Staying in Cairo is a must for every Egypt trip. Not only is it the perfect base for exploring the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), but it’s also the cultural and administrative capital of the country. But is Cairo expensive to visit? And how much should you set aside for a week in Egypt’s capital?
In this article, we will dive into the daily and weekly expense for a visit to Cairo. We will take into account costs for transportation, accommodation, food, acitivities and souvenirs. Furthermore, we will provide a detailed breakdown for how to stay within your budget in Cairo on a low budget, a mid-range budget and a high budget.
Key Takeaways
- Transportation in Cairo is affordable, with rides costing between 2 and 300 EGP depending on the mode and distance.
- Accommodation options vary widely, ranging from budget hostels at $10 per night to luxury hotels costing up to $250 per night.
- Food prices range from inexpensive street meals costing 10 to 50 EGP to upscale sit-down dinners priced between 1,000 and 2,000 EGP.
- Activities span from free or low-cost visits at 0 EGP to guided tours and Nile cruises costing up to $150 per person.
- Souvenirs can be purchased for as little as 10 EGP, with prices reaching up to 500 EGP in official stores and boutiques.
- Key Takeaways
- Is Egypt Expensive to Visit? A Look at the Numbers
- Expect to Pay This in Cairo: A Quick Overview
- How Much Does a One Week Trip to Cairo Egypt Cost?
- 5 Ways to Save Money on Your Egypt Trip
- The Bottom Line
- Frequently Asked Questions
Is Egypt Expensive to Visit? A Look at the Numbers
After a short COVID break, the Egyptian tourism industry resumed its upwards trajectory, attracting more and more tourists each year. A recent report by the Egyptian State Information Service suggests that the country will have welcomes close to 18 million tourists by the end of 2025. Between those, Egypt welcomes all sorts of tourists from resort and cruise tourists to backpacker, budget travelers and digital nomads.
Additionally, the Arabic Gulf Business Insight reports that the average tourists spent about $97 (83€) per day during their stay in the country in 2024. For comparison, according to the European Commission the average European tourist usually spends closer to $150 (130€) per night on a trip abroad. This would make an Egypt trip about 42 % cheaper than the average foreign holiday – at least from the perspective of a European.
It is no secret that visiting Egypt can save you quite a lot of money, especially if you do it right. But why is visiting Egypt considered cheap in the first place? Some factors for the lower tourism spending in Egypt are the relatively cheaper cost of living in Egypt, the chance for big discounts during off-season and the recent devaluation of the Egyptian Pound.
Due to an ongoing economic crisis, the Egyptian government has been forced to devalue the local currency, the Egyptian Pound (EGP or le) repeatedly. While $1 still equalled about 15 EGP in the beginning of 2021, the same $1 now gets you a little less than 50 EGP. This devaluation far outruns local inflation, meaning that tourists now get a lot more for their money when visiting Egypt and converting foreign currency.
Expect to Pay This in Cairo: A Quick Overview
When visiting Egypt, the average trip costs about $97 a day. At least, that’s what the statistics say. In reality, your expenses in Egypt are largely down to how you travel. Resort and cruise tourism in places such as Sharm El-Sheikh accounts for a much higher daily spend in Egypt, while independent travelers often spend considerably less than the average.
This hold true especially in the case of Cairo, the capital city, where competition is intense and offers at almost any price point exist. For a start, get familiar with typical tourism expenses such as transportation, accommodation, food, activities and souvenirs ordered by travel budgets by checking out this table:
| Category | Low Budget | Mid-Range Budget | High Budget |
| Transportation | 2 EGP to 10 EGP per ride(metro rides and local mini buses) | 25 EGP to 50 EGP per ride (mix of metro rides and connecting Ubers an InDrives) | 50 EGP to 250 EGP (Ubers and InDrives) |
| Accommodation | $10 (9€) to $20 (17€) per night (cheap hotels and hostels) | $50 (43€) and $175 (151€) per night (boutique hotels) | $100 (87€) up to $250 (217€) per night (luxury hotels during low season) |
| Food | 20 EGP to 50 EGP per meals (street stalls and koshary restaurants) | 100 EGP to 200 EGP per meal (local restaurants) | 1,000 EGP to 2,000 EGP per meal (sit-down dinner) |
| Activities | 0 EGP to 20 EGP per person and activity (visiting free attractions) | 250 EGP to 500 EGP per person and activity (entrance fees) | $50 (43€) and $150 (130€) per person and activity (guided tours and Nile cruises) |
| Souvenirs | 10 EGP to 50 EGP for a small souvenir (vendors or Khan El-Khalili) | 200 EGP to 500 EGP for a small souvenir (official souvenir stores and local boutiques) | 200 EGP to 500 EGP for a small souvenir (official souvenir stores and local boutiques) |
| Overall Daily Budget (est.) | $20 (17€) to $30 (26€) | $80 (69€) to $100 (87€) | $400 (347€) to $500 (433€) |
Please note: In this article, we will list all expenses paid locally in the local currency, the Egyptian Pound (EGP). For your convenience, these are the conversion rates as the time of writing this article: $ 1 USD = 47 EGP; 1 EUR = 55 EGP (last updated: November 21, 2025).
