Property for sale on the North Coast

The North Coast is measured in kilometres from Alexandria, and the number in a listing tells you more about price than the description does. It is also a two-month market — everything about value, income and liveability follows from that.

Sahel is Egypt's summer coast: a strip of resort developments running west from Alexandria toward Marsa Matrouh, busy in July and August and largely closed the rest of the year. Buying here is a lifestyle decision first and an investment decision a distant second.

The geography, by kilometre

Stretch	Character
Km 20–60	Closest to Alexandria. Older, denser, cheaper, longer season.
Km 60–100	Established resorts, Marina, the traditional Sahel core.
Km 100–140	Sidi Abdel Rahman, New Alamein — the premium modern stretch.
Km 140–200	Ras El Hekma and westward. Newest, largest-scale development.
Beyond, to Marsa Matrouh	Sparser, cheapest, furthest from Cairo.

A five-hour drive from Cairo to the far west versus three to the near east is a real difference in how often you actually use the place — and in who will buy it from you.

Seasonality, stated honestly

The North Coast earns for roughly eight to ten weeks a year. Peak-week rates are high and the arithmetic looks good until you annualise it, at which point rental returns here are usually well below what buyers expect.

Many developments effectively close outside summer — restaurants shut, services reduce, security thins.
Maintenance runs twelve months whether or not the unit is used.
Salt air is hard on aluminium, glass fittings and air conditioning.
Resale is also seasonal. Units sell in spring, ahead of the season.

New Alamein is the deliberate exception — built as a year-round city with permanent services and a university, rather than a summer strip.

What to check

Exact kilometre and the distance from the unit to the beach. "Sea view" and "beachfront" are used loosely; walk it.
Whether the view is protected, or whether a later phase will be built in front of it.
Annual service charge, in writing, with three years of actual figures.
Whether the development restricts short-term letting — many do, which ends any rental plan.
Coastal approval and the developer's title. Coastal land has its own permitting layer.
What operates in winter, if you intend to use it outside summer.

Common questions

Is North Coast property a good investment?

As a rental yield play, generally no — the season is too short. As a lifestyle asset that partly offsets its own cost, and in the stretches seeing major new development, the case is stronger.

Can foreigners buy on the North Coast?

Yes, subject to the Law 230 limits and coastal-area approval, which a competent developer or lawyer handles as routine.

Which kilometre is best?

It depends on your drive from Cairo and your budget. Nearer the east means cheaper and more usable; the west means newer and more expensive.

Last reviewed September 2026. Prices, tax rates, residency thresholds and ownership rules in Egypt change frequently — verify anything you are relying on.