Is Egypt Expensive? Travel Costs & Budget Tips For 2023
IS EGYPT EXPENSIVE? How much does it cost to spend a one-week vacation in Egypt?
Egypt is an amazing country located in the North of Africa. It is a country full of abundance for tourists. It offers beautiful beaches to relax, amazing clear waters for diving, and exceptional historical sights like pyramids and temples.
The good news is that Egypt is one of the cheapest countries to visit. It is cheaper than visiting Europe. Even though the prices have risen recently due to the economic situation in Egypt, it is still a very cheap country to visit.
In this blog post, I will provide you with approximate prices for flight tickets, hotels, food, transportation, and activities so you have a rough imagination of how much it will cost you to visit Egypt. I will also provide you with some tips on how to save some money while in Egypt.
As the owner of this website, I’ve included some recommendations for your trips. When you use the links to make a purchase, I may get a small commission. You will not get charged extra. Full disclosure.
Is Egypt Expensive?
As already mentioned, Egypt is one of the cheaper countries to visit. However, the word expensive is relative as everyone perceives it differently. For one person something can be cheap, for another one expensive.
In any case, if you want to travel and enjoy luxury in Egypt, it can be more expensive, however, if you are fine with the mid-range or you are a backpacker, then Egypt will be very cheap for you.
The biggest cost will be the flight ticket, which also depends on where are you flying from and when. During Christmas time and New Year’s Eve, the flight tickets and accommodation will be more expensive.
So a direct return flight from New York will cost you about $800 but at Christmas time can go over $2000. From Sydney, with one layover can cost you from $1,700 up to $2,500. From Singapore, with one layover it is from $800 up to $1,700. From London, direct flight goes from $500 up to $1300 during Christmas.
If you are going for a week of a beach holiday, it may be cheaper to buy the whole package from a travel agency where you have a flight and an all-inclusive hotel.
Also, if you are going to spend one week in an all-inclusive hotel on the Red Sea, and won’t do any other activities, then it is very cheap. However if you want to travel, visit more cities, and admire the ancient sights, it can cost you more.
Is Egypt expensive for tourists?
If you ask local people who have a minimum wage not changed for years, they will tell you that Egypt is very expensive. The reason is that the prices of food, petrol, and everything have been rising, while their wages stayed the same.
However, for tourists, Egypt is a very cheap country, especially transportation and food are very cheap. Therefore you may experience scams in Egypt, especially with taxi drivers that will try to charge you more as a tourist.
Also, many sightseeing, like temples and museums have different prices for Egyptians and foreigners. It is a big difference, however, this amount is still not expensive for tourists.
It is worth mentioning that tourist cities like Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh will be more expensive than Cairo. Especially the restaurants and shops.
How Much Would A 1-Week Trip To Egypt Cost?
It is hard to say how much would a 1-week trip to Egypt cost as it depends on where are you flying from, what type of accommodation you are staying in, what restaurants you are eating, how many tours you go for, and how many cities you are traveling to. Also, the prices of flights and accommodation fluctuate depending on seasonality.
So let’s have a look in detail at how cheap and how expensive your week in Egypt can be.
ACCOMMODATION: How much does it cost to stay in Egypt?
So if you are a backpacker and you are okay with a dormitory-style hostel, then you can get one week for $150 for two people. For a 2* hotel you can pay around $300 per week for a double room with breakfast. If you are into luxury 5* hotels your price will be anywhere from $1k to 7k per week for a double room. This is all in Cairo.
Luxor is very similar, a very basic private room will cost you from $ 120 per week for two people, while 5* hotels can be $2k.
In Hurghada, you can get a nice 5* hotel with all-inclusive for $1-2k per week.
You can also book a package through an agency where you will have an all-inclusive hotel on the Red Sea and a flight for one price. 5* Hotels go from $750 up to $1700 from the UK and starting at $1500 from the USA. Again, it depends where are you flying from.
➡️HERE is an example of UK agency Loveholidays
➡️HERE is an example from the USA using Expedia
TRANSPORTATION: How much does it cost to get around Egypt?
The cheapest way of transport is public transportation where a ticket can cost you less than a dollar. However, it is not good in all cities. For example in Cairo the traffic is very chaotic and busy, so traveling by bus would take a long time, and the metro is packed.
The best and cheapest transportation is Uber or Careem. A short distance in the city center will cost you about $1 and from downtown to Giza Pyramids about $8.
For locals, a taxi is the cheapest but for tourists is not as taxis set up high prices for tourists that you have to negotiate. Read more about Uber in my article here.
If you need to move from one city to another, you can use domestic flights, trains, or a private driver. Also, the Nile cruise is an option where you will not only commute from one city to another but also enjoy your time and do some sightseeing on the way.
A return flight from Cairo to Luxor or from Hurghada to Cairo can cost you about $200. Another option from Cairo to Luxor is by sleeping train where a one-way ticket costs about $100. As the price is similar to the flight, I would not bother.
There is also a day train, apparently, they don’t sell tickets to foreigners, so you can buy it online and it will cost you around $10 to $15.
You can also book a driver, from Cairo to Luxor it costs about $300 for two people. From Hurghada to Cairo about $150. We used this way of transport with a small child from Hurghada to Cairo. It was about a 5-hour trip, but nice and comfortable.
You can also book a private transfer from Hurghada to Cairo HERE. If you are just one or two people, will be cheaper.
FOOD: How much is a meal in Egypt?