Transportation: From Private Taxis to Public Transportation
Cairo’s public transport system might be hectic, but it’s certainly not lacking options. Not only is Egypt’s capital city full of taxis and mini buses, but it also features Africa’s first metro system. So let’s break down transportation costs in Cairo starting from your arrival at Cairo International Airport.
Airport Transfers
Once you have touched down in Cairo Airport, or Giza Airport, the only viable option to get into Cairo are taxis and Ubers. While taxis are readily available in front of the airport, drivers are notorious for charging excessive fees for relatively short rides into the city center. Instead, we recommend hailing a ride through one of Egypt’s many ridesharing apps such as Uber or InDrive.
A transfer from Cairo Airport (Cairo International Airport) to Downtown Cairo usually costs between 200 EGP and 300 EGP, while transfers from Giza Airport (Sphinx International Airport) are usually a bit more expensive, costing between 500 EGP and 600 EGP.
Uber and InDrive
Within the city limits of Greater Cairo, many of the more popular sights such as the Great Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum and Islamic Cairo and spread out quite far between each other. For easy transfers, most visitors hire taxis through Uber and InDrive, usually costing between 50 EGP and 250 EGP per ride depending on your exact pickup location and destination.
Metro
Alternatively, you can also get around Cairo by metro. In total, the Cairo metro system comprises three lines, that predominantly operate for resident and reach relatively few tourist sites. Still though, you can use the Cairo Metro to travel to Tahrir Square (close to the Old Egyptian Museum) and other districts worth seeing such as Zamalek, Coptic Cairo and the West Bank of the Nile (Giza). A single ticket for the Cairo Metro currently costs 2 EGP.
Mini Buses
Besides taxis and the metro, there is a myriad of mini buses operating all throughout Cairo. Now, Cairo’s mini bus system hardly follow a clear plan, making it extremely hard for tourists to get a hang of it. Still though, we gave it a try – and succeeded.
Our word of advice is: If you want to travel somewhere by mini bus, try to find the corresponding mini bus numbers for your route online. If you can’t find the bus number, identify a larger bus stop on a main road in direction to your destination on Google Maps. Head there and start asking other passengers waiting for the name of your destination. Usually, they will point you in the right direction. A single bus ride in Cairo costs around 10 EGP, depending on the route and the quality of bus you are travelling on.
Accommodation: From Fancy Hotels to Affordable Hostels
In terms of hotels, Cairo really has it all. From the iconic Nile Ritz-Carlton right next to Tahrir Square to affordable stays in Downtown Cairo’s hotel dorms to even cheaper hidden hotels in the depths of Giza’s urban sprawl, this is what you can expect to spend on hotels during your stay in Cairo, starting from the most expensive of places.
Luxury Hotels
Are you heading to Cairo for a romantic getaway or even a honeymoon? Luckily for you, there is no shortage of luxury hotels in and around Cairo. In fact, Cairo is home to some of the most luxurious hotels of the country, beating out many of the internationally renowned resorts along the shores of the Red Sea.
Some of Cairo’s best luxury hotels are the famous Nile Ritz-Carlton right next to Tahrir Square in Downtown Cairo, The St. Regis Cairo, The Four Seasons Cairo (At First Residence and Nile Plaza), the Sofitel and the Sheraton. As you can see, international hotel chains dominate the luxury sector, bringing with them internationally known services standards, amenities and central locations and equally international prices.
An overnight stay in one of these hotels can cost you from $100 (87€) up to $250 (217€). Note that prices can vary a lot for luxury hotels, with some nightly tripling or even quadrupling. during peak season.
| Name of Hotel | Why to Stay Here | Rating on Booking.com | Price per Night |
| The Nile Ritz-Carlton | conveniently located, view of the Nile River, in-hotel restaurants | 8.8 / 10 | from $200 |
| The St. Regis Cairo | outstanding breakfast, high-end service, great location | 9.5 / 10 | from $216 |
| The Four Seasons Cairo | comfortable rooms, high-end service, view of the Nile River | 8.6 / 10 | from $225 |
| Sofitel Cairo | quiet location, view of the Nile River, great in-hotel restaurants | 8.5 / 10 | from $150 |
| Sheraton Cairo | outstanding restaurant service, in-hotel casino, view of the Nile River | 8.8 / 10 | from $117 |
Boutique Hotels
While the glitz and glamour of Cairo does have some perks – excellent service and locations – the price tag of these hotels might be too steep for many – and quite frankly not worth it. You can easily be comfortable and reside in a central location in Cairo without breaking the bank. Take Downtown Cairo, for example, the same district that houses one of the city’s most expensive hotels, the Nile Ritz Carlton.
