Market snapshot
Downtown by the numbers.
- Median price
- $245K
- Active listings
- 38
- Avg per sqm
- $1,850
- Price range
- $150K–$700K
About Downtown
A snapshot of life here.
Downtown El Gouna is the only neighbourhood inside the resort built as a true town centre rather than a residential compound. Whitewashed kasbah-style buildings line a network of pedestrian lanes that connect the main square, the bank row, and the medical district. Cars are routed around the perimeter, so day-to-day movement happens on foot or by buggy.
The housing stock mixes one- and two-bedroom apartments above ground-floor retail with townhouses and a small number of standalone villas on the inner lagoon-paths. Inventory is broad, with most listings between USD 150,000 and USD 700,000, which makes Downtown one of the more accessible entry points into El Gouna ownership. Roughly seventy percent of stock is apartments, and the rest splits between townhouses and compact villas.
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Residents skew toward year-round occupants: families with children at El Gouna International School, remote workers from Europe and the Gulf, and retired couples who value walkability. Investors also like Downtown for short-term rental because guests want to step out of the front door into a working high street, not a quiet residential lane. Average short-term occupancy here runs above the El Gouna mean from October through April.
What makes Downtown the most recommended starting point for new buyers is the density of services. El Gouna Hospital, the main pharmacies, the two largest supermarkets, the bookshop, and the post office are all clustered within a few hundred metres. You can live here without a car, which is unusual for any Red Sea town. That structural advantage protects long-term resale value even when waterfront premiums fluctuate.
- El Gouna Hospital and main pharmacies within 5 min walk
- Forty-plus restaurants and cafés in the centre
- Main supermarkets, bank branches, and post office on site
- Pedestrian-first layout, cars routed around the perimeter
- Lagoon-path access connecting Downtown to Marina
- Most affordable broad inventory inside El Gouna
The character
Downtown in their own words
The housing stock mixes one- and two-bedroom apartments above ground-floor retail with townhouses and a small number of standalone villas on the inner lagoon-paths.
Around you
Amenities & lifestyle.
restaurant
Saigon Restaurant
2 min walk
Vietnamese kitchen in the central square, open year-round, popular with residents.
school
El Gouna International School
5 min by buggy
IB curriculum, Grades 1 to 12, English instruction, sports campus on site.
gym
Downtown Fitness Centre
3 min walk
Full gym, group classes, sauna, daily and monthly memberships available.
restaurant
Mood Restaurant
4 min walk
Egyptian and Levantine plates on a shaded inner terrace, dinner-only.
Step by step
How buying in Downtown works.
- 1
Search and shortlist.
Filter Downtown listings by budget, bedrooms, and outdoor space. Our agents send floor plans, title-deed copies, and ownership-history summaries within 24 hours, plus a short note on each building's services fee.
- 2
In-person viewing.
We arrange accompanied viewings on foot through Downtown — typically four to seven properties fit into a half-day. Video walkthroughs with live Q&A are available for buyers based outside Egypt.
- 3
Reservation and due diligence.
A reservation deposit of five percent (refundable within 14 days) holds the property while we verify title, confirm no outstanding service fees, and check the building's HOA standing.
- 4
Sales contract.
The notarised sales contract is signed in Egypt or via power-of-attorney from abroad. Payment is usually split 50 percent on contract and 50 percent on handover for resale stock, with longer plans on new-build.
- 5
Title deed registration.
The title deed is registered with the Egyptian Real Estate Registry. Foreigners may hold residential property under a long-term usufruct or direct ownership depending on the unit type. We walk you through the correct structure for your situation.
Common questions
Buying in Downtown — answered.
- Yes. El Gouna operates under a special development zone framework that permits foreign nationals to purchase residential property. Most Downtown transactions are structured as a long-term usufruct registered with the Egyptian Real Estate Registry. A smaller share of resale apartments come with outright title. We clarify the correct structure for each listing before you commit, and we coordinate with a local notary for the paperwork.
- Yes, more so than any other neighbourhood in El Gouna. The hospital, the largest supermarkets, the bank branches, the pharmacy, and the main schools are all reachable on foot. Public buggies run on a fixed circuit until late, so a car is optional even with children. Around forty percent of Downtown owners live here for more than nine months a year, which is the highest year-round occupancy in El Gouna.
- El Gouna International School (IB curriculum, Grades 1 to 12) sits about five minutes by buggy from central Downtown. The Cambridge-curriculum El Gouna British International School is a similar distance in the other direction. Both run an EU-style timetable from September through June and accept new students mid-year subject to availability. Several nurseries operate within Downtown itself.
- Short-term yields in Downtown run 5 to 8 percent gross, slightly below Marina because guests pay a premium for direct waterfront. The advantage of Downtown is occupancy stability: the year-round resident demand fills bookings in shoulder months when Marina inventory sits empty. Long-term annual rentals in Downtown typically yield 4 to 6 percent gross with very low vacancy.
- El Gouna Hospital, run in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic group, sits on the eastern edge of Downtown. It offers a 24-hour emergency room, surgical theatre, maternity ward, and routine consultations across most specialties. Two private clinics and three pharmacies operate within Downtown itself. Hurghada International Hospital, about 25 minutes by car, handles cases that need additional specialisation.
- Budget 3 to 4 percent of the purchase price for transfer-related costs: transfer tax of about 2.5 percent, notary fees of about 1 percent, and minor administrative charges. Annual property tax is low by European standards — typically USD 300 to USD 800 per year for a two-bedroom apartment. Annual services fees to El Gouna Resorts run between USD 1,200 and USD 2,500 for most Downtown units. We provide a full cost breakdown before signing.
- Yes, particularly if you target the family and digital-nomad segments rather than the high-end yacht crowd. Downtown bookings stay strong in shoulder months because guests want walkable amenities, not just a pool. A two-bedroom apartment well-positioned near the main square typically books 200 to 230 nights a year at an average daily rate of USD 90 to USD 130. Active management lifts both numbers significantly.