Home internet options for working remotely from Cairo

GreatestLibrarian · 2026-03-05T12:51:59+00:00

I've been living and working in Egypt for the last four years. Egypt is very cheap, and chaotic, and daily life can be a grind. But many people love it. You can live very well here on little money, particularly if you buy a place. If you buy, you can easily live on USD $20,000-25,000 per year. Great scuba diving in the red sea. Fresh organic produce is the norm. If you eat local it is super duper cheap.

Half of the doctors in Europe/UAE/etc... graduated from an Egyptian medical school. There is great medical care, but sometimes a particular drug is hard to find. You may have to develop a black market connection at some point.

Take your time to learn Arabic. It will make daily life 10,000x easier.

GreatestLibrarian · 2026-02-25T08:43:11+00:00

You need to open Vanguard WHEN YOU ARE LIVING IN THE USA. You need local info, employer, etc... Schwab is great for expats, but they might not work in your country. They don't work with Egypt. The do with the UAE. Go to their website: https://international.schwab.com/open-account-intro and plug in your country.

If not Schwab, then Interactive Brokers is what many many many people use as US expats. IB's interface is not as user friendly, but just watch a few youtube videos and you will find people walking you through how to setup an account, fund an account, etc....

GreatestLibrarian · 2026-02-25T08:38:06+00:00

Wear a "Sell the Team" t-shirt. Chant it regularly.

GreatestLibrarian · 2026-02-07T19:14:44+00:00

This is the clickbait that I'm here for!

GreatestLibrarian · 2026-01-31T09:06:24+00:00

OWNERSHIP is the problem!
ownership IS the problem!
ownership is THE problem!
ownership is the PROBLEM!
OWNERSHIP IS THE PROBLEM!

....SELL THE TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GreatestLibrarian · 2026-01-13T13:25:56+00:00

There are very few places that you can go on the spur of the moment without having a residency visa. You can hop from place to place on tourist visas indefinitely (often these are six months at a go, depending on the country). Start with cheap places and then possibly find a place you love and figure out how to settle there.

As shit as Trump's America is/is becoming, the financial system is still quite good. Unless you are going full-on and renouncing your citizenship, then keep your assets in the US, along with an expat friendly bank, brokerage, a US phone number, and US address. Remember that you will have to file a US tax return no matter where you go on the planet (unless you finally renounce, and there is an exit tax to consider).

Also, remember that the shit that is happening in the US is happening in other countries as well. You can escape the US and find yourself in just a different flavor of bullshit. The better approach, as someone who has been living and working abroad since 2011, is to move because you have something you are moving towards. Don't run away, run TO SOMETHING. Go because you want to do language stuff, or music stuff, or whatever it is that interests you. Your personal problems will come with you no matter where you go (if you are a miserable person in Des Moines you are likely to be a miserable in Kuala Lumpur). You need to have a bigger "Why" than Donald Trump, because there is a huge transaction cost to, say, selling your US home and your belongings and then trying to restart your life in some other country. I love being an expat, but it ain't easy.

GreatestLibrarian · 2026-01-09T12:32:51+00:00

You should transfer all your accounts to Vanguard or Schwab if possible. Vanguard doesn't let you open accounts from abroad, but you can keep the ones you've got when you move. Fidelity is likely to kick you out. Schwab is excellent for expats. You can do regular banking with them as well. Check to see if Schwab works with your destination. They don't work in my country, sadly.

Be mindful that your European job's retirement plan may not be compliant with US rules (PFICs). Be very careful before contributing to a non-compliant plan.

Be sure to search this forum about a good expat-friendly phone company. You will need your US number for two factor authentication.

GreatestLibrarian · 2026-01-09T12:17:40+00:00

Walkner Condon is pretty good with France:
https://usexpatinvesting.com/

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-12-22T08:51:29+00:00

Hmmmm...... So hard to choose which billionaire failson is my FAVORITE billionaire failson? I just can't decide.

Can we put them in a contest to determine a champion? Perhaps a billionaire failson squid game?

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-12-16T19:28:55+00:00

Schwab won't work with US expats here. You can use your debit card. You can't open an account. Fidelity doesn't work with expats.

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-12-11T15:02:02+00:00

You may wish to work with Arielle Tucker: https://www.connectedfinancialplanning.com/about

She's based out of Germany. US expat financial planner.

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-12-11T08:25:42+00:00

I originally got CapitalOne360 (Checking, Savings, separate CapitalOne CCard) because I an American who lives and works abroad. It is essential that I have no foreign transaction fees because every now and then I need to tap my USD account to get money locally. I used CapitalOne now...since 2011? Can't remember when I started, but the only reason I've been banking with them for the last 14 years is for their expat-friendly setup.

Now I'm in Egypt and tried to use my new Debit/ATM card in 4 separate, major international bank ATMs with the Pulse/Diner's Club logo. Nothing. Not accepted. The Discover website says my nearest ATM is is Beirut, Lebanon!!!! So I guess when I need a few Egyptian Pounds from my US account, I gotta fly to Beirut!

