Egypt

Northern Africa

Africa

A very low-cost North African economy with a citizenship-by-investment route and strong human-development indicators, but a weak passport (~49 destinations), limited English and a long 10-year naturalization wait.

30
Overall score
Limited · Penalty applied · 96% data coverage
Language
Arabic
Currency
EGP
Citizenship
10 years
Personal tax
Up to 27.5% headline
Cost of living
Consumer price level 16 (world = 100, 2025)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
44
Access
17%
40Residence12%
55Citizenship and passport5%
65
Earning power
25%
52Salary and work12%
77Buying power13%
44
Business and wealth
20%
50Taxes7%
47Business8%
32Investment5%
57
Daily life
25%
56Quality of life18%
61Education7%
31
Rights and institutions
13%
22Freedom6%
38Rule of law7%

Severe environmental risk (9) cut the overall score from 51 to 30.

Pros

  • Relative affordability score 100/100
  • Human development score 75/100
  • Internet use 75%

Cons

  • Passport mobility score 26/100
  • Institutional environment score 40/100
  • Tax friendliness score 50/100

Best for

Applicants prepared to use local languagesCost-conscious residentsPeople with a confirmed local employment or study route

Score profile

Access
Residence
40
Citizenship
78
Passport
24
Earning power
Salary & work
52
Buying power
77
Cost of living
100
Economy
56
Business and wealth
Taxes
50
Personal tax
50
Corporate tax
36
Business
47
Investment
32
Wealth building
54
Daily life
Safety
62
Healthcare
49
Environment
9
Infrastructure
57
Education
61
HDI
75
Rights and institutions
Freedom
22
Rule of law
38
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Limited
40
Migrant stock1.0% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality-0.50 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
Employment residenceStudy residenceFamily reunificationBusiness or investment residence where eligible
StudentAdmission, proof of funds, accommodation, insurance, and immigration approval are normally required; work rights vary.
WorkA local employer, qualifying occupation, or other work authorization is normally required; labour-market tests may apply.
Self-employedBusiness registration, tax registration, and a residence or work authorization suitable for self-employment are generally required.
PermanentEligibility depends on years and continuity of lawful residence, route, income, character, and country-specific legislation.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Good
78
Years required10 years
Dual allowedYes
LanguageLanguage, integration, character, and documentation requirements depend on the nationality law and route.
ResidenceHeadline ordinary naturalization period: 10 years. Continuous residence and absence rules may apply.
NotesThis is a statutory headline from a sourced comparison table. Confirm the current nationality law and administrative practice before relying on it.
Passport
Passport power
Low
24
48 / 198
Mobility
#93
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free18
  • On arrival27
  • eTA3
  • Visa required150

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Moderate
52
Output per worker$59,441 PPP (2024)
Unemployment6.8% (2025)
Participation44.6% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$101 · $656 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$110 · $719 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceInternet use is 75%; remote and freelance access still depends on payments, language, regulation, and immigration status.
Job marketLatest comparable unemployment rate: 6.8%. Role-specific demand varies substantially by city and sector.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
77
GNI / person$19,330 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$14,797 PPP (2024)
Price level16 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality28.5 Gini (2021)
Inflation14.1% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Excellent
100
Price level16 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentModel benchmark: about $90 monthly housing share; derived from the World Bank consumer price level, not a market listing.
MonthlyModel benchmark: about $230 / month at a US$1,500 world-price baseline.
CitiesCairo, Alexandria, Giza
Economy
Economic strength
Moderate
56
Output & income
GDP$365.3B (2025)
GDP / person$3,086 (2025)
GNI / person$19,330 PPP (2025)
GDP growth2.4% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation14.1% / yr (2025)
Unemployment6.8% (2025)
Output per worker$59,441 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture16.6% of GDP (2025)
Industry32.1% of GDP (2025)
Services47.3% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
TourismOil & gasAgricultureTextilesConstructionSuez Canal services
Top exports
Crude oil & gasGoldTextilesFruit & vegetables
TypeLower-middle-income, services- and resources-led
Key sectorsSuez Canal transit, Tourism, Energy & agriculture
SummaryA large, diversified economy resting on Suez Canal revenue, tourism, energy and agriculture, with chronic FX pressure.
CurrencyEgyptian pound

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Moderate
50
Personal27.5
Corporate22.5
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Exit taxNo harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules.
Foreign companiesPermanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply.
Personal tax
Personal tax
Moderate
50
Personal27.5
FreelanceFreelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration.
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Exit taxNo harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules.
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Limited
36
Corporate22.5
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Foreign companiesPermanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply.
Business
Business friendliness
Moderate
47
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality-0.50 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness-0.10 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyForeign ownership is generally possible, subject to sector restrictions, licensing, local-participation rules, and beneficial-ownership checks.
Local companyLocal company forms are available; registration, tax, capital, director, address, and licensing requirements vary.
FreelanceFreelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration.
Investment
Investing environment
Limited
32
Market cap17% of GDP (2025)
Private credit26% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsCapital-gains treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position.
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxVerify current national and subnational net-wealth, property, inheritance, and transfer taxes.
BrokersLocal and international broker access depends on residency, exchange controls, sanctions screening, and platform onboarding.
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Moderate
54
Salary & work
Moderate
52
Business
Moderate
47
Investment
Limited
32
Tax friendliness
Moderate
50
Cost of living
Excellent
100

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Moderate
62
Personal safety
Homicide rate1.3 per 100,000 (2017)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption-0.83 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-0.98 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Moderate
49
Outcomes
Life expectancy71.8 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality22.4 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians0.67 per 1,000 (2020)
Hospital beds1.06 per 1,000 (2021)
Health spending$905 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic and private provision coexist; eligibility, service quality, and capacity vary by location.
InsuranceInsurance and proof-of-cover requirements depend on immigration status, employer, and residence route.
Average costHealth expenditure: $905 PPP per person (2023).
Environment
Environment score
Low
9
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure43.1 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress141.2% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Moderate
57
Digital infrastructure
Internet use74.6% (2024)
Internet resilience45 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed74 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed59 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses19.9% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality3.00 / 5 (2022)
Rail density5.2 km / 1,000 km² (2016)
Air connectivity1,143 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Moderate
61
Attainment
Expected schooling13.1 years (2023)
Mean schooling10.1 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment38% gross (2025)
Education spending3.8% of GDP (2008)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

TuitionFees vary by institution, programme, level, and nationality; no harmonized official tuition series is used.
Public universityCheck current public-university fee schedules and scholarship rules directly with each institution.
LanguagesArabic
Student workStudent employment rights vary by permit and may require separate authorization or hour limits.
HDI
Human development score
Good
75
HDI0.754 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy71.6 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling13.1 years (2023)
Mean schooling10.1 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$16,218 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Low
22
Freedom in the World18 / 100 (Not free)
Freedom on the Net28 / 100 (Not free)
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Limited
38
Rule of Law percentile38 / 100
Sources
Resources
Official references
UN Statistics: M49 country and area codesunstats.un.orgUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.orgPwC: Egypt corporate tax headlinetaxsummaries.pwc.comPwC: Egypt personal tax headlinetaxsummaries.pwc.comNaturalization comparison and linked nationality lawsen.wikipedia.orgHenley Passport Index 2026 summaryen.wikipedia.org
Quick links
Egypt visa & immigrationgoogle.comEgypt tax residency rulesgoogle.comEgypt citizenship requirementsgoogle.comCost of living in Egyptgoogle.com

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.