The International Student Affairs office (ISA) has put together an Off Campus Housing Assistance website in order to make your adjustment to Cairo's life as smooth as possible.
Information about the different districts in Cairo are listed below (in alphabetical order).
Click on the desired district to view a list of apartments that were previously rented or recommended by AUC students.
Agouza
If your Arabic is great and you have a low budget this neighborhood is ideal for you. Located along the Nile with amazing views is this fairly crowded but convenient area perfect for a student more experienced with living in an Arabic speaking country. No cars are necessary when living here and when walking down the street you’ll find more bikes populating the avenue.
The charm is less subtle in comparison to areas like downtown, however, it exists not in the architecture but the people. When Ramadan comes around, there are no districts you would rather be in than this one. From each window stretches a line with lanterns, at four in the morning just the aroma of Egyptian food will satisfy one’s hunger from a day of fasting, and if you reside in one of these buildings you will be welcomed like family.
Be warned that most of the apartments are in family buildings and this could be both a negative and positive. If you want guests of the opposite sex to join you, keep the rendezvous outside of the building. Another related side note is that foreigners are rarely seen here so your presence will spark curious conversation.
If you have ever done peace corps work anywhere in the Middle East than this neighborhood will remind you of that charitable and simple lifestyle that people crave when the hustle and bustle of city life becomes overwhelming. You will see some European living along the Corniche (the road next to the water) and the infamous kitkat’s houseboat row is located here. Please be warned and cautious that students should stay close to the Corniche when searching for apartments.
Dokki
The non-ex-pat Zamalek. If you want the amenities and greenery of Zamalek lifestyle but you want Eqyptian neighbors, this district is for you. Rents are lower, mainly because it’s a business area and there are less shops and community gathering places.
Be warned, as Cairo’s population grows so does this neighborhood so when a place becomes free it is usually filled quickly. Do not stall on committing to renting a flat here; when the landlord says he has other people interested it’s rarely untrue. There are few Nile views in this part of the city, but sometimes students get lucky and find apartments that can see the pyramids in the distance. The little neighborhoods and streets here are delightful and the residences in Dokki usually are inhabited long term. Like Garden Cit,y everything is a taxi ride away and if you want to learn Arabic quickly living in Dokki will give you an immersion education without having to live in the less developed areas of the city.
Downtown
Full of more culture and class diversity than anywhere else in the city, and probably as much noise. Little bookstores litter the streets making this area the principal source for literary knowledge in not just Cairo but greater Egypt. On the same street where boys riding their bikes with crates of bread on their heads you have ancient cars honking their horns and desperately trying to find parking.
While it covers so much map space of the city, it has the “small neighborhood” feel because of back alleyways and a treasure chest of petite shops. In areas like Abdeen, Bosra and Sayeda Zeinab there is a down to earth charm and a sense of safety that in the more shopping-oriented neighborhoods you wouldn’t find.
During Ramadan you will never have to cook for yourself because all of your neighbors will extend you invitations to join their families for the sacred month. You will also have front row seats to the most elaborate celebration of Islam in the city. Although the buildings resemble a sea of tan and gray, the people of downtown bring out a rainbow of colors to the dreary atmosphere.
Driving through the business district, if you go beyond the borders made up of the administrative and government buildings, the real downtown reveals itself in beautiful architecture and enchanting markets. The nouveau balconies reflect a history of when the Egyptian and foreign elite alike both inhabited this area, and if you love history and discovering what living in a previous century was like, then renting here will send you back in time and everyday will resemble a simpler life within this modern world.
El Manial
If you want a job, if you want to volunteer, if you want to be surrounded with professional activity then El Manial is your match. The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, the Women’s Movement for Democracy in the Middle East and Africa, the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights, and many more associations are located right here. Streets like King Abdel Aziz El Seoud, Roda, and St. Manial are some of the most widely known in the city. If you are a gender studies or refugee studies major and you want to volunteer this is where you would do it and the apartments in this area are no better or worse than Zamalek or Mohandiseen so the location is perfect! You will find people from all social classes just by walking down the street, and if you like being in the center of things then this district is your ultimate residence because it is located in the exact middle of Cairo. An added bonus is that this is place fit for a king, literally, Manial Palace is located here. If it’s good enough for a King of Egypt then it’s good enough for a student from AUC! If you want to apply your education to the real world in jobs or volunteering, and if you want a convenient location that caters to this need than El Manial is your home.
El Rehab
If you have ever been to Florida, imagine all of that sunshine, all of that comfort and all of that greenery…but in Cairo! Over 200,000 residents populate the 10 different apartment/villa blocks in Rehab. These blocks are interconnected with hospitals, sports facilities, elaborate gardens, and schools. This district lies on the New Cairo plateau above the city and therefore possesses the best climate in the city. It is at the intersection of the East Ring Road and Cairo/Suez Road, and this location provides access to two other districts that are more industrial and provide luxury shopping-Nasr City and Heliopolis. It’s 30 minutes from downtown and there are private buses that take residents of this district into Cairo every 30 minutes of every day. Over the past couple of years this neighborhood has grown exponentially and more and more Egyptians are investing in real estate here. It has the genuine feel of living on a golf course with its plush green manicured lawns, the pink bohemian colored villas and apartment buildings, and the beautiful gardens and gated communities. If you desire a laid back barbeque kind of lifestyle, surrounded by young couples and new families then this area is for you.
