UK/London comparison with Egypt / Sharm El Sheikh - Living costs

[ROKZ_2005]

Hello all, I've just recently fallen in love with a location called Sharm El-Sheikh and am doing a lot of research before I take the step of moving there.
Sharm being a tourist area, how are the living costs compared to say Hurghada or the rest of Egypt. Would you say Sharm is an X% higher then the rest.

Real estates - Could you provide any links to buying out there. British companies seems to charge UK prices but I don't know which egyptian company I could trust.

How much would you say I would annually to have a fairly comfortable life for 2 adults. In £'s please (breakdown would be great inc car cost)


Can you also give me a comparison on

Lifestye
Night life
Family activities
education
Local area development
Cost of living

Any info would be helpful

[PaulAshton]

I have answered this elsewhere today so a copy and paste, I have expanded here so besides giving your bum a wipe there is not much more I can provide, everything will fall into place when you are here...

Lifestyle: See below

Night life: Subjective, Sharm has Pacha and Hard Rock Cafe

Family activities: See wikipedia Sharm el-Sheikh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

education: 2000 - 3000LE per month, also see sticky here Sharm Recommendations

Local area development: See wikipedia Sharm el-Sheikh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cost of living: Answered below


For a variety of accommodation try Sharm Women Classifieds, also search facebook for various groups on Sharm. Expect to pay 2000 - 3000LE per month plus utilities and other fees (200 - 300LE) You can find accommodation however for 1000 - 1500 LE per month if it is to your standard is up to you. If you are looking to buy accommodation it's a buyer's market but beware of several pit falls..

To compare cost of living (not always accurate) try Cost Of Living Comparison Between Two Countries

Living expenses after rent (food, entertainment etc) can vary on lifestyle choice 400 - 1000 LE per week this figure is hard to pin point as lifestyle choices vary) I can't see why anyone would want to move abroad to live like a pauper..

You can therefore say you would need 5200 - 7000LE per month, for a normal no frills life style..that's for a couple for everything..rent, food, entertainment... I have heard some people live on 3000LE per month how they do it I would like to know must have some sort of magical skills or an affinity to rice, pita bread and lentils.

Inflation currently stands at about 10% and the days of a dirt cheap lifestyle or finding jobs are over.

I feel Sharm is a place to retire if you have steady income from existing investments not a place to live and work as you will work to live and work visas do not really exist unless you have some skill an Egyptian does not have and then expect long hours and crap wages.

Come over with about £160K - £250K GBP plus money from investments on a regular basis you should be OK but people might say that figure is not correct but it should give you and idea of what you need to settle in, buy your apartment and have spare cash.

[ROKZ_2005]

Thanks great advice, Ive only started a new thread so that people in my position will have a better view and undersyanding as the other thread you commented on was out of date.this thread allows people to get involved a little bit more.

Anyone know if apartment prices starting at app £25,000 real or not. They are 2 bed apartment in the Nabq bay area? or is that too good to be true. I will be visitng when I can take time off work, but any estimates would be great.
And what would you guys advise on buying into developments?

[PaulAshton]

Nabq is OK if you have a car, be careful where you buy as there a about 2 complex there that have issues. Nabq again is like marmite you either love it or hate it and it's described as "up and coming" and "work in progress" there will be people who will be "all to happy" to offload some crap on you they are only too eager to shift as they bought it with holiday goggles and now regret it. Throw caution to the wind of anyone who contacts you with properties as well.

Before you buy also put that complex name in google to see if there are issues and also facebook, before you buy contact me and no I am not selling

£25K GBP for 2 bed is going to be off plan and you are buying a dream that will have an ongoing "soft roll out" with the dates pushed forward as the developers are running out of money, also throw in your furniture pack at about £2 - 3K GBP for new..

It is my opinion buy at a complex that is 100% developed, Delta Sharm seems popular but not my cup of tea, expect to pay £60K GBP +

For £30 - 40K GBP you can buy in a residential area such as El Hadaba or Aida Villa area, expect to negotiate on price hard and also throw in £3 - 5K GBP in some instances to get it to a European standard plus furniture. The benefit is you are close to the beach, Old Sharm Market, the schools and shops..

