A$1 = 37.05 EGPA$ means Australian dollars. Exchange rate on 17 October 2026, used for every figure on this pageA$11,000 ≈ 408,000 EGPthe initial funding target, in Egyptian pounds
3 monthsof rounds this target plans for
1
Truck: a 2013–2016 small pickup
A$7,000
Estimate from public prices
A used small pickup like the Suzuki pickups you see on every Cairo street, checked by an independent mechanic before we buy it.
What the prices in Egypt say
- Used Suzuki pickups listed on Hatla2ee on 17 October 2026: 1997 models at 70,000–160,000 EGP, a 2013 at 130,000, and a 2016 (68,000 km) at 300,000.
- Used Suzuki Carry: a 2009 at 90,000, a 2014 at 280,000, and 2022 models at 420,000–530,000 EGP.
- Bigger pickups (Chevrolet T-Series, Isuzu D-Max, 2007): 520,000–590,000 EGP.
Our check: A$7,000 is about 259,000 EGP. That buys a sound 2013–2016 pickup, new enough to run a round every day. Our first budget allowed A$4,500, which would only have bought a late-1990s truck.
2
Kitchen fit-out on the back
A$900
Estimate, needs a quote
A food-grade cooking drum (Qidra) and its heating, a water tank, shelving and a fire extinguisher, built onto the truck bed.
What the prices in Egypt say
- Mobile kitchen units built in Egypt start at about 60,000 EGP for a complete 2×3 m unit (Al Waled Caravan). We only need the drum (Qidra) and burner, not a full enclosed kitchen.
Our check: A$900 is about 33,000 EGP. This is an estimate until we have quotes from three workshops. The quotes also need to cover engineering, testing, refrigeration, water and waste, mounting and installation, so this may go up.
3
Permits, registration, insurance
A$500
Estimate from public prices
Transferring the truck into our name, its licence and roadworthy test, a year of insurance, and whichever food-unit licence applies to us.
What the prices in Egypt say
- Vehicle licence: about 2,100 EGP in fixed fees, plus 225–290 EGP for a small engine (Yallamotor, 2025).
- Compulsory insurance for a small engine: 225–350 EGP a year (2023 rates).
- Cairo has required mobile food units to hold a licence approved by the National Food Safety Authority. Which approvals apply to an animal-feed truck is still being assessed, and those fees are not published, so we will ask.
Our check: A$500 is about 19,000 EGP. That covers the published fees several times over, but the full approval costs are not known yet, so this may change.
4
Food and fuel, three months
A$1,200
Estimate from public prices
Rice, vegetables and cooking gas for 90 days of rounds. We plan to ask butchers for accepted, traceable surplus meat at no charge. Free ingredients still cost money to check, sort, keep cold, cook, transport and clean up after.
What the prices in Egypt say
- Petrol: about 24.6 EGP a litre (October 2026).
- A round of about 40 km a day uses about 4 litres. That is about 100 EGP a day, or about 9,000 EGP over 90 days.
- White rice: 25.5–36.5 EGP a kg (August 2026).
- We work on about 10 EGP of ingredients for one meal, an early estimate.
Our check: A$1,200 is about 44,000 EGP. After fuel, about 35,000 EGP is left for food. That is about 3,500 meals, or roughly 40 animals a day for three months. This is our working daily target until trials confirm portion sizes.
5
Driver, three months
A$1,100
Estimate from public prices
One local driver who knows the animals and runs the round every day.
What the prices in Egypt say
- Egypt’s minimum wage rose to 8,000 EGP a month from July 2026 (Egyptian Streets).
Our check: A$1,100 is about 41,000 EGP, or about 13,600 EGP a month: a fair wage, well above the minimum, for all three months.
6
Trays, plates, cleaning kit
A$300
Estimate, needs a quote
Serving trays, the first batches of edible vegetable plates, buckets, gloves and food-safe cleaning products.
What the prices in Egypt say
- The plates are made from vegetables that would otherwise be thrown away, so the main cost is baking. A 20-plate test bake will give the real price.
Our check: A$300 is about 11,000 EGP. It is an estimate until the test bake.
Why the goal
went up
Our first budget was A$8,000. When we checked it against real prices in Cairo, A$4,500 would only have bought a truck from the late 1990s, and the driver was paid for one month of the three. We would rather ask for what the plan really costs than run out halfway, so our initial funding target is now A$11,000.
Before we buy anything we plan to get three quotes each for the truck, the kitchen and the licences. Quotes and approvals may change the amount or timing. If something costs less than planned, the difference goes to more meals. We will show estimates, quotes and actual spending separately here.
Prices come from public listings and news reports on the dates shown, and prices in Egypt change often. Sources: Hatla2ee Suzuki pickups, Hatla2ee Suzuki Carry, Hatla2ee pickups, Al Waled Caravan, Yallamotor, Brokerage Insurance, Scene Eats, DailyFuels, El Watan, Egyptian Streets, Exchange-Rates.org.
