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Money in Egypt, sorted.
A calm, current plan for the money side of your trip: why you should carry cash and small notes, how tipping (baksheesh) really works, and the service and tax that gets added at hotels and tourist restaurants.
The three things people ask
Will my card work? Do I need cash? Are ATMs easy?
The quick read for a first trip.
Your card
Only in the upscale spots
Visa and Mastercard work at hotels, malls and higher-end restaurants, and contactless is spreading in Cairo. Outside those, cards are rarely accepted: markets, taxis, street food, small shops and tips are cash. Treat a card as a backup for big bills, not your main way to pay.
Check yours →Cash
This is how Egypt runs
Egyptian pounds cover almost everything, and you will want a lot of small notes for tips. Keep 5, 10 and 20 pound notes on you at all times for baksheesh, and larger notes for meals and shopping. Break big notes when you can, since small ones vanish quickly.
How much to bring →ATMs
Use a bank machine
Bank ATMs (National Bank of Egypt, Banque Misr, CIB, QNB) are your best source of pounds. Read the fee, take a good amount when a machine is working (some run empty), and always decline "convert to US dollars." Skip the street money changers entirely.
See ATMs in Egypt →(opens in a new tab)Cash or card
Cash first, and lots of small notes for tips.
A rough feel for everyday spending. Cards are fine at hotels, malls and higher-end restaurants, but most of daily life, markets, taxis, street food, small shops, entry extras and the many small tips, happens in cash. The real habit to build is carrying a stack of small notes (5, 10, 20 pounds) so you always have something for baksheesh.
See what the trip really costs →Your money plan
Four steps and you're set.
Before you go
- Bring a no-foreign-fee debit card as your main tool, since Egypt runs on cash. Charles Schwab refunds ATM fees worldwide; Wise and Revolut are low-fee.
- Bring a no-foreign-fee Visa or Mastercard too, for hotels, malls and bigger restaurants.
- A few small, clean US dollar or euro notes can be handy for tipping guides or on a Nile cruise, but plan to pay for daily life in pounds.
At the airport
- Skip the airport exchange counters, the rates are poor.
- Pull pounds from a bank ATM (National Bank of Egypt, Banque Misr, CIB, QNB) and decline "convert to US dollars."
- Take a healthy amount and ask for or break into small notes early, because you will tip constantly.
Day to day
- Cash for almost everything: markets, taxis, street food, small shops and tips.
- Card only for hotels, malls and higher-end restaurants.
- Keep a pocket of small notes ready for baksheesh, all day.
- Always choose pounds, never US dollars, on any card terminal or ATM screen.
A golden rule
- Carry small notes and tip often. Baksheesh is woven into daily life, in small amounts, for almost any help, so a wad of 5, 10 and 20 pound notes is your most useful tool.
- Pay in pounds and avoid street changers. Decline dollar conversion on cards and ATMs, and change money only at banks, ATMs or your hotel, never on the street.
Staying connected
Will my phone work here? And what will it cost?
Good in Cairo, the Nile cities and the Red Sea resorts, and along the main tourist routes, thinning out in the deep desert. The networks are Orange, Vodafone, Etisalat and WE, with wide 4G and some 5G. You can buy a tourist SIM at the airport or in town with your passport, or use an eSIM (Airalo, Nomad, Ubigi), which is simplest for a short trip. Egypt is not in the EU, so European roaming does not apply. You do not need mobile data to pay for anything; cash covers you either way. The cost is where people get caught out, and on most US plans it lands in one of two buckets.
Your plan may already include it
Often, do nothing
Some US plans include slow data abroad at no extra cost. If that is you, the honest move is to leave it alone.
we earn nothing
Or it charges quietly, after the fact
The bill lands later
On pay-per-use plans the cost runs in the background while you travel, and the charge can show up weeks after you are home. Forgetting to switch off data roaming is the classic one. For a week or more, an eSIM is usually cheaper and keeps you in control.
Check what your own carrier charges before the trip, not after.
If an eSIM is the cheaper call, Nomad covers Egypt.
Get your Nomad eSIM for Egypt→(opens in a new tab)we may earn a commissionMedical cover
The one cost with no price tag.
