New Capital or Fifth Settlement? A Price Comparison for 2026
Homelocator
Published on August 27th, 2026
"Should I buy in the New Administrative Capital or in New Cairo?" It is the most common question in east Cairo. The two areas sit next to each other on the same road, and the price gap between them is big enough to confuse anyone comparing them.
The numbers below come from 245 residential units listed right now with Home Locator: 115 in the New Administrative Capital and 130 in New Cairo and the Fifth Settlement, all at the developers' published prices.
The short answer: the median apartment price per square metre is about EGP 55,000 in the Capital and about EGP 79,700 in New Cairo, so the Capital is about 31% cheaper. The biggest gap is in two-bedroom apartments, where the Capital costs roughly half. Townhouses are the only type that is cheaper in New Cairo.
Comparison by unit type
| Unit type | Listed in the Capital | Median price, Capital | Listed in New Cairo | Median price, New Cairo | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio or one-bedroom | 13 | EGP 5.50M | 20 | EGP 6.83M | Capital, by about 20% |
| Two-bedroom | 29 | EGP 7.35M | 23 | EGP 13.64M | Capital, by about 46% |
| Three bedrooms or more | 53 | EGP 11.16M | 74 | EGP 13.30M | Capital, by about 16% |
| Townhouse | 8 | EGP 19.99M | 7 | EGP 17.10M | New Cairo, by about 14% |
| Villa | 12 | EGP 30.00M | 6 | EGP 37.15M | Capital; New Cairo has only two projects listed |
What the table does not show is the number of choices. If your budget is up to EGP 8.5 million and you want a two-bedroom, the Capital has 19 options across 14 projects, while New Cairo has only 4 (in The Icon, Stone Residence, Nest and El Patio Riva). A two-bedroom at that budget exists in New Cairo, but you will be choosing from very few.
⚠️ A note on honesty: the villas we list in New Cairo right now come from only two projects, so the villa row is an indication, not a final verdict.
Why is the Capital so much cheaper?
1. In New Cairo you pay for a finished city. New Cairo has worked for years: schools, universities, hospitals, malls and 90th Street. The Capital is a new city and most of what is for sale there hands over between 2026 and 2030, so the price carries a discount for waiting.
2. The price range in the Capital is wider. Some projects sell at about EGP 32,000 to 38,000 per m², such as Scene 7, Plato, Capital Heights 1 and New Garden City, while others are above EGP 100,000, such as The Cliff Il Bosco, El Patio Jade and Village De La Capitale. The median is low because a lot of the supply sits in the first group.
3. New Cairo has expensive projects that pull the average up. Palm Hills New Cairo is about EGP 150,000 per m², and Hyde Park and 90 Avenue are about EGP 113,000 to 115,000. But New Cairo also has compounds priced close to the Capital, such as Isola Quattro (about EGP 37,000) and The Icon Residence (about EGP 43,000).
4. Townhouses break the rule. New Cairo has a 190 m² townhouse in Eastville for EGP 10.91M handing over in 2028, which pulls the median down. Most townhouses listed in the Capital are in projects such as La Vista City and El Patio Jade, with larger plots.
The real decision: when do you need to move in?
Price alone will not decide it, because the difference between the two areas is not "expensive versus cheap". It is "ready now" versus "ready later".
- New Cairo suits you if you need to move in soon, if your children are in east Cairo schools, or if you work in Heliopolis or Nasr City. You reach it from the Ring Road and the Suez Road, and it has the American University in Cairo and 90th Street.
- The New Administrative Capital suits you if you work in the Government District or the business district, since the ministries have moved there, or if you are buying for the long term and want a lower entry price. The Light Rail Transit (LRT) connects it to Adly Mansour station.
One more thing to count: the Capital lies beyond New Cairo in the same direction, so if you work in central Cairo or Giza, the daily commute from the Capital is longer. An apartment that is two million cheaper but an extra hour from work every day is not a saving.
The mistake we see most often
Many people compare the unit price and stop there. A proper comparison looks at four numbers together:
- The price per square metre, not the unit price, because the sizes differ.
- The actual down payment and the monthly instalment, because that is what you pay now.
- The handover date, because every year of waiting has a cost: the rent you pay until you receive the unit.
- The rental return if you are buying to invest: New Cairo has rental demand today, while demand in the Capital is still forming.
A unit with a lower price can end up costing more if it hands over in four years while you pay rent in the meantime.
Choose by budget
Under EGP 7 million:
- In the Capital: a 65 m² one-bedroom in Plato for EGP 2.27M handing over in 2030, a 123 m² two-bedroom in New Garden City for EGP 4.5M handing over at the end of 2027, and a 160 m² three-bedroom in Capital Heights 1 for EGP 6.29M handing over in 2026 with 5% down over 10 years.
