---
title: "Living in Rosetta as a digital nomad: cost, safety, visa, internet"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/rosetta
description: "Nile-mouth town of Ottoman houses, where the Rosetta Stone was found"
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Rosetta, Egypt

Rosetta scores 56.7/100 for digital nomads under balanced weights, ranking 975 of 1501 cities. Expect about $700 per month (country-level estimate), no dedicated nomad visa, and a measured median download speed of 8.3 Mbps.

Rosetta, or Rashid, is a town where the western branch of the Nile meets the Mediterranean, known for the Rosetta Stone found nearby in 1799 and for some of Egypt's best-preserved Ottoman-era merchant houses. It is a working fishing and date-growing town with very few visitors, low costs and Alexandria about 65 km away. Infrastructure is basic, English is rare and there is nothing aimed at remote workers.

Known for: Rosetta Stone discovery site, Ottoman-era brick houses, Where the Nile meets the sea, Date palms and fishing.

## Scores (balanced weights, 0–100)

| Factor | Score |
| --- | --- |
| Overall | 56.7 |
| Cost of living | 92 |
| Safety | 47 |
| Healthcare | 66 |
| Internet | 38 |
| Visa ease | 34 |
| Getting there & around | 18 |
| Climate | 100 |
| Air quality | 64 |
| Quality of life | 52 |

## The numbers behind the scores

| Metric | Value | Level | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $700 | country | 2026-09 | [^2] |
| Central 1-bedroom rent | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Outskirts 1-bedroom rent (basis of the monthly total) | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Homicide rate (per 100k) | 4.2 | country | 2021 | [^4] |
| Political stability (0–100) | 50 | country | 2025 | [^5] |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 71 | country | 2023 | [^6] |
| Life expectancy (years) | 71.9 | country | 2023 | [^7] |
| Median download (Mbps) | 8.3 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Median upload (Mbps) | 1.3 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Starlink residential service | Unknown | country | 2026-10 | [^9] |
| Nomad visa | none listed | country | 2026-07 | [^10] |
| Entry for US / EU / UK passports | visa on arrival / visa on arrival / visa on arrival | country | 2026-02 | [^11] |
| Non-stop destinations (HBE) | 24 | city | 2026-10 | [^12] |
| Restaurants within 3 km of the centre (OpenStreetMap) | 3 | city | 2026-11 | [^16] |
| Walkability / transit (1–5) | 3 / 2 | editorial | 2026-09 | [^13] |
| Comfortable months | 12 of 12 | city | 2001–2020 | [^14] |
| Annual mean PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 21.2 | city | 2023 | [^15] |
| Human Development Index | 0.754 | country | 2023 | [^17] |
| English proficiency band | low | country | 2024 | [^18] |

## Tax on income from abroad

**Work you do from Egypt is taxed up to 27.5% even if paid from abroad; foreign interest, rent and pensions are not.** Egypt taxes income earned in Egypt, and work you physically do there counts even when the employer or clients are abroad: salary and freelance fees pay 0%–27.5%. Residents are also taxed on foreign dividends and on gains from shares not listed in Egypt, but not on foreign interest, rent or pensions. Gains on Egyptian-listed shares became tax-free in July 2026. There is no wealth or inheritance tax.

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| How residents are taxed | territorial (local income only) |
| Remote work for foreign clients or employers | taxed (0%–27.5% progressive (first EGP 40,000 at 0%, plus a EGP 20,000 personal allowance on salary)) |
| Investments and pensions from abroad | taxed (Foreign dividends and gains on shares not listed in Egypt: 0%–27.5% progressive; Egyptian dividends 5%–10%; listed Egyptian share gains exempt) |
| Wealth | no wealth tax; no inheritance tax |
| Tax resident after | 183 days a year |
| Top income tax rate | 27.5% |

Residency: You are an Egyptian tax resident if you have a permanent home (mawtin daim) in Egypt, or if you are in Egypt for more than 183 days, continuous or not, within 12 months (Income Tax Law 91/2005, Article 2). Egyptians working abroad and paid by the Egyptian treasury are also resident. The executive regulations define a permanent home; they were not reviewed here, so it is unclear whether a long rental alone makes a nomad resident before 183 days. Residency matters less than in most countries, because Article 6 taxes residents and non-residents alike on income realized in Egypt. It decides whether foreign dividends, gains on foreign shares and foreign business income centred in Egypt are taxed.