Every other number on this page has a price you can look up. This one does not, and it can be the largest of them all. Most US health plans cover little or nothing once you leave the country, and Medicare covers essentially none of it abroad. A serious illness or injury is paid up front, and a medical evacuation runs from tens of thousands of dollars to past $100,000 if you are remote or an ocean from home.
First, you may not need to buy anything.
A cheap, refundable trip close to home does not need this. And if you are healthy, headed somewhere with good care, and one of the premium cards on the shortlist above already includes emergency medical and evacuation, you may be covered already. Check your card's benefits guide before you buy. Saying that costs us the commission, and it is still the right call.
How much cover matters here
Strong care can sit a long way from where you are traveling and an evacuation is a genuine possibility, so this is one to weigh seriously for a trip here.
If you do want cover, this is what it is for: the evacuation and the up-front hospital bill, the part no card limit is meant to absorb.
Enough for most trips
Faye, or a comparable whole-trip policy
Bundles trip protection with emergency medical, which is enough cover for most travelers on a typical trip.
The deeper end
A dedicated travel-medical plan built for serious care and evacuation abroad
Stronger on medical care and evacuation, for a remote or higher-risk trip where that is the real exposure.
If it happens
Call it first, then call your insurer's 24/7 assistance line, which is what confirms payment and arranges an evacuation. 123 is the ambulance line. 126 reaches the tourist police, who are more likely to speak English.
TrueTripCosts explains the gap and points to options. It does not set your coverage amounts or act as your insurance advisor, and every policy carries its own exclusions, so read them before you buy. Emergency number checked Jul 2026. Confirm the current number before you travel, as local lines can change.
Currency basics
The Egyptian pound, in plain terms.
Quick conversion
Egypt uses the pound (EGP), written LE or E-pound. As a rough mid-2026 guide at about 50 pounds to 1 US dollar, 50 pounds is roughly $1, 100 pounds about $2, and 500 pounds about $10. The rate can move, so check a live converter before you go.
Notes and coins
Pound notes run 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200, with newer polymer 10 and 20 pound notes in circulation. There are small coins, but they are low value. Keep plenty of the small notes: 5, 10 and 20 pounds are the workhorses for tipping.
Cash is king, and tips are constant
Egypt is a cash economy, and tipping (baksheesh) is woven into daily life: a few pounds for the person who helps with a door, a photo, directions or a bag. Carry a thick stack of small notes so you always have something to hand over.
Watch the plus plus
At hotels and tourist restaurants, the listed price is often not the final one: many add a service charge of about 12% plus tax of around 14%, the plus plus, at the bottom of the bill. Street food and local spots usually just charge the price shown.
Real exchange rate
What your money is really worth here.
This is the mid-market rate, the one the banks trade at and the yardstick every other rate is measured against. Your card lands a little below it, and if a screen ever offers to bill you in dollars, that is worse again. So this is the number to expect, and how you spot a bad one.
1 US dollar is about 50.72 EGP
Taxes, tips and refunds
A service charge on top, tips everywhere, and no easy refund.
Egypt has no European-style per-night tourist tax, but two money habits shape your trip. First, at hotels and tourist restaurants the listed price is often not the final one: many add a service charge of about 12% plus tax of around 14% (VAT, sometimes with a small local levy), the so-called plus plus, at the bottom of the bill, so budget above the sticker at mid and upscale places. Street food and local spots usually just charge the marked price. Second, tipping (baksheesh) is everywhere: small amounts for almost any help, so carry a stack of small notes. There is no easy tourist refund on everyday spending, so do not count on claiming tax back. And always pay in pounds, changing money only at banks, ATMs or your hotel, never with a street changer.
Fees and taxes to double-check
The numbers most likely to change.
These are the fees and taxes that move on political timelines, so we track each one on its own. Every line shows the amount, whether it is in effect yet, the date we last checked it, and a primary source where a clean one exists.
Egypt tourist visa (30-day, US citizens)
about 25 to 30 dollars single entry, as an e-visa on the official portal or on arrival
In a hurry? A private service can prepare and file this visa for a fee on top of the official cost above, which stays the cheaper route.
