Inflation and surging demand drive up rental housing costs across Egypt

One of the main drivers behind the recent increase in rents is surging demand caused by an influx of Sudanese fleeing the violence in their home country.

"They are willing to pay any price and that causes an imbalance in the market," Mohamed Hassan, investment funds director at Odin Investments, told Ahram Online.

"The increase in Sudanese refugees and expats boosted demand on certain middle-class and upper-middle-class neighbourhoods in Cairo and Giza, including the 6 October city and El-Rehab," Alaa Hamed, a property consultant at Coldwell Banker, commented.

This is not just a temporary problem.

"The continuation of the conflict will force more Sudanese people to enter Egypt, which will lead to more increase in demand and – therefore – a surge in rents," Hamed stated.

Since the crisis began in April, some Sudanese in Egypt have expressed their discontent with a threefold increase in rent, as highlighted in a recent AFP report.