Remote work: Income from services performed in Egypt, including salaries, is Egyptian-source income (Article 3(a)). The salary article adds that pay from a foreign source for work done in Egypt is taxable (Article 9(2)), so a remote job for a foreign employer is taxed while you work from Egypt. This applies from the first day, because non-residents are also taxed on income realized in Egypt (Article 6). When the employer has no presence in Egypt, you must pay the tax yourself (Article 16). Freelance and professional fees are taxed when the work is done in Egypt, and fees earned abroad are also taxed if Egypt is the centre of your professional activity (Article 32, as replaced by Law 53/2014). Rates are the progressive scale set by Law 7/2024. Freelancers can instead opt into the turnover-based simplified regime (see regimes). Working on a tourist visa without a permit is an offence under the e-visa terms, separately from tax. Egypt's tax treaties can exempt short-stay employment paid by a foreign employer, depending on the treaty, so check yours. Whether a foreigner working remotely must pay Egyptian social insurance was not verified here.

Investments: The dividend chapter taxes a resident individual's dividends whether received in Egypt or abroad (Article 46 bis, as replaced by Law 30/2023). The flat 10% rate, or 5% for shares listed on the Egyptian Exchange, covers only Egyptian-source dividends (Article 46 bis 2), so foreign dividends appear to fall under the normal progressive scale. Since Law 151/2026 (in force 29 July 2026), capital gains tax applies to company shares and securities not listed on the Egyptian Exchange, whether the gain arises in Egypt or abroad (Article 46 bis 3). Read literally, that includes shares listed abroad, taxed at progressive rates. Gains on Egyptian-listed securities are now exempt; instead, a stamp tax of 0.05% is charged to each side of a sale (0.025% for same-day trades) under Law 153/2026. For shares sold at fair value after at least three years, the cost is uplifted each year by the Central Bank discount rate (Article 46 bis 4). We found no ETA guidance on how foreign dividends and gains are collected in practice. Foreign interest, rent from property abroad and foreign pensions are not Egyptian-source and fall outside these charges unless they belong to a business centred in Egypt (Articles 3 and 6), and pensions are excluded from salary tax (Article 12). Tax on Egyptian bank interest was not reviewed.

On the nomad visa: Egypt has no digital nomad visa on its official portals. Most visitors use a tourist e-visa from the Interior Ministry's portal (US$30 single entry, US$65 multiple entry), whose terms say that engaging in any business or employment without the required permit is an offence. A tourist stay has no tax status of its own: work done in Egypt is Egyptian-source income taxable from the first day, and after more than 183 days in 12 months you are resident, which brings foreign dividends and share gains into scope. Longer stays need a residence permit; those categories were not reviewed here.

Schemes for newcomers:

- **Simplified tax regime for small projects (Law 6/2025)** (no fixed end): Income tax on turnover instead of profit: 0.4% below EGP 500,000, 0.5% up to EGP 2 million, 0.75% up to EGP 3 million, 1% up to EGP 10 million and 1.5% up to EGP 20 million. It also brings exemption from stamp duty and from dividend tax on the project's profits, no withholding or advance payments, simpler books, and tax audits only after five years. You cannot leave the regime for five years after applying. Who qualifies: Businesses and professional activities, registered or newly registering with the Egyptian Tax Authority, whose annual turnover does not exceed EGP 20 million and that apply for it. They must file returns on time and join the e-invoice or e-receipt system. Professional consulting that earns at least 90% of its turnover from one or two clients is excluded, which can shut out a freelancer with one main foreign client. Whether a foreigner can register an activity without a work permit was not checked.

