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Ain Sokhna
For investors in the Egyptian market today, the real question is no longer “should I buy?” but “where should I buy?”. The gap between one city and another can reach three times the price per square metre, and years of difference in when your return actually starts.
This guide compares 14 cities using figures taken from projects currently listed on Real Estate Capsule, not from general estimates: the entry price of the cheapest residential unit, the market median, the average price per square metre, and the most common payment plans in each city.
Read on for a full price breakdown of every city
Three factors drive price movement this year, and each one affects your buying decision differently:
| Factor | Market Impact | What It Means for You |
|---|---|---|
| Construction cost | A large share of finishing materials and electrical systems is imported | Any exchange rate movement passes straight into the final unit price |
| Extended payment plans | Payment terms reaching 10 years with a 5% down payment in many projects | The entry ticket has dropped, but the total price has not |
| Interest rate direction | Gradual decline in returns on bank deposit instruments | Part of the liquidity is shifting into real estate as a store of value |
Circulating market estimates place the expected increase in unit prices during 2026 between 10% and 18%, with clear variation by area and development stage — which makes choosing the right city more important than timing the purchase.
The figures below are calculated from projects listed on the website. “Starting from” is the price of the cheapest advertised residential unit, while the “market median” is the point at which half the supply sits above and half below — a more accurate indicator than the average because it is not distorted by a handful of ultra-luxury projects.
| City | Projects | Starting From (EGP) | Market Median (EGP) | Price/sqm (EGP) | Typical Down Payment | Typical Instalment Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Administrative Capital | 119 | 925,000 | 5,443,000 | 75,000 | 10% | 10 years |
| North Coast | 116 | 1,200,000 | 8,200,000 | 95,000 | 5% | 8 years |
| Obour City | 4 | 1,380,000 | — | — | 20% | 8 years |
| 6th of October | 46 | 1,575,000 | 5,400,000 | 50,000 | 10% | 10 years |
| New Alamein | 10 | 1,700,000 | 4,400,000 | 54,500 | 5% | 7 years |
| El Sheikh Zayed | 52 | 1,750,000 | 7,500,000 | 72,900 | 5% | 10 years |
| New Cairo | 101 | 2,260,000 | 8,793,000 | 89,000 | 5% | 8 years |
| 5th Settlement | 107 | 2,400,000 | 6,310,000 | 104,000 | 10% | 10 years |
| 6th Settlement | 28 | 2,436,000 | 5,509,000 | 50,000 | 5% | 10 years |
| Shorouk City | 16 | 2,450,000 | 5,650,000 | — | 10% | 10 years |
| New Heliopolis | 5 | 2,470,000 | 12,741,000 | — | 5% | 10 years |
| Ain Sokhna | 22 | 2,800,000 | 5,694,000 | — | 10% | 8 years |
| Mostakbal City | 30 | 3,485,000 | 9,180,000 | 101,600 | 5% | 10 years |
| Hurghada | 5 | 6,980,000 | 7,650,000 | 110,000 | Varies | 7 years |
Swipe the table sideways to view the remaining columns
The most important takeaway from the table: the cheapest city to enter is not the cheapest city to buy in. The New Administrative Capital starts at 925,000 EGP, yet its market median is 5.44 million. New Alamein starts at 1,700,000 EGP with a median of 4.4 million — meaning its supply is far more concentrated in the mid-range segment.
There is no single “best city” in absolute terms; there is a city that suits a specific goal. The table below links each investment objective to the most suitable cities and the reasoning behind it:
| Your Investment Goal | Most Suitable Cities | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest entry ticket on limited capital | New Administrative Capital — North Coast — 6th of October | Entry prices from 925,000 EGP with a low down payment |
| Fast seasonal rental yield | North Coast — New Alamein — Ain Sokhna | High summer demand, provided there is professional operational management |
| Year-round rental yield | 5th Settlement — New Cairo — El Sheikh Zayed | Permanent rather than seasonal demand, easy to let to families and students |
| Medium-term capital growth | Mostakbal City — 6th Settlement — New Heliopolis | Areas still taking shape, with a price per sqm below their neighbours |
| Commercial and administrative investment | New Administrative Capital — 5th Settlement | The only two cities where commercial supply exceeds half of all projects |
With 119 listed projects, the New Administrative Capital leads the market in choice, while also offering the lowest residential entry price of any city: 925,000 EGP.
What sets it apart as an investment is not the price alone but the composition of demand. The relocation of government bodies and embassies has created demand for administrative and commercial units alongside residential ones, which is why the number of commercial projects there comes close to the number of residential projects — a balance rarely found in Egyptian cities.