Garden City
“Paris in Cairo!” “Embassy city!”
Both statements true in description. The old architecture says Paris, but the massive British and American embassies dominate a chunk of the neighborhood. Not as crowded as other Cairo neighborhoods but just as much traffic and lack of parking, so when walking in the streets one feels congested. Garden City is surrounded by two roads, El Corniche El Nil (road along the Nile) and Qasr El Aini, both one way. This makes traffic backed up considerably because they go to and from the central traffic circle in the city, Midan Tahrir, next to the old AUC campus.
The upside is that the apartments in this area are of the highest quality but without Zamalek prices. The noise of outdoors is about as powerful as the 100 degree heat when stepping outside, but luckily, the noise disappears at night when Garden City becomes as silenced as a graveyard.
The search for perfect flats can be like going on a treasure hunt without a map, however, when you find one you never want to leave or tell anyone else that it exists. It’s not as easy finding a market or pharmacy when living here, and if you find one of the amazing apartments that exist, you will be far from the hustle and bustle of the shopping area.
Everything is a 5-10LE taxi ride away, and delivery will become your connection to shopping necessities, especially with one of the best local markets in town, Blue Nile. An added bonus is an easy roommate search, because when you live in this district it only requires the mention of Garden City to attract tenants.
Heliopolis
Heliopolis was laid out by three French engineers as one of the first suburbs in Cairo and as such became the home to many foreigners. There are many benefits to living in this area. If you want to come to Egypt, but would love to travel while you’re here then consider Heliopolis which is home to Cairo's International Airport. If you want to live like people do in Maadi but don’t want all of the Americanized lifestyle, then you will enjoy dining in one of the many French and British run restaurants. There are many sports facilities, schools, and restaurants but you will not find the classy night life of Maadi or the college and cultural night life of downtown. It is a convenient location for shopping some of the well known shopping malls like Carrefour and City Stars are even driving distance. Going anywhere by cab will cost you 15 to 30 sometimes even 50 pounds, but if one owns a car than this place is perfect!
Maadi
A lot like Zamalek in that it is full of expats and foreigners, the difference is that it is much more widespread and less noticeable. Out of all of the foreign countries represented within the Cairo populous, Maadi is full of Americans more than any other district. Whether this holds true in the dining like Lucille’s Diner, Cheers, or Joe’s Bagels; in the architecture, in the shopping like American Furniture; or just the people in general it’s an easily justifiable stereotype. “Some people love it and never leave it; others would not be caught dead living there.” It is a lot like living in a city within a city; the Village of NYC, the Beverly Hills of LA, or the Engelwood of Chicago. It is an acquired taste; as much as it has some of the best schools in Cairo, it also has a lot of traffic and impossible street naming; there are some of the best villas and most comfortable apartments that exist, but there is also a lot of malls and high rises; as great and diverse as the restaurants and shopping are, there is very little night life. Maadi is very much a family-oriented community and therefore has within it Al-Salam International Hospital (the largest private hospital in Egypt). If you want to party the only parties you’ll find here are in house probably coupled with a cultural exhibition of some kind, and the traffic from Road 9 alone will wake you up at 8 am so you can reach the shuttle on time. It is ideal for someone who doesn’t want to live as far away as New Cairo but wants to live far enough away from the animated lifestyle of downtown. The night life that is provided is not an environment for carousing, going to an art exhibit a sports event or to a cultural activity is not uncommon. You might go golfing at Solimoneya on a Saturday because the business that is located down the street from your building has a lot of members and you tagged along. Some of the highest class of Egyptians who live in apartments reside in this area, and Maadi has some amazing recreational activities available to anyone who can afford it with its superior sports complexes that rival El Ahly in Zamalek. If you don’t live in Maadi it is a must visit!
Mohandiseen
The more fashionable and far busier neighborhood of Dokki. Because of the overlap there are many similarities between the two neighborhoods but stepping back, one sees that there are significant differences. Mohandiseen is where the upscale Egyptians come home and where the Egyptians from other districts come to spend a day of shopping. As a result of the upper class populous and the highly developed area, the apartments tend to be more expensive but also better equipped to suit the needs and desires of foreigners. There are many picturesque apartment buildings with beautiful entryways and high rise views. The culinary needs of people from any country will also be satisfied as one can see just by driving down Sharia Shehab. There is very little foliage and not a lot of walking space in the streets, and if you want a quiet neighborhood then Mohandiseen is not your ideal district. At all times of the day and night this part of Cairo is always bustling with people, this however, might not be a negative thing. Every year, during the African Cup, this is the center of action within the city and people from all over Cairo are scrambling to get to places like Lebanon Square just to witness and partake in the celebration of Egypt winning. If you are a night person and like to go for coffee, walks, or food at 3 in the morning then this is one of the safer districts to do that in.