Official sources: [Law No 91 of 2005 promulgating the Income Tax Law (Official Gazette No 23 (cont.), 9 June 2005)](https://eta.gov.eg/sites/default/files/2024-03/law_no.91-2005.pdf) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), scan of the Official Gazette, read 2026-10-27); [Presidential Decree-Law No 53 of 2014 amending the Income Tax Law and the Stamp Duty Law](https://eta.gov.eg/sites/default/files/2024-03/law_no.53-2014.pdf) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), scan of the Official Gazette, read 2026-10-27); [Law No 199 of 2020 amending the Stamp Duty Law and the Income Tax Law](https://eta.gov.eg/sites/default/files/2024-03/law_no.199-2020.pdf) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), scan of the Official Gazette, read 2026-10-27); [Law No 30 of 2023 amending the Income Tax Law](https://eta.gov.eg/sites/default/files/2024-03/law_no.30-2023.pdf) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), scan of the Official Gazette, read 2026-10-27); [Law No 7 of 2024 amending the Income Tax Law (Official Gazette No 7 bis (A), 21 February 2024)](https://eta.gov.eg/sites/default/files/2024-03/law_no.7-2024.pdf) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), scan of the Official Gazette, read 2026-10-27); [Law No 6 of 2025 on tax incentives and facilities for projects with annual turnover up to EGP 20 million](https://eta.gov.eg/sites/default/files/2025-02/law_no.6.of_.2025.pdf) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), scan of the Official Gazette, read 2026-10-27); [Law No 151 of 2026 amending the Income Tax Law (Official Gazette No 30 bis (A), 28 July 2026)](https://eta.gov.eg/sites/default/files/2026-08/law.no_.151.of_.2026.pdf) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), scan of the Official Gazette, read 2026-10-27); [Correction (istidrak) to Laws No 149, 150 and 151 of 2026 (Official Gazette No 32 bis, 8 August 2026)](https://eta.gov.eg/sites/default/files/2026-08/law.no_.149.150.151.of_.2026.retractation.pdf) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), scan of the Official Gazette, read 2026-10-27); [Law No 153 of 2026 amending the Stamp Duty Law No 111 of 1980 (Official Gazette No 30 bis (A), 28 July 2026)](https://eta.gov.eg/sites/default/files/2026-08/law.no_.153.of_.2026.pdf) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), scan of the Official Gazette, read 2026-10-27); [Law No 196 of 2008 promulgating the Law on Tax on Built Real Estate](https://eta.gov.eg/sites/default/files/2026-03/law.no_.196.of_.2008.pdf) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), scan of the Official Gazette, read 2026-10-27); [Income tax laws (list of the income tax law and amending laws)](https://www.eta.gov.eg/ar/content/qwanyn-aldrybt-ly-aldkhl) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), read 2026-10-27); [Bilateral agreements](https://www.eta.gov.eg/en/content/atfaqyat-thnayyt) (Egyptian Tax Authority (eta.gov.eg), read 2026-10-27); [Egypt e-Visa Portal: FAQ](https://visa2egypt.gov.eg/eVisa/FAQ) (Ministry of Interior, Arab Republic of Egypt, read 2026-10-27); [Egypt e-Visa Portal: Disclaimer](https://visa2egypt.gov.eg/eVisa/Disclaimer) (Ministry of Interior, Arab Republic of Egypt, read 2026-10-27).

Not yet reviewed by a person. General information, not tax advice. US citizens are taxed by the US wherever they live.

## Climate (2001–2020 normals)

| Month | Mean °C | Rain mm | Humidity % | Comfortable |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jan | 15 | 36 | 69 | yes |
| Feb | 15.2 | 24 | 69 | yes |
| Mar | 16.7 | 11 | 68 | yes |
| Apr | 19 | 11 | 66 | yes |
| May | 22.3 | 1 | 65 | yes |
| Jun | 25.3 | 0 | 66 | yes |
| Jul | 27.1 | 0 | 68 | yes |
| Aug | 27.8 | 0 | 68 | yes |
| Sep | 26.5 | 0 | 66 | yes |
| Oct | 24.1 | 10 | 67 | yes |
| Nov | 20.7 | 18 | 66 | yes |
| Dec | 17.2 | 33 | 68 | yes |

## Airports and nonstop flights

| Airport | IATA | Nonstop destinations | International | From US airports |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Alexandria International Airport (Egypt) | HBE | 24 | 21 | 0 |

Unique destinations across all airports: 24, of which 21 international (Wikipedia, 2026-10).