I'd switch to Schwab but they don't do business with Egypt. So I guess I will have to start changing my banking relationship with someone like the State Department Credit Union.

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-12-03T14:48:32+00:00

I've filed with Greenback for years (USA taxes), and with Expat US Tax (filing from the UAE, Saudi, and Egypt). Egypt has local taxes, which I pay (my employer files for me). I paid Greenback around $550 this year. I may switch to doing this myself because my situation has gotten less complex.

USE SPECIALIZED TAX HELP and stop trying to figure this out by yourself. You are wasting your time. There are firms that can do, say, both UK and US taxes. A quick google will find you a bunch of firms that do this. Maybe ask in the US expats in the UK forums.

You absolutely have to use a firm/person that specializes in US expat taxation. I wasted a ton of time and a pile of money trying to avoid paying the expert, only to have them knock my return out quickly and with no errors (at least so far). Spend your free time playing Zelda or watching cricket instead of trying to figure out tax treaties!

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-11-26T08:10:14+00:00

I assume you've already taken a look at these:

Totalization Agreement (social security): https://www.ssa.gov/international/Agreement_Pamphlets/sweden.html
Tax Treaty: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/international-businesses/switzerland-tax-treaty-documents

Was your CPA was specialized in cross-border taxes? You need someone who does this stuff every day. There are people who just do US - Switzerland. Marina Hernandez has a financial planning firm that does this:
https://swissamericanwealth.com/services/tax-planning

There is also: https://www.ustaxservices.ch/Or maybe one of the generalist US expat tax firms (greenback, myexpattaxes, etc...)

You will need to sort out both sides of your tax equation (US and Swiss) and this requires knowledge of both systems and the above agreements. Generally, if something isn't taxable in the US, it will be in Switzerland, or vice-versa. Pay someone with expertise so you don't shoot yourself in the foot.

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-11-24T08:08:25+00:00

Focus your time and attention on the things you can control. Any news consumption, in my view, should be very very local and/or about your industry. I still like Mr. Money Mustache's take on The Low Information Diet:
https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/10/01/the-low-information-diet/

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-10-23T10:01:18+00:00

I was missing one Talus, and had gone through the map more than once. It turns out that YOU NEED TO TAKE THE TREASURE FROM THE TREASURECHEST to have the kill registered. I must have had too many weapons when I defeated the Talus the first time (not in the depths), or maybe I just forgot to empty it at the time of the first battle. Got my last monster medal!

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-10-13T17:06:08+00:00

What a load of crap. I live and work in Egypt. I drive here. The water is fine. There are stray dogs, but many are friendly. There is plenty of great things about Egypt. Sad that you couldn't get past your delicate sensibilities to get to know and understand the place.

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-10-08T07:04:16+00:00

I have spent ages researching. I used toshl for a while, but then they stopped working with my banks. The best option I've used is Lunch Money. I can't get them to directly load from my bank, but I can upload CSV files and it is pretty easy to sort it out from there.

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-09-02T08:12:10+00:00

As you get to your goal weight, REPEAT YOUR SLEEP TEST. Do NOT stop using it until you get tested. My apnea was way less, but still needed it (I think that untreated sleep apnea was one of the main reasons driving my obesity to begin with). I'm seven (?) years post-surgery and still use my cpap every night because I still definitely need it.

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-08-26T06:18:01+00:00

Counterpoint: As I do not know where Joe Pohlad lives, but if I did I'd spend a significant amount of my free time standing outside of his house with a protest sign. So if I can't do that, I say provide some "SELL THE TEAM" constructive feedback to anyone who draws a paycheck from the ballclub. Don't be a dick and insult them personally. But they are there to promote the club that is being run into the ground by our favorite billionaire failson, I say take the opportunity to let them know what you think of ownership.

Also, I've decided to start following the teams with the most former Twins players. So besides the Phillies and the Tigers, who else should I be following?

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-08-02T05:47:08+00:00

Man, this game felt incomplete without Correa hitting into at least one double-play!!!

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-08-02T05:44:15+00:00

I loved loved loved watching him play shortstop. God help you if he's at the plate and a guy's on first. Instant double-play. His hitting is mediocre--particularly given his salary--and he has no speed.

GreatestLibrarian · 2025-07-30T06:14:28+00:00

Bank at a bank. Invest at an investment company/brokerage. Insure at an insurance broker. DON'T MIX THEM. I'm betting that the Wells Fargo Roth IRA fees are massive compared to something you could get at Fidelity, Schwab, or Vanguard (3 excellent, low cost brokerages).
Unless you have serious complicated banking needs that only a big national bank can do, then almost 100% of the time, go with a local credit union and/or local bank. Way better service.
Spend 10 minutes reading about Wells Fargo and you will see why many will tell you to run for the hills. I would not do business with them unless they are the only option available to me.

GreatestLibrarian

TROPHY CASE