How to Find an Apartment in Egypt

Finding an apartment in Egypt can be stressful.

It’s a new country, a new culture, and (potentially) a very different system for finding a place to live.

Like we mention below, a lot of the Egyptians that will be living in the apartment you’re interested in (probably nicer areas, to be completely honest) speak English. It might not be perfect, but definitely enough to make finding an apartment much easier.

Still, today’s post will help. Wherever you plan on living, knowledge of the language can score you the room you want.

And maybe prevent you from being ripped off.

Today, Cleo Lingo will be explaining….how to find an apartment in Egypt.

Vocabulary

Good evening. I’m looking for an apartment/room. : “MEHsuh al KHAIR. Ana buhDOWerr awlaw SHEHuh/OOdthuh.”

.مساء الخير. انا بدور على شقة / اوضة

This is how you can start any email/conversation. Most advertisements on Craigslist are in English, which probably makes your job easier. You can also find a ton of listings on numerous Facebook groups. These will likely be a bit nicer than the ones on Craigslist, but more expensive, as well.

I want pay between 1,500-2,500 month. : “EYEizz EHDfuh feell-huhDOOD ALF w nuss wuh alFANE w nuss fee SHAWhrr.”

.عايز ادفع في الحدود ١٥٠٠ و ٢٥٠٠ في الشهر

This is the average rent price for a single room in a somewhat OK apartment with roommates. The least I ever paid for rent in three years was 1300 LE/month. The most was 1900 LE. Anything less and you are likely living in a “less affluent” area, while anything more will put you in a pretty solid apartment. Choice is up to you.

Is the room still available? : “elOOdthuh LIHsuh FAWtdheeuh?”

الأوضة لسا فاضية؟

Can I come check the room? : “MOOmkin awSHOOF elOOdthuh?”

ممكن اشوف الأوضة؟

Quite normal to check the room before moving in. Don’t be surprised if you don’t sign any contract, though. I lived in five apartments over three years in Cairo. I only signed one. Rooms can also go fairly quick, so it’s best to be on the ball. Join Facebook groups and sign up for alerts through your phone, or keep Craigslist listings as one of your “go to” tabs. This will ensure you get what you want.

I will stay long-term/short-term. : “Ana HAWuhd kiTEER / ooLAYill.”

.انا هقعد كتير (او) قليل

Egyptian culture tends to be much less strict about flats. In countries like Germany, it’s essentially the Hunger Games trying to find a place to live. Your application has to be perfect; you  need to be charming; you have to sell away your first child before you ever get a chance.

Egypt is much more forgiving. Whether you are staying for only a month or two, or plan on settling down in Cairo for the next 50 years of your life, there is something for everyone. Still, it helps to know how to speak about your plans.

I am from Europe/America/Canada/Asia/South America. : “Ana men uhROHpuh / awmREEkuh/ KAniduh / AWseeuh / awmREEkuh gawnooBEEuh.”

انا من أوروبا / أمريكا / كندا / آسيا / أمريكا الجنوبية.

Just in case people start asking. If you are moving in with Egyptians, this conversation might very well happen in English. But this is useful everywhere. Check out our post about how to introduce yourself:

https://cleolingo.com/how-to-introduce-yourself-without-crying/

How many people live in the apartment? : “Fee kehm WAWhid AW’eesh feel SHEHuh?”

في كم واحد عيش في الشقة؟

Is it furnished? : “HEEuh (SHEHuh) mawFROOshuh?”

هي (شقة) مفروشة؟

Typical apartments in Cairo will include a small living room with a few chairs, a kitchen with a table, and a fridge. That’s about it. For rooms, expect to see a desk and chair, along with a bed and dresser. Egyptian apartments are notorious for their “bare bone” nature, and don’t expect to see much of the trimmings you would back home.

How expensive is the electricity/water? : “beeKEHM elMEYEuh w KAWhuhRUHbuh?”

بكم الماء و الكهرباء؟

Utilities are pretty simple in Cairo. Usually, you will just hand over cash to whoever collects the money. He (or she) will let you know at the end of every month how much you owe. This should be between 100 and 200 LE per month. This usually depends on what season it is, as the air conditioner is always the most expensive. Gas is minimal, as well as water and electricity.

Are visitors allowed (can somebody visit me)? : “YENfaw HUHd yawZOORnee?”

ينفع حد يزورني؟

This one is tricky. Don’t forget that you are living in a conservative country. Depending on what part of Egypt you live in or who your roommates will be, your boyfriend/girlfriend might not be allowed to stay overnight. This is especially true if your baweb likes to mess with your social life:

The word “YENfaw” is also quite useful here. Start a question with it, and you are basically asking if something is allowed or not.

Just in case they don’t understand your subtle hints at wanting a snuggle buddy:

Can my boyfriend/girlfriend come? : “YENfaw sawhuBEHtee TEEgee / SAWHbee YEEgee?”

ينفع صحبتي تبجي / صحبي ييجي؟

Just to make sure you drive the point home. And in case you don’t use this phrase in the context of apartment hunting….it might be a funny line to bust out on Tinder. If they don’t unmatch you right after you say this, you’ve found a winner.

Is there a deposit (how much do I pay at the beginning)? : “BEHDfaw KEHm feel OWwill?”

بدفع كم في الاول؟

Most likely there is. This will be one month’s worth of rent, which you will get back (assuming you don’t punch holes in the wall) whenever you leave. In rare cases (think Zamalek), the deposit will be two months worth of your rent. This is likely no problem for you if you have any amount of money at all.

I am a foreigner! : “Ana ehgNEHbee!”

!انا اجنبي

Weird way to end this post, but it’s true: Egyptian landlords seem to dislike Egyptians. Don’t exactly know why. Some people say that landlords like foreigners because they can overcharge them. Some people say that Egyptians are just notorious for nor paying rent. We don’t know. Either way, this is a good one to learn.

Cultural Insight:

In Egypt, like many countries, you can do all of this through a broker. This is supposed to (in theory) make the process quicker and less stressful. In reality, things are sometimes much different. I have heard stories of Egyptian brokers who overcharge, who refuse to show you an apartment in your price range, or who are just overall douchebags. This usually defeats the whole purpose of hiring them in the first place.

I didn’t have an apartment set up ahead of time before moving to Cairo, and I ended up finding one within my first week of living there. This is fairly standard practice. Finding an apartment on your own is usually a breeze. When your family tells you are crazy, tell them you are doing it like an Egyptian: without much planning, and with plenty of tea to get you through the stress. If they don’t understand…we definitely do.

Good luck finding your sweet new pad. 🙂

…..

Happy learning,

Cleo Lingo