File it faster with RushMyTravelVisa→(opens in a new tab)we may earn a commissionBefore you book: passports, the six-month rule and whether you need a visa. Not a US citizen, or connecting through Europe? The rules can differ, and even a layover can need its own visa. See our passports and visas guide →
Watch out for
The small traps that catch first-timers.
Tipping
Baksheesh: small amounts, and often.
Tipping in Egypt, called baksheesh, is a genuine part of daily life, so the trick is to carry lots of small notes and give little and often. At restaurants, a service charge of around 12% is frequently already on the bill; if it is, a little extra for good service is enough, and if it is not, around 10% is normal. Beyond meals, small tips smooth almost everything: a few pounds for a porter, a helpful doorman, someone who gives directions or watches your shoes, a driver, or a guide (guides and Nile cruise crews are tipped more generously, often at the end). Have 5, 10 and 20 pound notes ready, since you will reach for them many times a day, and a card is no substitute.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do I need cash in Egypt?
Yes, cash is essential. Cards work at hotels, malls and upscale restaurants, but markets, taxis, street food, small shops and the constant tips all run on Egyptian pounds. Bring a no-foreign-fee debit card as your main tool, pull pounds from bank ATMs, and always keep small notes for baksheesh.
Should I pay in Egyptian pounds or US dollars?
Pounds for daily life. If a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in US dollars, decline; that conversion adds roughly 3 to 8%. A few small, clean dollar or euro notes can be handy for tipping guides or on a Nile cruise, but change money only at banks, ATMs or your hotel, never on the street.
How much should I tip in Egypt?
Often and in small amounts. At restaurants, check for a service charge (about 12%) already on the bill; if it is there, a little extra is enough, and if not, around 10% is normal. Beyond that, a few pounds smooths almost any help, and guides and cruise crews are tipped more generously. Carry lots of 5, 10 and 20 pound notes.
Why is my hotel or restaurant bill higher than the listed price?
The plus plus. Hotels and tourist restaurants often add a service charge of about 12% plus tax of around 14% to the price shown, so the total lands higher. Street food and local spots usually just charge the marked price, and some booking-site room rates already include the extras.
What is the best ATM to use in Egypt?
A bank ATM, such as National Bank of Egypt, Banque Misr, CIB or QNB. Read the fee, take a good amount while a machine is working since some run out of cash, and always decline the US-dollar conversion. Avoid street money changers entirely.
Is Egypt cheap for US travelers right now?
Yes, relatively. The pound lost a lot of value after Egypt floated it in 2024, so for visitors changing dollars, meals, taxis and many services are inexpensive. Prices in pounds can still climb with inflation, so check a live converter, but your dollar generally stretches a long way.
What it really costs
What you'll really spend in Egypt.
Your flights if you want them counted, your room, your on-the-ground spending, the two fees most US cards add without telling you, and Egypt's tourist tax. One number, nothing waiting on the statement. No bank to pick, no sign-up, nothing saved.
Optional. Enter your round trip fare per traveler to fold flights into the total.
In Egypt, plan for about $0.
Realistically somewhere between $0 and $0.
Whether at an ATM or a card terminal in a shop or restaurant, always choose to be charged in the local currency, not dollars. Paying in dollars (called dynamic currency conversion) lets the machine set its own, worse, exchange rate on top of any fee.
Rough guide, not a quote. The percentage here is a blended stand-in for a typical US card's foreign fee, not your exact rate. The real number moves with the card you carry: one no-foreign-fee card can cover both sides, while a plain rewards credit card only removes the fee on what you buy, and cash still costs a little unless that card also waives ATM and foreign-cash fees. A debit card, or accepting the "pay in dollars" (dynamic currency conversion) offer at a till or ATM, can push it higher. Rates checked Jun 2026 and rounded.
How this estimate is built
These are the assumptions behind the number. Change the room price, nights, travelers, or travel style above, and every line here moves with them.
- Hotel
- Daily spending
- Flights
- Cash vs card
- ATM withdrawals
- Foreign fee
- The range
- Tourist tax
Not sure which card to bring? See my pick for Egypt.
Already carry a card with no foreign transaction fee? Then you are set for Egypt, and can skip this. There is nothing to buy.