The average price per square metre sits around 75,000 EGP, lower than the 5th Settlement and New Cairo despite the scale of the project, because the city’s total area allows for phased release. Common payment plans start at a 10% down payment over 10 years.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Upmount Compound | 925,000 |
| Sage Lakes Residence | 1,320,000 |
| Defaf Compound | 1,590,000 |
The risk: services are still coming online gradually, which means actual rental yield arrives later than in established cities. The safest choice is projects close to the Government District and the Financial District.
East Cairo is Egypt’s most mature and liquid market: residential demand is constant and resale is easier, but the entry price is higher.
The highest price per square metre in Cairo (104,000 EGP), for a simple reason: land available for new development is almost exhausted while demand never stops.
The 5th Settlement holds 107 projects, more than half of them commercial and administrative — making it the first choice for anyone seeking a commercial unit with fast occupancy. Residential units start at 2,400,000 EGP with a 10% down payment over up to 10 years.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Wujoud Residence Compound | 2,400,000 |
| Wuud Residence | 2,450,000 |
| Notion Compound | 2,750,000 |
The highest market median among East Cairo cities (8,793,000 EGP) with a price per sqm of 89,000 EGP. New Cairo suits the investor looking for stability and easy letting to families and university students, rather than a rapid price jump.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Capella Residence Compound | 2,260,000 |
| Makany Compound El Kattameya | 3,300,000 |
| Collective Compound | 3,575,000 |
The price per square metre in the 6th Settlement is roughly half that of the 5th Settlement (50,000 versus 104,000 EGP) despite being geographically adjacent — and that gap is exactly where the investment opportunity lies, with a 5% down payment over up to 10 years.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Illume Residence | 2,436,000 |
| Iona Residence Compound | 2,600,000 |
Its position between New Cairo and the New Administrative Capital has made Mostakbal City a destination for major developers in recent years, and that is reflected in a price per sqm that has reached 101,600 EGP — meaning it is no longer a “cheap area” but a rising one priced competitively against the 5th Settlement.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Red Compound | 3,485,000 |
| The Butterfly Compound | 3,500,000 |
| CityZen Compound | 3,786,000 |
Shorouk City is a fully serviced city with low building density, which makes it a residential choice more than a speculative one, with a typical 10% down payment over 10 years.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Granda El Shorouk Compound | 2,450,000 |
| Palm Island Compound | 3,485,000 |
| Aljar Compound British District | 3,635,420 |
Limited supply (5 projects) but a very high market median of 12,741,000 EGP — meaning New Heliopolis is a villa and townhouse market rather than an apartment market.
| Available Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Elaia Compound | 2,470,000 |
| Jadinah New Heliopolis | 4,551,000 |
| New Kairo Compound | 12,741,000 |
Supply in Obour City is still small (4 projects), but it offers one of the lowest entry prices in East Cairo through Viale Residence Compound, starting at 1,380,000 EGP. The typical down payment there is relatively higher (20%) with a shorter instalment term.
El Sheikh Zayed is the western equivalent of the 5th Settlement in terms of demand stability, but with a lower price per sqm (72,900 EGP) across 52 listed projects.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| D Mile Compound | 1,750,000 |
| Naseem Compound | 2,100,000 |
| Tamaya Residence Compound | 2,450,000 |
The lowest price per square metre among Greater Cairo cities (50,000 EGP) across 46 listed projects, making 6th of October the first choice for anyone wanting more space on the same budget.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Malaz Compound | 1,575,000 |
| Samaya Compound October Gardens | 1,610,000 |
| Aqmar Compound | 1,650,000 |
Returns here are seasonal by nature, and the golden rule is simple: choose a dual-use project with hotel-style operational management, otherwise the unit becomes a liability for ten months of the year.