Food in Egypt is delicious and cheap. Especially if you eat in restaurants where locals eat or you buy street food. As of now, you can eat in restaurants in Cairo, Falafel or Foul sandwiches for 8 EGP, which is $0.26. The national food Koshari cost 23-35 EGP, which is $0.74-1.13.
Recommended restaurants by locals are Koshari Abu Tareq, Al Tahrir Koshari, and Tom and Basal where you can eat for these kinds of prices.
If you want to eat in a more luxurious restaurant or famous fast food, the meal will cost you $5-25. Alcohol is more expensive here as Egypt is a Muslim country, and it is not easily available like in the Western world.
TOURS: How much is a trip to the Pyramids?
When you are in Egypt you want to take some tours, explore the history, do some sightseeing, and experience different cultures. You can visit some of the temples or Great Pyramids by yourself, paying only the entrance ticket and your transportation.
Or you can book a guided tour where you will be picked up from your hotel, you will receive a detailed explanation about the monuments and places you are visiting and you will be also taken back to the hotel. Some tours include lunch. It is a bit more expensive, but hassle-free with a lot of information.
The entrance ticket to the Giza Plateau is 360EGP, around $11. Entrance inside any of the pyramids is not included and is paid extra. To enter the Great Pyramid of Giza you pay 600 EGP, around $19.
The guided tour to the Giza Plateau will cost you $30+, depending on what other activities are included.
Entrance to Luxor Temple is 260 EGP, around $8. To take a shared tour with some other temples included, you would pay around $20 and if you want a private tour, they start at $44. The tours include some other sights, not just Luxor Temple.
OVERALL: How much spending money do you need for a week in Egypt?
So let’s say you are someone who is on a budget, stays in the cheapest hotels or hostels, eats in the local restaurant, comes to Cairo to see the pyramids, and the Grand Museum, and goes to Luxor to see a few more temples all by yourself without a tour.
One week would cost you around $200. Flight ticket from and to your home destination is not included.
The same week for someone who stays in luxury hotels, eats in nicer restaurants, uses private transfers, and takes tours would cost around $2500. This is with the expensive luxury hotels.
You can also choose the middle way, stay in mid-range hotels, and sometimes eat in local restaurants and your spending will be like $1000.
Tipping Etiquette In Egypt
Egypt is about tipping and tipping is actually essential. Everybody in Egypt is expecting tips as most people live from the tips. Salaries in Egypt are not very high.
Let’s see some exact cases of tipping. For a bill in a restaurant or cafe, you should tip around 10-15% of your bill. When you are buying food on the street, leave some small change to the seller.
Taking Uber or a taxi that is not ripping you off and you are happy with his service, please tip him around 50 EGP. Tour guides who spend the whole day with you deserve a minimum of 100 EGP.
Don’t forget to tip the cleaners in your hotel room. We always left some bakshish on the bed for them. Also, the hotel porter who takes your luggage should get a tip. If some people are nice to you and help you with something, you can tip them with small bakshish. Some can take it, and some refuse it.
Egypt is a very cheap country for foreigners, while expensive for many locals. By tipping the hard-working people you help them to survive another day.
Tips For Egypt On A Budget
If you want to go to Egypt on a budget, check out these tips.
1. Eat like a local
As I mentioned before, food in Egypt is very cheap even after the prices increased. When you eat in local restaurants and street food like the locals, you will save a good amount of money.
2. Use public transportation
If you can, use public transportation, it is the cheapest way of transport in Egypt. If it is not possible, use Uber or Careem.
3. Stay in the budget accommodation
The type of accommodation you choose will determine most of your cost in Egypt. You can choose budget hotels or hostels for $10 per night instead of mid-range hotels for $70 or $300+ for luxury hotels per night.
4. Make friends with locals
Having local friends is always a good thing as they will show you around, give you tips on where to eat for less, where to go, what is free, etc. Also if they go with you, no one will try to scam you and you will be charged for souvenirs and taxis like a local.
5. Travel during the off-season
Traveling during the off-season is cheaper than traveling during the peak season. Prices of flight tickets and accommodations are cheaper.
6. Haggle the price
When shopping on the markets or taking taxis or anything else where there is no fixed price, always haggle the price. Almost everything in Egypt is negotiable.
Visiting Egypt: FAQs
So now you know how cheap Egypt is and how much money you will approximately need for a one-week stay. For more questions, check the FAQs below.
Is $100 a lot in Egypt?
In the past $100 was quite a lot of money, however, these days it is not so much. The average salary in Egypt is now $145. With the increasing prices of living, it is not much money to live for one month.
Is Egypt cheaper than Turkey?
Egypt is cheaper than Turkey. Egypt is one of the cheapest countries to visit.
How safe is Egypt for tourists?
Egypt is very safe for tourists. As anywhere else, you should avoid walking on empty streets at night, don’t be naive, and don’t trust easily. Do your research and use common sense. For women, it is advised to dress modestly while visiting Egypt.
There is a part of the Sinai Peninsula where tourists are not advised to go as it is flagged as a red zone due to the possibility of the presence of terrorists. Other than that, the rest of Egypt is a safe country.
Conclusion: Is Egypt Expensive?
As you can see Egypt is not expensive. The holiday here is very affordable for Westerners and is up to you whether you choose the budget, average, or luxury holiday in Egypt.
Many people return to Egypt every year, just because it is a cheap country that they can afford. They do enjoy a week of all-inclusive holiday on beautiful beaches and do some other activities.
