Egyptian Salaries

[Nick Pendrell]

Anyone know what a decent Egyptian monthly salary would be?

I'm referring to a 'C2' - semi-skilled clerical such as a bank clerk or admin/PA/secretary type in the private sector, fully bilingual, educated and with a couple of years' work experience.

Do salaries vary a lot from one part of Egypt to another? I know that salaries in capital cities are usually a fair bit higher than in the provinces throughout much of the world.

[queenie40something]

Told you - you can have my services for around 75K...

[Malak]

Hi,
In Cairo for someone who works for en egyptian company who has a good level of education and in a clerical role would be around 350 EGP to 900 EGP. Some companies also pay into a small pension plan for there staff. I have friends who work with Vodaphone as Sales manager who takes 2500EGP per month, very good salary.
International companies tend to pay more and also have benefits, maybe health care, egyptians working in these companies could get between 1000egp to 3000 egp.
The company who work for pays 1300egp for call centre staff and finace controller takes 7000egp per month.
As an expat working, International companies tend to employee from the country you came from, with the package already assigned. Getting work as an expat in egypt, companies have to get you a work visa which can be difficult as egyptians have to be the priority, unless you have expectional expertise in a special area.
In tourist areas, people who work as waiters, bar work, entertainment, get a salary of around 200 egp to 600 egp and then rely on tips to make extra, or they get meals/accomodation included. Expats working in this area normally dont have work permits and are working ilegally, unless employed by an internaltional hotel etc from abroad. Salaries can range from 300egp permonth to 2000egp.
Hope this gives you some insight.

However remember, that egyptians now how to shop, go to markets, speak arabic and have little chance of paying over the odds, so unless as an expat your arabic is good, you have no problem shopping at markets, you can live well. Keep away from the metro/carefour etc supermarkets, you can spen 1/2 of your salary in food for the week there, where as half of your salary at the markets can last the month for food.

[queenie40something]

Hi Malak - thanks for that it made interesting reading.

[Malak]

Your welcome. The money can go quickly for an expat if they are earning say 3000egp per month, say rent is 1000 per month and then another 200 for elctric/gas/phone(these are cheap). You have to take into consideration how you want to live, the ability to eat out at Mcdonalds/arbys/pizza hut regularly can soon put a hole in your budget, where as living more like teh locals can allow you to at least save a little bit as you would do in your own country. You would have to be careful of teh amount you tip! Tips/taxi's can eat into it alot. You dont have to tip... thats what everyone should remember.

[queenie40something]

Hi Malak - living in Egypt is totally different to holidaying. When on holiday we dont like to crimp so hubby has a never ending pocket full of money!!
I think to be able to live comfortably you would need to outright own your property then that is one less bill to worry about.

[Malak]

Thats true. Owning property is better, but you still have all the other costs. Holiday is very different. When I lived in Cairo previously, people would come to visit for Holiday. We'd spend a few days in Cairo and then go down to Hurghada or to ALexandria for a beach break. They thought I was awful the fact that I did not tip well (IE: not the tourist expected tip anyway), but by the time they had worked out how much they had tipped at the end of the end of the holiday, the average had tipped around £60 -£80 sterling over 2 weeks. Thats alot out of your holiday budget.

[queenie40something]

Hi Malak - when we eat out if the service charge is included we dont leave extra tips unless we have had exceptional meal and service. We tend to tip at the end and give to our favourite hotel waiters and barman. I also tip the pool guys every couple of days and if one has gone out of the way for us we would give him extra on our last day as a thankyou. The cleaners also get our small notes at the end of our stay and one of the kids normally arranges all the money in the shape of a flower, heart or something on the bed! They also get our toiletries that are half full as well.

[Nick Pendrell]

Thanks for that very comprehensive response, Malak.

So, if I was looking for a good, reliable and honest PA in Hurghada, you think that LE1500 would be a fair price to pay per month?

[Malak]

Hi, Yip that is a very fare salary.
I am sure that when you get there you will find lots of people available to work.