28.2M Check
Citizenship
Property route from EGP 15.5M, 5-year hold S6
Not available through property Check
Currency
Mostly priced in EGP, so currency risk; El Gouna in USD S2
AED pegged to the US dollar Check
Payment plans
Long: 7–10+ years; North Coast average 7.8 yrs S4
Shorter: usually 3–5 years off-plan Check
Mortgages for foreigners
Limited; most buyers use developer plans S1
Widely available from UAE banks Check
Resale market
Slow and mostly cash-only S7
Active, liquid secondary market Check
Foreign share of sales
About 3% of sales S7
Not checked Check

All prices are in Egyptian pounds, converted at about EGP 51.8 per US dollar and EGP 14.1 per UAE dirham, so they move with exchange rates. Egypt's residency thresholds are set in dollars and Dubai's in dirhams. Rows marked "Check" still need verifying.

Tool

Same budget, two markets

EGP 10M

Egypt · New Cairo

Space you could buy

Dubai · JVC to Downtown

Space you could buy

Space uses 2026 prices per m²: New Cairo EGP 25k–124k, Dubai from EGP 229k in JVC to EGP 457k in Downtown. Bars show the midpoint, on a shared scale. For reference, a typical family apartment is 120–180 m².

Verdict

Which suits you

Egypt fits if you want

  • Much more space for the money
  • Residency at a lower entry price, from about EGP 2.6M
  • A citizenship route through property
  • Long, interest-free developer payment plans
  • A long-term hold, five years or more

Dubai fits if you want

  • A dollar-linked currency with low exchange risk
  • An easy resale, with no holding period
  • Bank mortgages as a foreign buyer
  • A long 10-year visa, at a higher price
  • A more established, transparent market

The trade-off in one line: Egypt is cheaper and offers more residency for the money, but you take on currency risk, delivery delays and a slow resale market. Dubai costs far more per meter, but it is easier to buy into and to exit.