Developer payment plans in Egypt, decoded: the down payment, the instalments and the real total

The parts of every payment plan

A developer's offer in Egypt is usually quoted as a down payment and a number of years. The schedule in the contract has more parts than that, and each one changes what you really pay.

Plan length: longer isn't always cheaper

Developer plans of 7 to 10 years are common in Greater Cairo, and some large developers offer 12 years or more. Palm Hills, for example, released 12-year plans in 2025. Longer plans often rely on larger yearly payments to keep each instalment low.

Developers now commonly quote two prices for the same unit: a discount if you pay faster or in cash, or the full list price spread over the longest plan. The gap between the two is what the instalments really cost you.

Work out the real total

Take a unit priced at EGP 8,000,000 on a plan of 10% down and quarterly instalments over 8 years, with a maintenance deposit of 8%:

Now suppose the developer offers 25% off for cash, a cash price of EGP 6,000,000. Paying by instalments costs you EGP 2,000,000 more. Spread over eight years, that works out to roughly 8.7% a year on the money you defer. If your savings can earn more than that safely, the instalments are the better deal; if not, the discount is. Run your own numbers with the calculator below.

The maintenance deposit

Almost every compound contract includes a maintenance deposit, a sum the developer or its facility manager holds to maintain the compound. A September 2026 study of more than 40 developer contracts found it reaching 10% of the unit price in some contracts, and some contracts kept no separate account for it and promised no reports on how it's spent.

Before you sign, check:

• the percentage, and whether it's calculated on today's price or the price at handover;
• when it's due, and whether it can be paid in instalments;
• that the contract says it's kept in a separate account. The 2026 contract study found some contracts had none and recommended one, so ask for it in writing.

Delivery dates and what happens if they slip

Developers selling off-plan work under Decision 2184 of 2022. It gives a buyer these rights if handover is late:

Contracts often add their own compensation for delay, and it's usually small. The 2026 contract study found delay compensation of 0.25% to 0.5% a year, capped at 2% of the price in total. Some developers pushed handovers back by two to three years after the devaluations of 2022 to 2024, so treat the delivery date as a target, not a promise.

If you want to cancel

Read the cancellation clause before you pay the down payment. The same study found that what a buyer loses on cancelling has risen in many contracts, from 10% of the price to 15%, 20% and as much as 30%. Some contracts also keep non-refundable booking amounts of up to EGP 250,000.

If your plans might change, the usual way out is to sell your contract to another buyer before handover, a transfer known as tanazul. The developer must approve it and usually charges a fee. See our guide to selling an off-plan unit before delivery.

Questions to ask before you sign

1. What is the cash price, and the price on each plan?
2. What are the exact amounts and dates of every payment, including yearly and handover payments?
3. What does the maintenance deposit cost, when is it due and where is it held?
4. Are club membership, parking and storage included?
5. What is the delivery date, and what compensation does the contract give for delay?
6. What do I lose if I cancel, and what does a transfer to another buyer cost?
7. Does the developer have a building permit for this phase? Our guide to the legal checks before you buy explains why it matters.

Every developer unit on Feinh shows its payment plan worked out from the actual terms: down payment, instalments and their frequency, and any larger payments, so you can compare new projects on what they really cost.