Hamdi Abdurrazzaq, in his late fifties, works at a small grocery store in the old neighborhood of Sayedeh Zeinab in southern Cairo. His monthly income varies but on average, he earns about L.E.1,200 (US $157) a month. His income however only covers a third of his expenses – he needs over L.E.3,000 (US$395) a month to cover his family’s needs.

Average income

Hamdi Abdurrazzaq, in his late fifties, works at a small grocery store in the old neighborhood of Sayedeh Zeinab in southern Cairo. His monthly income varies but on average, he earns about L.E.1,200 (US $157) a month. His income however only covers a third of his expenses – he needs over L.E.3,000 (US$395) a month to cover his family’s needs.

Average income

The Income, Spending and Consumption Survey 2012-2013 issued in 2014 by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics – a governmental body – shows that the average Egyptian household spends around L.E.2,500 a month (US $328) on food, furniture, household appliances and regular maintenance; health care and services among other basic needs.

Hidden expenses

“I am self-employed, not an employee who receives a fixed monthly salary,” says Abdurrazzaq. “I have to meet the basic needs of my family even if I have to borrow.” Still, Abdurrazzaq and his family are better off than 40 percent of Egyptians who live on less than US$2 a day, according to a study issued by the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights in mid 2013.

While Cairo is not among the most expensive cities in the world, the cost of living is very high compared to incomes. There are many hidden expenses, says Abdurrazzaq, “like bribery, buying unusable goods or purchasing materials that rot in a short time.”

Cheap goods are expensive too

Abdurrazzaq remembers that at one stage of his life he had an old small car which he used to have repaired on a weekly basis due to damage by unpaved roads, bumps, and low-level street drainage covers. “The mechanic would ask for a fee four times the price of the spare part,” says Abdurrazzaq. “Sometimes, I would buy cheap parts only to find a few days later they broke down and should be replaced.”

A recent quarterly report by the Egyptian Import and Export Control Authority shows that non-oil imports from China during the first quarter of 2015 amounted to around L.E.16.6 billion (US$2.18 billion) – usually poor quality goods sold at cheap prices.

In addition, Egyptians suffer from sudden power outages several times a day, which causes food to spoil not to mention the failure of an unknown number of electrical appliances. And although the Internet speed is very slow, prices are high compared to other countries where the monthly subscription for 128/512 Kbps, the most common speed, is L.E.95 (US $ 12.50).

Poor quality of life

Muhammad Harfoush, 42, is a translator for a Gulf newspaper and earns some L.E.10,000 a month (US$1,310). In regular months when there are no emergencies, he spends 80 percent of is income on rent L.E.3,000 (US $ 393) in addition to food.

“I went to Canada and worked as a cashier for a large store while earning my Master’s degree,” says Harfoush. “My income then was similar to my income now in Egypt. The difference is that in Canada there is a minimum level the quality of any commodity may not go below. For example, I spend L.E.50 (US $6.6) to get lousy food in a restaurant here in Egypt, while for the same amount in Canada I can have a good meal. It is not the best meal in the country, but it is a good meal.”

Expensive traditions

Harfoush currently preparing for his wedding, a ritual that costs tens of thousands of pounds in Egypt. It may even take over L.E.100,000 (US $13,000) to furnish a rented apartment in addition to the wedding expenses, the bride’s jewelry, etc.

Harfoush believes that his monthly expenses after marriage are unlikely to exceed what he currently spends alone because his wife will cook food at home. He however does not have clear expectations as to the additional costs of having children, with additional expenses of education and healthcare.

Corruption

Rampant corruption in Egypt plays a role in raising the cost of living, due to paying bribes. Egypt ranked 94^th in the 2014 Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International. During his address to Egyptians in May 2015, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi admitted that corruption was a major problem facing his country, pointing out the obsoleteness of the public service.

With more than five million employees, this service constitutes a heavy burden on Egyptians, especially the poor, not only because it eats up L.E.200 billion (US$26.3 billion) as wages, according to the budget of the current year at a time when the state is removing subsidy from many basic goods and services, but also because it eats away the country, entrenches the values of bribery and corruption in society and turns them into a normal way of life that is indispensable for realizing interests and rights.

Several factors aggregate, making citizen’s modest living more expensive and challenging. Their endeavor to revolt against these situations on January 25, 2011, failed to remove deeply rooted corruption.

Prices of major commodities (L.E.):

One liter of 92-octane gasoline (the most common): 2.6

One liter of diesel fuel: 1.6

One kg of beef: 70

One liter of fresh milk: 7.5

One packet of Cleopatra Cigarettes (locally made): 9

One packet of Marlboro Cigarettes: 22.75

Metro ticket: 1

Taxi fare: 3 for initial hire charge, 1.4 for each subsequent kilometer and 0.3 for each minute of waiting.