for your responses.

Celestvile, sounds like all the expat community lives in Maadi, and whilst I have heard that it is a quiet area with lots of greenery, I doubt it's convinient for us to live there as it is quite a ride from Giza, where my husband works. We shall see...we heard 6 October area is also nice?
Besides, our housing allowance will only be $1500, which I think doesn't strech for a place in Maadi, and after living in a small flat for the last three years, I'm looking forward to a big place with a garden.
By the way, do you have any idea where the french school is located?

Dweller, oh god, now you worried me...with that kind of money I could live anywhere . Wonder why your son didn't like it.

PM, yes I noticed that too (The $ sign), sounds like I will get ripped off quite often, then. So your friends dislike living in Cairo?