- In New Cairo: a 35 m² studio in N Line Suites for EGP 2.8M, fully finished with air conditioning, a 139 m² two-bedroom in The Icon Residence for EGP 5.5M, and a 150 m² three-bedroom in The Icon for EGP 6.1M.
EGP 7 to 12 million:
- In the Capital: a 140 m² two-bedroom in Midtown Sky for EGP 7.35M with 10% down and up to 10 years, a 115 m² two-bedroom in La Verde for EGP 7.53M, a 200 m² three-bedroom in Capital Heights 1 for EGP 7.46M handing over in 2026, and a 145 m² two-bedroom in The City for EGP 9.06M with 10% down and 10 years interest-free.
- In New Cairo: a 128 m² two-bedroom in Stone Residence for EGP 7M, a 190 m² three-bedroom in Isola Quattro for EGP 7.3M handing over in 2027, a 130 m² two-bedroom in Nest for EGP 8M, fully finished, and a 194 m² three-bedroom in Ever for EGP 10.3M.
Townhouses and villas:
- In the Capital: a 230 m² townhouse in La Vista City for EGP 15.68M, a 165 m² townhouse in El Patio Jade for EGP 18.15M with 5% down and up to 8 years, and a 280 m² villa in La Vista City for EGP 20.08M.
- In New Cairo: a 190 m² townhouse in Eastville for EGP 10.91M, a 165 m² townhouse in Ever for EGP 15.54M, and a 210 m² villa in Ever for EGP 22.13M.
Need to move in soon?
The Capital has options handing over in 2026: Capital Heights 1 and Bleu Vert with 5% down over 10 years, and OIA Compound. In New Cairo, Isola Quattro and Aljazi Marriott Residences hand over in 2027.
Payment plans in both areas
- The Capital: Capital Heights 1 and Bleu Vert take 5% down over 10 years, Castle Landmark 5% over 10 years, The City 10% down and 10 years interest-free, and Midtown Sky and La Verde 10% down with up to 10 years.
- New Cairo: N Line Suites takes 4% down over 9 years, Nest and Ever 5% over 8 years, Creek Town 10% over 10 years, and Jayd from 5% down over 8 to 10 years with a cash discount.
So the Capital offers longer instalment periods on average, which makes sense because handover is further away. If you are torn between a smaller down payment and a longer plan, the numbers are in Lower down payment or longer instalments?.
The bottom line: if you need to live there within a year or two, New Cairo is the answer even though it costs more, because the services are already there. If you work in the Capital, or you are buying for the future and want more space for the same money, the Capital gives you a two-bedroom at a median price of about half of New Cairo's, with many more choices.
Frequently asked questions
Is the New Administrative Capital cheaper than New Cairo? Yes, for most unit types. The median apartment price is about EGP 55,000 per m² in the Capital and EGP 79,700 in New Cairo. Two-bedrooms are about 46% cheaper in the Capital and three-bedrooms about 16%. Only townhouses are cheaper in New Cairo.
What is the cheapest apartment in the New Capital? From our listings, a 65 m² one-bedroom in Plato for EGP 2.27M handing over in 2030, and a 123 m² two-bedroom in New Garden City for EGP 4.5M handing over at the end of 2027.
What is the cheapest apartment in New Cairo? A 35 m² studio in N Line Suites for EGP 2.8M, and a 139 m² two-bedroom in The Icon Residence for EGP 5.5M.
Can I live in the Capital now? Some projects hand over in 2026 and the Government District is running, but everyday services are still being completed. If you need schools, hospitals and malls around you from day one, New Cairo is more ready.
How do I get to the Capital from Cairo? By car via the Suez Road and the Mohamed Bin Zayed axis, and by public transport on the Light Rail Transit (LRT) from Adly Mansour station.
Are these prices final? No. These are developer list prices at the time of writing, and availability and the final price are confirmed before booking.
Read more
- New Administrative Capital guide 2026: prices, districts and payment plans
- Apartments for sale in the New Capital 2026: project prices and price per m²
- Apartments for sale in the Fifth Settlement 2026: price per m² by compound
- New Cairo and Fifth Settlement guide 2026: prices district by district
- A shop or office in the New Capital or New Cairo?
- Mostakbal City or New Cairo? Prices compared
- New Cairo or Sheikh Zayed? Prices compared
- All units in the New Administrative Capital and New Cairo
Torn between the Capital and New Cairo?
Tell us your budget, the unit type and when you need to move in, and we will send you two options in the Capital and two in New Cairo for the same budget, with handover dates and payment plans.
📞 Call 01007200567