The second-largest supply in Egypt with 116 projects, all coastal residential. The North Coast combines the lowest coastal entry price (1,200,000 EGP) with the highest market median (8,200,000 EGP) — meaning the internal price spread within a single city is the widest in the Egyptian market, driven mainly by distance from the sea and the kilometre marker.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Ondixa North Coast Village | 1,200,000 |
| ALAIA North Coast | 1,250,000 |
| Palmeira Residence Alamein Village | 1,980,000 |
New Alamein is the coastal exception: a city that operates year-round rather than only in summer, thanks to its universities, residential towers and permanent services. Its price per sqm is 54,500 EGP — roughly half the North Coast figure.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Trado New Alamein Village | 1,700,000 |
| Alma New Alamain | 2,300,000 |
| London Village North Coast | 2,350,000 |
The main advantage of Ain Sokhna is its proximity to Cairo (around an hour), which makes its letting season longer than the North Coast and extends it to weekends throughout the year.
| Lowest-Priced Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Ladera Ain Sokhna Village | 2,800,000 |
| Lugano Village El Sokhna | 4,800,000 |
| Covaya Village | 4,888,800 |
The highest entry price of any city (6,980,000 EGP) and the highest price per sqm (110,000 EGP), because supply in Hurghada is concentrated in luxury projects aimed at the tourism market and foreign buyers rather than the local market.
| Leading Projects | Starting From (EGP) |
|---|---|
| Makadi Heights Village | 6,980,000 |
| Aden Red Sea Village | 7,300,000 |
| Soma Bay Village | 8,000,000 |
Ras El Hekma is the area whose map has changed most over the past two years following the major development agreement, and it is a strong candidate to become Egypt’s most important coastal destination over the coming decade.
Supply there is still limited and most projects are in their early phases, which means an early-entry opportunity in exchange for higher risk and a longer waiting period.
Delta and Canal cities (New Mansoura, New Damietta, New Ismailia) represent a completely different segment: significantly lower prices, with demand tied to industrial and logistics activity more than to leisure-driven residential demand.
They suit investors seeking steady rental income on a small capital base, and are less suited to those targeting a quick resale.
The following mistakes are the most common among buyers, and each one carries a direct cost to your return:
| The Mistake | Why It Hurts You |
|---|---|
| Comparing by unit price instead of price per sqm | A 3 million unit in a city priced at 100,000 per sqm is far smaller than the same-priced unit where the sqm costs 50,000 |
| Ignoring the unit’s location within the project | The difference between a unit on the main spine and one in the inner backline can reach 30% at resale |
| Being lured by long terms with no down payment | Plans exceeding 10 years with zero down payment often signal pressure on the developer’s liquidity and delayed handover |
| Not checking the price-adjustment clause in the contract | A safe contract has a fixed final price with no clause passing construction material cost increases to the buyer after signing |
| Buying a seasonal unit with no operator | In coastal cities, a unit without a management company means a rental yield that exists only on paper |
| Relying on future development promises alone | Infrastructure actually delivered — water, drainage, electricity and roads — determines how fast the return arrives, not the masterplan |
The New Administrative Capital offers the lowest residential entry price at 925,000 EGP, followed by the North Coast at 1,200,000 EGP and Obour City at 1,380,000 EGP. However, the cheapest by price per square metre are 6th of October and the 6th Settlement at around 50,000 EGP per sqm.
Hurghada, by entry price (6,980,000 EGP) and price per sqm (110,000 EGP), followed by the 5th Settlement at 104,000 EGP per sqm — the highest within Greater Cairo.
The 5th Settlement is better for immediate rental yield and resale liquidity, while the 6th Settlement is better for capital growth because its price per sqm is roughly half that of the 5th despite being geographically adjacent.
5% is the most common down payment in the North Coast, El Sheikh Zayed, New Cairo and Mostakbal City, rising to 10% in the New Administrative Capital, the 5th Settlement and 6th of October.
It depends on your goal: coastal delivers a high seasonal return over a limited number of months, while residential in cities such as the 5th Settlement and El Sheikh Zayed delivers a lower but continuous year-round return that is easier to resell.
Circulating market estimates place the increase between 10% and 18% depending on the area and development stage, with stronger growth in areas still in their early phases such as Mostakbal City and New Alamein.
Advertised prices in most projects are instalment prices, not cash prices, and the gap between them can reach 20% or more depending on the payment term and the developer. Always ask for the cash price before comparing two projects.
Define your goal first (rental yield, capital growth or personal residence), then compare by price per square metre rather than unit price, and finally verify the infrastructure actually delivered on the ground.
The Real Estate Capsule team can help you compare and select the right project within the city you choose.
The right city is the one where your budget meets your goal: the New Administrative Capital for the lowest entry ticket and widest choice, the 5th Settlement and El Sheikh Zayed for stable returns, Mostakbal City and the 6th Settlement for capital growth, and the North Coast and New Alamein for seasonal yield.
Before signing, always compare by price per square metre rather than unit price, and confirm what infrastructure has actually been delivered on site.
You can browse the projects available in each city through the cities guide, or view all real estate projects currently listed.