Moqatem
The Hills, also known as Cairo Heights. Located at the Southgate to the Citadel it remains the only mountain in Cairo. The stones for building the pyramids and most of ancient Egypt came from the peak of this butte. The infamous St. Simon’s Monastary is located within this district and the Moqattam Corniche provides not only the best view of the city but more importantly the most beautiful sunset in Egypt. Recently the chief developer of smart properties in Egypt, Emaar Misr, has taken this mountain as his pet project and has laid the ground work for an aggressive residential and industrial improvement project. He plans on taking 15,000 square meters out of the 220,000 for one of the largest shopping centers in Cairo, as well as, entertainment services district, a financial stock exchange and a health club. Currently, however, the development is focused on residences and he is in the process of completing the largest residential development project outside of the UAE within the next two year. The community will comprise over 30,000 luxury apartments some of which are already complete. As a student there are plenty of options for you to rent in this area, and even though the traffic is mainly construction trucks it is not completely impossible to find taxi’s. If you are looking for a newly developed and barely lived in community, or if you want to invest in prime real estate either to live in or to buy out for future investment than Moqattam is on the rise and you should invest quickly. If you are looking for long term, as a degree seeking student, apartment living and if you hate the process of moving than this area is ideal for you. Restaurants are slowly growing, but the lack of industry in this area is a benefit for anyone who wants to get away from the noise of the city but still wants a view that is unrivaled.
Nasr City
The suburbs of Cairo, but without the villas! A lot of this area is brand new so if you are looking for a never lived in or a barely lived in furnished apartment with very little malfunctions then this area is worth searching. It is located right next to Heliopolis, so the same shopping benefits that come from living in the busier streets of that district can be used for people who live here as well. The apartments in this part of city are very comfortable, new, and well equipped for foreigners (all of this with the added benefit of being significantly cheaper). The services to find apartments in the district are usually cheaper as well; bowabs will search for a small fee; simsars will take ½ a months rent rather than a full month, which is the going rate in more expensive neighborhoods like Zamalek and Maadi; and the basic market shopping comes at a lower rate. Most of the low costs are a result of this area being so new, within the next few years as more and more people move to this area you’ll be happy to already have a set renting rate from a landlord. There will be a lot of families residing in your building, but you will rarely be held to the restrictions that most family buildings require mainly because of the industry that is scattered throughout the neighborhoods. The shopping is very diverse and fashionable. The only downside to living in the area will be the isolation, as much traffic as this area gets from shoppers and professionals it rarely sees the residential culture that comes from living in Maadi or downtown. It is not rare that a student might be the only person renting a flat on their floor, other apartments stand empty waiting for people to rent.
New Cairo
This new suburb is full of universities and private residential neighborhoods with villas and gated communities. Home to AUC’s new campus, New Cairo is the Beverly Hills of Cairo. A very new area with little development, barely any culinary options other than one’s own kitchen, and hardly any traffic from taxi’s. The traffic you’ll find in this neighborhood will belong to wealthy Egyptian family’s coming home from the city, and construction trucks moving dirt and equipment on and off the roads. The seclusion is offset dramatically by the number of university students who will be transferred in and out of the city on a daily basis during the months of September through May.Now with AUC’s campus moving there the evolution of the area will drastically change in the next couple years to offer more facilities. Right now, if you do not have a car, New Cairo is probably not a prime choice for an active student life. If you are looking for a social life in this area then look towards joining one of the many golf courses or country clubs. This part of the city lies on an elevated plateau that rises above the city and even above Moqatem Heights by at least 60 meters. As a result of this phenomena New Cairo has some of the cleanest air and an all year round moderate climate.
Zamalek
Ex-pat paradise! The construction of a damn on the Nile made room for the Island to solidify, and ever since buildings have risen from the ground to form the cosmopolitan nucleus of Cairo. The Gezira Club rivals the exclusivity of most country clubs, while its Nadi Shabab (Youth Club) costs only a few pounds to enter and play football (soccer) and Ultimate Frisbee on the weekends.
Largely multinational and catering to the globally sophisticated, this neighborhood sees more foreigners and tourists than any other in Cairo with the exception of the pyramids. Over time with so much foreign exposure the district and most apartments have adjusted to the needs of westerners and Europeans alike, although it comes with a high price tag.
Because landlords and simsars (neighborhood real estate brokers) have become so used to renting to foreigners they know how much that they can get, and they rarely settle for less. Bargaining here is not a common practice in either apartment hunting or shopping. Most of the Egyptians here are elite, with the exception of workers and house servants.
That being said, when you walk down the street you will here people speaking in French, Spanish, German, Dutch and English so it would be a complete falsehood to say that culture is nonexistent. Additionally places like El Sawy Cultural Centre and the Opera House, bring exposure to the arts and history of the native people and society.
The off-campus housing information presented on these pages is public information meant to assist AUC students (only) seeking accommodation in Cairo and should not be misinterpreted as an endorsement of any company, realtor, broker or website. The American University in Cairo and the office of international student affairs cannot guarantee nor is responsible for the quality or accuracy of the information and service provided by these resources.