## Similar cities

- [Damietta](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/damietta) (58.9) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/damietta-vs-rosetta)
- [Port Said](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/port-said) (58.8) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/port-said-vs-rosetta)
- [Lira](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/lira) (48.1) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/lira-vs-rosetta)
- [Gaborone](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/gaborone) (50.7) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/gaborone-vs-rosetta)
- [Moshi](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/moshi) (48.5) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/moshi-vs-rosetta)

## FAQ

### How much does it cost to live in Rosetta as a digital nomad?

A single person typically spends about $700 per month in Rosetta (a country-level estimate for Egypt). That is a 92/100 cost score, where 100 is the cheapest city in the dataset.

### Is Rosetta safe for digital nomads?

Rosetta scores 47/100 on safety. Egypt records 4.2 homicides per 100,000 people per year (WHO, 2021) and a political-stability score of 50/100 (World Bank WGI). Both figures are national, so neighbourhood-level risk can differ.

### Does Egypt have a digital nomad visa?

No dedicated digital nomad visa was listed for Egypt as of 2026-07. Visitors from the US get a visa on arrival.

### How fast is the internet in Rosetta?

Measured median download speed in Rosetta was 8.3 Mbps (upload 1.3 Mbps) across 5,180 M-Lab tests in 2024. Measured speeds run below advertised plan speeds everywhere, so compare cities rather than reading the number as a plan.

### Which airports serve Rosetta and how many nonstop flights are there?

Rosetta is served by Alexandria International Airport (Egypt) (HBE) with 24 nonstop destinations, of which 21 are international. 0 US airports have a nonstop link. Source: Wikipedia, 2026-10.

### When is the best time of year to be in Rosetta?

The most comfortable months are Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec. Mean temperatures range from 59°F (15°C) in Jan to 82°F (28°C) in Aug (NASA POWER 2001–2020 climatology).

### Rosetta or Damietta: which is better for digital nomads?

Damietta is the city with the closest factor profile to Rosetta in this dataset. Which one wins depends on your weights; the comparison page puts every factor side by side with the numbers behind them.

## Plan a trip

[Plan a trip to Rosetta](https://dashboard.navoy.io/trip/new?utm_source=nostos&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=plan_trip&utm_content=rosetta&destination=Rosetta%2C+Egypt) on Navoy, the AI travel planner behind Nostos.

## Sources

[^1]: City population (latest census or official estimate), Wikipedia (citing national statistics offices). CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^2]: 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level), WhereNext. CC BY 4.0. https://getwherenext.com/data/cost-of-living-2026 (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^3]: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows), WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. https://github.com/0brien18/global-emigration-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^4]: Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/estimates-of-rates-of-homicides-per-100-000-population (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^5]: Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), World Bank. CC BY 4.0. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^6]: UHC service coverage index, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/uhc-index-of-service-coverage (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^7]: Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/life-expectancy-at-birth-(years) (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^8]: M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024), Measurement Lab. CC0 1.0. https://statistics.measurementlab.net/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^9]: Starlink availability map, SpaceX (Starlink). Factual status cited from starlink.com. https://www.starlink.com/map (retrieved 2026-10-07)
[^10]: Digital Nomad Visas 2026, WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. https://github.com/0brien18/global-emigration-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^11]: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), Ilya Ilyankou (compiled from passportindex.org). MIT. https://github.com/ilyankou/passport-index-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^12]: Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables), Wikipedia contributors; countries via Wikidata. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-24)
[^13]: Walkability and transit ratings (editorial), Navoy. CC BY 4.0. https://nostos.navoy.io/methodology (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^14]: NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means), NASA Langley Research Center. Public domain (US Government). https://power.larc.nasa.gov/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^15]: SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04), Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis. CC BY 4.0. https://sites.wustl.edu/acag/surface-pm2-5/ (retrieved 2026-10-07)
[^16]: OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API), OpenStreetMap contributors. ODbL 1.0. https://overpass-api.de/ (retrieved 2026-10-02)
[^17]: Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), United Nations Development Programme. CC BY 3.0 IGO. https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/documentation-and-downloads (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^18]: EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), EF Education First. Proprietary; band cited as a fact with attribution. https://www.ef.com/epi/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/rosetta