How Much Does It Cost to Travel in Egypt?

As visiting Egypt is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you will want to make sure that while you are in Egypt you can do everything you want to do, and you're prepared for the costs during your time in Egypt.

Below we've listed some of the biggest costs during your travel to Egypt, including international airfare, hotels, entrance tickets to tourist attractions, and food, to help you plan ahead and make sure you don't have to worry about money when you are there.

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International Airfares to Egypt

Your biggest expense when it comes to visiting Egypt will be your international airfare. Depending on whether you're traveling during the high season (this is usually December and January when temperatures are lower than in the summer), are booking your tickets far enough in advance, or whether you're open to having a stop-over on your way to Egypt, we've listed a rough estimate of international ticket prices below.

• From the United States, economy class: around 650–900 US dollars
• From the United States, business class: around 3,000–3,500 US dollars
• From Europe, economy class: around 300–500 US dollars
• From Europe, business class: around 2,500–3,000 US dollars

This of course also depends on where in the United States and Europe you are flying from. Because there aren't direct flights from many cities in the United States, you'll likely be paying a premium to get to New York or a different city with a direct connection to Cairo first.

Suggested reading: How to Plan a 7-Day Egypt Itinerary

8-Day Egypt Essence with Nile Cruise Tour

Egyptian Currency and How Much Spending Money to Bring to Egypt?

The local Egyptian currency is Egyptian Pounds, and 10 Egyptian Pound are equal to approximately 0.4 US dollars at the time of writing (January 2023).

Before your visit to Egypt, it's best to bring some cash in the local currency. Depending on whether you've paid for a lot of things in advance (domestic travel and hotels for example), you might want to bring approximately 300–600 US dollars' worth of cash per person for a week to spend on meals and souvenirs. You can read on to find out more about the costs of entrance tickets and meals to calculate how much you need too.

You can always use an ATM while you are in Egypt, if your bank allows for withdrawals abroad. We recommend checking this with your bank before departure to avoid any unpleasant surprises. There are ATMs in all major Egyptian cities, including Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria for example. If you are traveling to smaller towns, it's best to bring cash before you leave the big cities.

Big hotel chains and international restaurants are also likely to accept international debit and credit cards for payments as they are used to catering to tourists.

Further reading: How to Plan Your First Trip to Egypt — 7 Easy Steps

10-Day Egypt Tour with Red Sea and Nile Cruise

Entrance Tickets to Attractions in Egypt

During your time in Egypt, you will want to make sure you're not caught out by entrance fee prices of the biggest tourist destinations, all of which are ticketed.

We've listed some of the most popular tourist sites in Egypt and their entrance fees per person, so that you can be prepared ahead of your trip. These prices can really add up as a big cost on your trip, especially if you're traveling with the whole family.

• The Pyramids of Giza: 200 EGP or 10.4 US dollars
• Sphinx of Giza: 80 EGP or 5 US dollars
• Karnak Complex: 200 EGP or 10.4 US dollars
• The Luxor Temple: 160 EGP or 10 US dollars
• Valley of the Kings: 100 EGP or 5.2 US dollars
• Tomb of King Tutankhamun: 300 EGP or 14.6 US dollars (on top of Valley of the Kings ticket)
• Hatshepsut Temple: 140 EGP or 8 US dollars
• Abu Simbel: 240 EGP or 12.5 US dollars

Some of the destinations do offer family tickets or discounts for children, students, or those over 65 years old.

Suggested reading: How to Plan a 2-Week Egypt Itinerary

10-Day Romantic Honeymoon in Egypt

Accommodation and Transport in Egypt

When it comes to accommodation, there's a lot of choices across Egypt, depending on what your budget for your stay is. There are lots of budget hotels, but there are also beautiful 5* hotels in all major cities and sea-side towns in Egypt.

Here is a list with an average cost of a room for 2 people in Egypt, from budget through to 5* to help you plan your adventure.

• Average room rate for a budget hotel: 15 US dollars
• Average room rate for a 3* hotel: 90 US dollars
• Average room rate for a 4* hotel: 150 US dollars
• Average room rate for a 5* hotel: 220 US dollars

Tips: The conditions of the hotels in Egypt are usually not at the same level as those in many other countries. If you usually stayed in 4* hotels in your previous trips, you're suggested to book 5* hotels in Egypt for the similar service.

In terms of transport, to travel around cities in Egypt, you can expect relatively low transportation costs. A taxi fare starts at roughly 0.40 US dollars, with 0.30 US dollars added to the fare per 1 kilometer. The subway is really inexpensive. In Cairo, for example, subway tickets cost 5–10 EGP or 0.25–0.50 US dollars per ride.

Domestic flights in Egypt are also relatively inexpensive, and are a good way to save time if you're looking to see Egypt on a tight timeline. From Cairo to Aswan, for example, you can find a 100 US dollar one-way ticket on Egyptair to save some time.

Suggested reading: How to Plan a 3-Week Egypt Itinerary

18-Day Egypt, Israel, and Jordan Tour

Food Costs in Egypt

Egypt offers a huge range of different types of food, and you can choose how much you want to spend eating while you are there. Of course, there will be a big difference between going for a local meal, and having a fancy international dinner at a chain hotel. Local food will be a lot cheaper, while international food and drink is more expensive due to having to be imported into Egypt.

We've listed some prices below to help you compare costs in Egypt to those at home, as well as plan and estimate the cost of food for your trip to Egypt.

• Meal for two at a budget restaurant: 10 US dollars
• Meal for two at a mid-range restaurant: 22 US dollars
• Meal for two at a 5* hotel: 70 US dollars
• A beer: 0.75-2.5 US dollars (depending on whether it's imported or a local beer)
• A Coca Cola: 2 US dollars

At the same time, you are able to save a lot of money eating local meals and visiting the street stalls for food. A foul sandwich for example, which is a traditional Egyptian sandwich with a bean stew, will set you back less than half a US dollar. Avoiding Western-style restaurants is a good way to save money while you are in Egypt.

Further reading: Best Egyptian Foods and Dishes You Have to Try

11-Day Off-the-Beaten-Track Egypt Tour with Visit to Abu Simbel

How Much Does It Cost to Travel in Egypt for a Week?

There are a range of different budget options for your trip to Egypt. If you're thinking of traveling on the lower end of the budget, you can generally get by on around 60–75 USD dollars per day per person not including international airfares to get to and from Egypt. This would add up to approximately 420 to 525 US dollars for a week-long stay in Egypt.

For those traveling on the higher end and looking for a more luxurious experience during their time in Egypt, you'll likely need 150 and 200 US dollars per day per person, or about 1,050–1,400 per person for the entire week.

There is of course also the option to spend even more, as some of Egypt's most luxurious hotel rooms go for approximately 400-500 US dollars per night. This is especially the case when it comes to hotels along the Nile river or on Egypt's beautiful beaches,

9-Day Egypt Tour with Mount Sinai

Which Egyptian Cities are Most Expensive?

There's definitely a difference in prices across Egypt, with some cities being more expensive than others, just like in most other countries.

Cairo, for example, is the most expensive city in Egypt, particularly Zamalek district, which is where most of the foreign embassies are located and you'll find a lot of art galleries. This is where you'll find the most expensive hotels on average. Alexandria is a close runner up, in not only being Egypt's second-most expensive city but also being it's second biggest city.

Some other touristic cities are also getting more expensive, so you can expect to spend more in Luxor and Aswan, as well as cities like Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada.

At the same time, in order to cater to tourists, the seaside cities do also have a lot of high-end options, and in order to see Egypt's most popular tourist sights you can't really escape the fact that you'll be spending more time in the more pricey destinations.