The price in an offer is rarely everything you will pay. On top of it come items paid to the developer or to others, some written in the contract and some that surface at delivery. One of the largest is the maintenance deposit. A legal study by the law firm Saadah & Abu El-Komsan, reported by Masrawy in September 2026 after it analysed more than 40 contracts, found contracts where the deposit reached 10% of the unit price. This guide puts all the items into one formula.
The formula
The contract sets every item here, not custom. So treat the formula as a frame you fill with the figures from your offer, not as a price list.
Illustrative example with hypothetical numbers
A 150 square metre unit priced at EGP 5,000,000 with no discount, an 8% maintenance deposit, a garage at EGP 300,000 outside the price, club membership at EGP 100,000, and EGP 50,000 of other extras in the contract.
| Item | Calculation | Amount (EGP) |
|---|---|---|
| Contract price | 5,000,000 - 0 | 5,000,000 |
| Maintenance deposit | 5,000,000 × 8% | 400,000 |
| Garage | fixed amount | 300,000 |
| Club membership | fixed amount | 100,000 |
| Other extras | fixed amount | 50,000 |
| Total cost | sum | 5,850,000 |
The extras come to EGP 850,000, or 17% of the contract price (850,000 ÷ 5,000,000). The price per metre on paper is 5,000,000 ÷ 150 = about EGP 33,333, while the real price per metre after extras is 5,850,000 ÷ 150 = EGP 39,000.
Variation: deposit on the price before or after discount
Say the developer gives a 10% discount, so the contract price becomes EGP 4,500,000. An 8% deposit changes with the price it is based on:
| Case | Maintenance deposit | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| 8% of the price before discount (5,000,000) | 400,000 | 5,350,000 |
| 8% of the contract price after discount (4,500,000) | 360,000 | 5,310,000 |
Each total adds the contract price, the deposit, the garage (300,000), the club (100,000) and the extras (50,000). That is a EGP 40,000 difference in this example, settled by one question to the developer. Do not stop at the total: write the due date next to each item, because a total you can carry over several years may still bunch into a single month at delivery if the deposit and the garage fall due together.
Variation: buying resale
When a unit is resold, the developer may charge a transfer (assignment) fee. The study Masrawy reported found transfer fees of 1% to 5% of the unit's value. If you buy resale and the contract puts a 2% fee on you for a unit worth EGP 5,000,000, that adds EGP 100,000 to your cost. The contract decides whether the seller or the buyer pays it.
Common mistakes
- Comparing the price per metre of two offers without adding the garage and deposit, when one includes them in the price and the other does not.
- Working out the deposit on the price after discount when the contract bases it on the price before.
- Forgetting that the deposit and the garage may fall due on the same date, such as delivery, so you need a large amount of cash at one time.
- Treating the total as final when some items in the contract are written as estimates or can be revised.
- Ignoring the transfer fee when buying resale, or when thinking about selling later.
What to ask the developer or seller before trusting the figure
- Are the garage and club membership inside the price or outside it? What does each cost, and when is it due?
- Which price is the maintenance deposit a percentage of, and when is it paid? Is it held in a separate account that earns a return, with regular statements? The study Masrawy reported recommended this after finding contracts with no clear rules.
- Are there yearly service charges after delivery, separate from the deposit?
- What is the transfer fee in this project, and who pays it?
- Does the contract have any other item paid outside the price, such as utility meters or finishing changes?
Frequently asked questions
Is the maintenance deposit part of the unit price?
No. It is a separate amount from the unit price and does not reduce the down payment or the installments. The contract sets its size, its due date and the price it is based on.
How large is a maintenance deposit usually?
It varies by contract. The study Masrawy reported in September 2026 found contracts where it reached 10% of the unit price. Take the figure from your contract or the project's terms booklet rather than assuming a percentage.
How do I find the real price per square metre?
Divide the total cost, not the contract price, by the area. Use the same definition of area for both offers you compare, since built-up area differs from a total that includes a garden or terrace.
Do I add the transfer fee if I buy directly from the developer?
The study Masrawy reported tied transfer fees to reselling a unit, so they are not part of a first purchase from the developer. Still, find out the fee now, because it will cut what you receive if you decide to sell later.
Does the total cost differ between cash and installments?
It can, because the contract price itself may differ between the two, which changes the deposit if it is a percentage of that price. Work out the total cost for each option, then compare them in today's money as shown in the guide to comparing payment plans.
Run the numbers
In the CalcRealty app, the payment plan calculator puts the down payment, the installments and the maintenance deposit into one schedule, the total unit price calculator adds up the contract price and the total cash across down payment and installments, and the price per square metre calculator works in both directions. Add the garage, club and other extras to the result by hand. Get CalcRealty on Google Play.
See also the guide to the down payment and installments, and the guide to the area you are considering, such as Ain Sokhna and Galala or New Cairo.
Results are planning estimates; the developer contract sets the final amounts.