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Sallum, Matrouh

Egypt · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

73
Overall Score

Sallum is a small port city and border town located in the north-western corner of Egypt, near the Libyan border. Positioned along the Mediterranean coast, it serves as a critical strategic entry and trade point for the Matrouh Governorate. Historically known as a quiet coastal outpost, the settlement features arid surrounding terrain contrasted by striking sea views. While not a major metropolis, its unique geographical positioning imbues it with a distinct border-town character.

About Matrouh

Matrouh, also known as Marsa Matrouh, is a port city and the capital of the Matrouh Governorate in northwestern Egypt, characterized by its Mediterranean beaches and a blend of Bedouin traditions with modern resort life. The economy is significantly driven by tourism, particularly during the summer, alongside agriculture with crops like olives, dates, figs, wheat, and barley, and livestock farming (sheep and goats). Living in Matrouh generally offers a more affordable cost of living compared to cities like Cairo or Hurghada, with a single person spending approximately $476 per month including rent. The city experiences a subtropical desert climate, moderated by Mediterranean winds, resulting in hot, dry summers with average highs around 29-32°C (84-90°F) and mild, moderately wet winters with highs between 17-20°C (63-68°F). The lifestyle is relaxed, centered around its coastal environment, with a strong sense of community and a culinary scene influenced by Mediterranean and Bedouin flavors.

25,000
Population
$3K
Avg Salary
35
Cost Index
72.8
Quality Score
How this 73/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 75 / 100 75.0 30% 22.5
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 35.0 100.0 25% 25.0
Economy & jobs Median household income: $4,000 Income needed to live here: $2,800 Unemployment rate: 7.2% 56.8 20% 11.4
Growth Population growth rate: 1.1% Job growth rate: 1.8% 54.3 15% 8.1
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 58 / 100 58.0 10% 5.8
Overall score 72.8

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=52, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 17 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Quality Scores

Business
58
Livability
64
Affordability
82
Growth
59

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Sallum is generally lower than Egypt's major urban centers like Cairo or Alexandria, reflecting its remote location and smaller scale. Essential goods, local produce, and basic services remain affordable for residents, though specialized imported goods can incur higher prices due to transportation logistics. Housing costs are modest compared to national averages, influenced by the localized real estate market and limited high-density development.

Average Rent
$250/mo
Groceries
$150/mo
Transport
$40/mo
Utilities
$45/mo
Healthcare
$60/mo
Gym membership (monthly)
$15.00
Cinema ticket
$4.00
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
$7.00
Monthly groceries
$130.00
Doctor visit (without insurance)
$15.00

Salary Insights

Economic activity in Sallum is largely driven by cross-border trade, customs operations, local fisheries, and public sector employment. Because it functions as a primary land port between Egypt and Libya, logistics and transport services play a vital role in supporting the local labor force. Retail, small-scale commerce, and traditional trades also provide livelihoods for residents living in the coastal municipality.

The average salary in Sallum is $3,200 per year. You would need approximately $2,800 to live comfortably.

Top Industries

Public Administration & Services +1.50% Construction & Infrastructure +2.00% Cross-Border Trade & Logistics +2.20% Fishing & Coastal Commerce +1.20% Retail & Local Markets +1.80%

Climate

🌡️
21°C
Avg Temp
☀️
32°C
Summer High
❄️
11°C
Winter Low
🌧️
3.80"
Annual Rain
💧
60.00%
Humidity
🌤️
341
Sunny Days

Transport

Transportation in Sallum relies heavily on personal vehicles, microbuses, and regional bus services connecting the town to Marsa Matrouh and Alexandria. Walkability is high within the compact town center, though traveling beyond city limits requires reliance on major highway corridors like the coastal international highway. Public transit options within the town are informal but adequate for daily local commutes.

15 min
Avg Commute
40.00/10
Transit Score
65.00/10
Walkability
Medium
Car Dependency

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Significantly lower housing costs and general cost of living compared to major Egyptian metropolitan areas.
Strategic coastal location directly positioned along the main land trade corridor to Libya.
Peaceful, low-density environment with minimal urban congestion and clean Mediterranean air.
Strong community cohesion supported by traditional local and Bedouin cultural heritage.
Abundant sunny days throughout the year, ideal for outdoor and coastal lifestyle preferences.
Drawbacks
Limited local employment diversification outside of trade, logistics, and public administration.
Distance from major metropolitan hubs like Cairo and Alexandria limits access to specialized services.
Sparse advanced healthcare infrastructure requiring travel for complex medical treatments.
Arid regional climate with minimal annual rainfall and hot summer high temperatures.
Limited modern entertainment, cultural, and higher education amenities within city limits.

Questions about Sallum

What people ask about living in and moving to Sallum, Matrouh.

Gathering the most common questions about Sallum…

Frequently Asked Questions

The consumer market basket tracks everyday necessities, including staple grocery items (such as milk, bread, eggs, and produce), residential energy bills (electricity, gas, and water), public and private transit costs, routine outpatient medical care, and standard consumer goods and services to ensure a representative monthly budget.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Local tax climates significantly shift a city's affordability score by directly affecting disposable income. Urblytica factors in state income tax brackets, local municipal property tax millage rates, and combined sales taxes to measure the true tax drag on median household earnings.

Core economic indexes and consumer price metrics undergo a comprehensive quarterly recalibration. This update cycle integrates the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) releases, municipal utility rate adjustments, and regional housing data feeds to ensure all index comparisons reflect current economic conditions.

Housing is weighted as the single largest component in Urblytica's cost-of-living algorithm, typically accounting for roughly 30% to 35% of the composite score. It incorporates both median monthly gross rent and median single-family home purchase prices relative to local median income levels.

Normalization involves adjusting raw economic inputs against localized purchasing power parities (PPPs) and population-weighted density scales. This ensures fair, apples-to-apples comparisons between dense metropolitan hubs and smaller suburban or rural towns.

Utility indexing applies a rolling annual average that captures seasonal climate variations, such as increased summer air conditioning loads in southern climates or heavier winter heating demands in northern regions, providing a realistic year-round average utility expense.

Remote workers leverage the index to calculate real purchasing power parity when moving from a high-cost-of-living area to a lower-cost region. By comparing index differentials against their fixed salary, users can determine if their net savings and lifestyle quality will improve post-relocation.

While the raw Cost of Living Index measures pure expense levels, it is frequently paired with Urblytica’s local wage index and median household income benchmarks. This combined view highlights whether local salaries keep pace with local consumer goods and housing expenses.

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