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Why have more ancient Egyptian temples and tombs survived than ordinary houses?

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Ancient Egyptian illustration from the Book of the Dead showing Anubis weighing the soul of the scribe Ani, with gods seated above and hieroglyphic text throughout. — Egyptian art and architecture Anubis weighing the soul of the scribe Ani, from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, c. 1275 bce.

The survival of ancient Egyptian temples and tombs compared to ordinary houses is primarily due to differences in building materials and geographic location.

Building Materials: Ancient Egyptians used unbaked mud brick for domestic architecture, including houses and even royal palaces, while stone was reserved for tombs—the eternal dwellings of the dead—and temples—the eternal houses of the gods. Stone was chosen for these structures for its durability and symbolic significance in providing eternal protection.123
Geographic Location: Most ancient Egyptian towns were situated in the cultivated, flood-prone areas of the Nile River valley, leading to their destruction over time. In contrast, temples and tombs were typically constructed on higher ground, safely removed from the reach of the Nile’s annual floods.12

While the dry, hot climate of Egypt has allowed some mud brick structures to persist where they were shielded from water and human interference, the architectural legacy remains heavily weighted toward funerary and religious monuments due to these fundamental differences in construction and placement.12