You can get second hand furniture here but what might be suitable as second hand for an Egyptian might not be suitable for a European.

There is always a debate between residential vs. complex, I will choose residential area every time not because of price but because of a feeling of belonging but it also has it's unique challenges.

The BEST advice I can give you is rent first for up to 6 months then find an area that suits your lifestyle choice, the community ethos and building style varies in each area more so than the UK.

Youtube is also your friend and has loads of videos on different areas uploaded by tourists and residents and google earth has thumb nail images so start there, it is objective and does not lie and has almost current thumb nail images..

By all means contact me via PM when you are here but don't drive me bonkers, I want to stress I am not selling anything or any service. I get nothing out of it but hate people to be ripped off. I can introduce you to an estate agent I use but I also know she has one interest lining the pocket and herself and she comes out with a few porkies and pushes Nabq plus properties she cannot shift but is reliable when she sniffs money and gives you choice as yet I have to meet an estate agent or Egyptian who is not in it for themselves, I can also make you aware of the bargaining and waiting process to drive the price down.

Again try Sharm Women but BEWARE as Egyptians like to charge foreigners £10K higher but it gives you a flavour of availability and prices.

So in answer to your question:

£25 - 35K GBP - 2 bed complex off plan or "work in progress / developing area, has a risk of disappointment
£30 - 40K GBP - 2 bed residential, decent location and central base, basic but nice requires some DIY probably, look at spending £40K GBP
£45 - 50K GBP - 2 bed residential, decent standard price range you will be offered, drive for a bargain price hard
£50 - 60K GBP - 2 bed complex, "nice standard", runs risk of transient tourists and music, at mercy of the management team, has cliques you want to stay away from and an element of "working class" go to the pub, curry, lager and kebab type people

The above prices are subjective and open to debate and variance but I check every day

I have seen a 2 bed 2nd floor with sea view residential for "around 40ish" close to all amentities with furniture but you will hear the mosque forum lurkers DO NOT contact me

Remember it's a buyers market.

Oddly enough many residential buildings look great but then face a pile of rubbish and the not so good residential buildings have a decent view to look out on

As you sound on a budget what you are buying is a place in the sun and a place to go to the beach, remember that. Residential does not have use of a pool but you can have a dip in the sea but at least there is nobody to urinate in the pool

[PaulAshton]

..also see this "Sharm el Sheikh" Holiday Home from hell video, these guys wish they never bought off plan and this situation is not unusual..

I recommend this video to anyone thinking about off plan, a MUST SEE, that was a 2 bed for £37K GBP

New Homes From Hell 2009 - Sharm el Sheikh -...

[canuck2010]

Wow Paul, you could start a Wiki page with all that information!

[PaulAshton]

Originally Posted by canuck2010

Wow Paul, you could start a Wiki page with all that information!

Just based on looking every single day and viewing endless properties.

People way say the prices quoted are too low but it is also based on your lifestyle choice and expectations.

What might be suitable for me is not suitable for another and vice versa if you are on a budget then you have to make due with what you have and what is available.

If you buy you probably are not likely to find a seller anytime soon and I believe but not sure as my properties are being formally registered I cannot resell them for 5 years but if it was only signature validation you can turn them around sooner, don't know and don't care.

Sharm is also 99 years "free hold" but you have all the rights as anyone else so people will also debate you don't own your property.

