QIAS would like your stay in Egypt to be as pleasant and stress-free as possible. While we can not promise that you will not experience any problems, we will make every effort to help you avoid any. On this page, you will find information related to living in Alexandria (such as accommodation costs, transportation and food).
For foreign students, adjusting to living in Egypt can be difficult, however; we would like to assure you that Alexandria is a pleasant and vibrant city. We know many students who were satisfyingly surprised when they arrived here. If you would like to contact these students personally, then we will strive to put you in touch with them.
What do I need to know about accommodations (i.e. apartments/flats)?
Alexandria is the second city in Egypt after Cairo It is divided into many districts, including Sidi Bishr, Gleem, Maiami, Muntazah and Luran. QIAS is based in Maiami. We advise our students to live as close as possible to the institute.
The good news for you is that there are plenty of apartments/flats available in the vicinity of the institute. QIAS offers an accommodation service which you can read about on the "Accomodation" page under "Our Services."
What can I eat and how much will I have to pay?
In Alexandria, you can find all types of food. Whether you want to eat American-style fast food like KFC, McDonalds, and Pizza Hut or enjoy the local food such as kebabs, fool (a bean dish) and 'tamiyyah' (falafel)…it's all here.
As for the quality of the food, the American-style fast food restaurants are exactly like the ones in Europe and the US with 1/3 of price. A given advantage is that the food is all halaal. The Egyptian cafes on the other hand differ in the quality of their food. The only way you can determine whether or not you like the food is by trying it out! Also, the QIAS staff would be happy to recommend some eateries for you to try out.
If you eat local dishes, you can expect to pay around 3 Euro (per dish)! If you cook at home, then you can save more money. Without a doubt, this is the best option if you are keen on living economically.
Overall, QIAS is more than willing to advise you about the places to eat in and around Alexandria.
How can I move about in Alexandria?
"Very cheaply!" You can travel around the city by taxi, microbus, bus and tram. The taxis are cheap, plentiful and easily accessible. If you travel locally by taxi you can expect to pay 3 LE (Egyptian Pound) per 1.5 Km. This is equivalent to about 50 US cents.
If you travel by microbus, you can cover a distance of 16 Km (i.e. from QIAS to central Alexandria [the mainline train station]) for only 1.5 LE.
Need more information?
If you have specific questions/concerns regarding living/studying in Alexandria, QIAS recommends that you join one of the following Yahoo groups where you can obtain information from foreigners currently residing in Alexandria:
For MEN AND WOMEN:
Muhaajir (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Muhaajir/)
For WOMEN ONLY:
Alex_Sisters (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Alex_Sisters/)
WASLA (Women Assisting Sisters Living Abroad) (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WASLA/)
Foreign Women in Egypt (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/womeg/)
Other Links:
InvestinAlexandria.gov.eg
General information on travel to Egypt, travel between Cairo and Alexandria, airline offices in Alexandria, hotels in Alexandria, passport/visa office in Alexandria, customs and residency permits.
EmbassyInformation.com
A comprehensive database of contact information for Egyptian embassies worldwide. Includes search-engine.
Also, feel free to download our shopping guide, "Where to Go?"