Egypt leans on cash more than its reputation suggests, so the card that earns its place is a fee-free ATM debit card, with a no-foreign-fee credit card for hotels and bigger spots. If you are getting one, this is the pairing I would pick. We earn nothing on these today. Always confirm the current fee with the issuer before you apply. Checked Jun 2026.
Schwab refunds worldwide ATM fees with no cap, the standout for pulling cash abroad. Opening it also opens a linked Schwab brokerage account, though you never have to fund or invest it.
No foreign transaction fee
No foreign transaction fee
Want one account that holds and spends in the local currency? A different job from the three above, and the one I reach for abroad. It is free to open; you can create a virtual card in the app and add it to your phone wallet in minutes, without waiting for the physical card; and you can convert US dollars into the local currency inside the account before you travel, then spend from that balance. Wise uses the mid-market rate plus a small conversion fee (around 0.4% and up), with no flat foreign fee.
The three picks above pay us nothing, and their tags say so. Wise is the only option here that can earn us a commission, and its tag says that too. Paid or not, the pick is still the pick.
Travelers, not touristsA little Arabic goes a long way
A little Arabic goes a long way
A few words and a couple of stories that turn you from a tourist into a guest. A little warmth and curiosity carry a long way in Egypt, in a shop, a cafe, wherever you land.
Say a few words
Tip: the warm greeting is As-salamu alaykum (as-sah-LAM-u ah-LAY-kum), peace be upon you. The reply is wa alaykum as-salam, and Egyptians love hearing a visitor try it.
Know a story
Older than you can imagine
The pyramids and the Sphinx at Giza are around 4,500 years old, so ancient that Cleopatra lived closer in time to us than to their building. Show awe for that depth of history and Egyptians warm to you at once.
Good to know: the pyramids long predate Cleopatra
The boy king
Tutankhamun became pharaoh as a child and died young, all but forgotten, until Howard Carter opened his tomb in 1922 and found its treasures intact. His golden mask is Egypt's most beloved icon.
Good to know: his tomb was found nearly intact in 1922
Where writing began
Egypt is one of the birthplaces of writing, its walls covered in hieroglyphs that stayed a mystery until the Rosetta Stone unlocked them. A little curiosity about the script goes a long way.
Good to know: the Rosetta Stone was the key to hieroglyphsEgypt carries one of the longest continuous civilizations on earth, thousands of years of it. Treating that history with wonder, not just a quick photo, earns real warmth.
No links here, nothing to buy. This part is just to help you travel well.
Sources, and how this guide was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
Changed since last checkRe-checked July 2026. Egypt's standard VAT is 14%, and tourist hotels and restaurants usually add a service charge of about 12% on top, both confirmed still current. There is no European-style per-night tourist tax.
- PwC Worldwide Tax SummariesEgypt's standard VAT rate of 14%
- My Egypt Travelthe tourist police number (126), who are more likely to speak English
Our own judgmentThe 12% service charge and the mix of VAT and small local levies vary by establishment, so the figure here is a typical add-on rather than a fixed rate. The daily cash share, tipping norms and likely ATM behavior are our own estimate from experience, not an official figure.
More money guides in the Middle East
If you are also weighing up nearby destinations, each guide covers cards, cash, ATMs and the fees to expect.
Going deeper on Egypt
The money questions people ask on the ground.
Short, focused answers to the specific things that catch first-timers out in Egypt.
- Do I need cash in Egypt, or can I use cards?Short answer: cash, mostly. Cards work at hotels and upscale spots, but almost everything else runs on cash, including the constant tipping. Here is how to handle it.
- Uber or Careem in Egypt, and the Cairo airport taxi trapEgypt is one of the places where an app quietly solves the problem. Here is which one to install, why the old street cabs are best skipped, and how to get out of Cairo airport without the invented fees.
- Tipping in EgyptTipping in Egypt, called baksheesh, is not an extra: it is woven into daily life. The trick is to carry lots of small notes and give little and often. Here is how much, when, and in what currency.
- Common money scams in Egypt, and what they cost youEgypt is one of the world's great trips, and the hassles that do come up are almost all about money, not danger: overcharging, pressure, and a tip expected for everything. A few calm habits defuse nearly all of it. Here is each trap, what it costs, and how to sidestep it.
This is how Egypt stands today.
Money rules move. We can let you know for free if that changes.