Buy to live and / or buy for family and rent out in the mean time, but do not buy necessarily as an investment or buy to let this is just my opinion and if buying residential I feel a tall metal gate and ornate bars on the window are a must, cost about 7000LE if ground floor and expect to put up with noise, a potential bowab with motivation issues, people who stare and the odd dead cat within 5 minutes where you live that you need to lift by the tail with a metro bag and fling in the skip because nobody else will not to mention empty water bottles here and there. Good news is no restrictions of a complex where you cannot cut back a tall tree that blocks your view or have a garden team that pulls out your plants, no pool parties

I feel slowly in time property price will increase but that makes no difference if moving on as unless you have bought a shell dirt cheap for the sake of £20K GBP profit not worth the while as you will buy for around the price you sell

[marenostrum]

Originally Posted by PaulAshton

Buy to live and / or buy for family and rent out in the mean time, but do not buy necessarily as an investment or buy to let this is just my opinion and if buying residential I feel a tall metal gate and ornate bars on the window are a must, cost about 7000LE if ground floor and expect to put up with noise, a potential bowab with motivation issues, people who stare and the odd dead cat within 5 minutes where you live that you need to lift by the tail with a metro bag and fling in the skip because nobody else will not to mention empty water bottles here and there. Good news is no restrictions of a complex where you cannot cut back a tall tree that blocks your view or have a garden team that pulls out your plants, no pool parties

What you are describing here sounds like a proper shithole.
You can get better property than that with less issues in places like Ordsall or tower Hamlets, at least a hoodie with an ipod and a 9mm in his pocket adds more character.....

I don't know why people would chuck sixty k for something that sounds like a council estate on the seaside.....assuming of course that you are telling the truth.

[Gounie]

There are property forums specifically for Egypt and cover individual developments. I have been following them for years and there is hardly any good news. I certainly wouldn't recommend buying off plan. A lot of people bought in Hurghada and lost their money. Those that have received an apartment are now battling with maintenance issues, electricity payments, etc. etc. Follow the advice to rent first and do your homework. Prices have dropped drastically in Hurghada. You can buy from GBP9k.

There are a lot of private resales even in the private town of El Gouna owned by Orascom where I live. This is the very top end of the market though so prices are high but it is beautiful, clean and safe. Who knows what new laws will come out for foreigners owning property after the elections. Anyhow search for the property forums because I don't think I am allowed to post a link.

[PaulAshton]

Originally Posted by marenostrum

What you are describing here sounds like a proper shithole.
You can get better property than that with less issues in places like Ordsall or tower Hamlets, at least a hoodie with an ipod and a 9mm in his pocket adds more character.....

I don't know why people would chuck sixty k for something that sounds like a council estate on the seaside.....assuming of course that you are telling the truth.

You know as well as I do there are apartments here facing the sea in the residential area of Hadaba that can go for around an average of £165,000K GBP and just at the back £40 - 60K GBP, there is one 5 bedroom villa that is on 2 floors for a whopping £2.5 million GBP on the cliff area and in that road you will find bottles, rubbish and the odd dead cat or dog outside and that can be substantiated by sending you photographic proof.

In these times you need tall metal gates and bars on the windows if ground floor and a foreigner, there was a well known burglary in the area where over £100K GBP of items were taken from a villa, many people feel they do not want to live in a jail and refuse to put bars on the windows, even a bull mastiff does not help as one was stolen but I like to see someone slither into mine as they won't leave alive

If you feel there is a private street cleaning team around here that come on a daily basis and street patrols by the police you are sadly mistaken and need a reality check.

The original poster has set himself a budget I took the time to give him and others some detailed and frank insight of residential and a complex for the "average" person that in all honesty will get him in an OK area.

Like I said you are buying a place in the sun near the sea with a sense of belonging.

I can assure you I am an astute and discerning person and if it's good enough for me and Khaled Abu Seif (son of the well known film producer Salah Abu Seif) it's good enough for others, you have been in Sharm so let's see your detailed input. Before anyone paints a picture of something that does not exist in Sharm get your facts straight..£60K GBP or £2.5 million GBP the same rubbish blows around and the same street dogs prowl around the area.

At least I have also taken the time to offer the original poster to contact me via PM and show him around.

If someone wants pristine live in a golden cage Delta Sharm or Diar el Rabwa but don't walk outside near Hay Noor stay inside with alcohol hand scrub but don't expect a sea view, beach or anything near decent shops or a school close. I would not trade my residential property for anything else..