Just a stone’s throw from this $250-a-night extravaganza, you can find some truly beautiful boutique hotels that will cost you less than half the price of the hotels in the luxury bracket. Some popular boutique hotels close to the city center are the Downtown Antique Hotel, Casablanca Hotel, Numero CINQ , Longchamps Zamalek, the Steigenberger Hotel at Tahrir Square clocking in between $50 (43€) and $175 (151€) per night.
| Name of Hotel | Why to Stay Here | Rating on Booking.com | Price per Night |
| Downtown Antique Hotel | central location, friendly staff, great complimentary breakfast | 9.1 / 10 | from $99 |
| Casablanca Hotel | central location, carefully decorated rooms, breakfast in bed | 8.8 / 10 | from $54 |
| Numero CINQ | conveniently located in vibrant neighbourhood, newly opened, carefully designed interior | 9.3 / 10 | from $110 |
| Longchamps Zamalek | spacious rooms, walkable neighbourhood, friendly staff | 9.2 / 10 | from $200 |
| Steigenberger Hotel | spacious rooms, high-end service, hotel pool and bar | 9.3 / 10 | from $162 |
Cheap Hotels and Hostels
Whenever we visit Cairo, we stray away from luxury and boutique hotels. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with Cairo’s luxury and mid-range hotels. In fact, the opposite is true. There is just so much right with Cairo’s low-budget picks. From a number of affordable hotels right in the heart of the city to some of the cheapest private rooms ever in view of the Great Pyramids, it’s impossible to say no to the deals Cairo offers.
Take the city center, for example. While you could be paying $300 per night at the Sheraton or $40 per night at the Downtown Antique Hotel, you could also be paying just $10 (9€) to $20 (17€) per night to stay at one of these hostels: Dahab Hostel, Villa Layla, Cecilia Hostel, Wake Up! Hostel or Rhala Hostel. Most of these offer a complimentary Egyptian breakfast, while some of them even offer private rooms for the same price, meaning you will save money without sacrificing on comfort.
As for cheap hotels close to the Giza Pyramids, we generally recommend only staying there for an early morning visit to the pyramids as they are very far from all other sights and poorly connected to the rest of Cairo.
| Name of Hotel | Why to Stay Here | Rating on Booking.com | Price per Night |
| Dahab Hostel | very popular, great for connecting with other travellers, rooftop terrace | 8.7 / 10 | from $14 |
| Villa Layla | boutique-style hostel, shaded patio w/ pool, central location | 9.7 / 10 | from $17 |
| Cecilia Hostel | private rooms at great prices, complimentary breakfast, shaded balcony | 9.0 / 10 | from $13 |
| Wake Up! Hostel | affordable private rooms, very close to Egyptian museum, complimentary breakfast | 8.4 / 10 | from $21 |
| Rhala Hostel | smaller hostel with familial vibes, newer rooms with private balconies, complimentary breakfast | 8.9 / 10 | from $13 |
Food: From Fancy Dinners to Local Staples
Without a doubt, Cairo is the culinary capital of Egypt, offering just about any food experience you can wish for. Egypt’s national dish? Sold at every corner. A meal in a local restaurant? You are in for a treat. A romantic sit-down dinner with your partner? You got it. A drink to wash down dinner? You’d be surprised. This is what you can expect from Cairo’s food scene from fancy dinners to banging street food.
Sit-Down Dinners & Drinks
Along the banks of the Nile River and in wealthier districts of the capital city such as Zamalek, Garden City, Maadi and New Cairo, you can find a variety of restaurants serving international cuisine and more elevated renditions of Egyptian and Middle Eastern classics.
Some of the best picks for a sit-down dinner in Cairo, possible with a view of the Nile, are: Abd El Wahab Restaurant in Zamalek, Zitouni Restaurant on the Nile Corniche and Le Petit Chef right on the West Bank of the Nile, each costing between 1,000 EGP and 2,000 EGP.
You’d even be surprised to find that there is quite a few locations around Cairo to wash down your hearty dinner. For an after-dinner drink, we recommend heading to either Café Riche for a glass of beer of wine or Carol Bar for a cocktail. For your drinks, expect to pay between 100 EGP and 400 EGP depending on your choice.
Local Restaurants
All around Cairo, you will find local sit-down restaurants that might be lacking flashy advertising and social media campaigns but certain not flavour. Wandering the streets of Cairo and picking random local restaurants to eat at, is one of the best ways to get to know the Egyptian cuisine – and to save money.
In Downtown Cairo, local restaurants are abundant, cooking up their very own renditions of Egyptian classics such as like lentil soup, molokhia, mahshi, kofta, kebab and stuffed pigeons, often served with a side of rice, baladi bread, salad and tahina.
We are sure that you will easily find a great local restaurant just by wandering around and seeing where the locals eat. If you don’t have much time to explore, however, we recommend heading over to Kazaz in Abdeen, a local classic that serves just about any Egyptian lunch you can imagine, often costing no more than 100 EGP to 200 EGP.
Street Food
Life for the average Cairo citizen is hectic. There is not much time to sit down for food and budgets are limited anyways. As a result, the streets of Cairo a bustling with street stalls selling anything from fresh fruit, snacks and drinks to full meals such as Koshary, Shawarma and Hawawshi, often costing no more than 20 EGP to 50 EGP.
In the mornings, you can even grab full breakfasts for little more than 10 EGP per bowl, consisting of baladi bread, fresh veggies, foul (a fave bean stew)), cream cheese, ta’ameya (Egyptian falafel) and potatoes. If you are hesitant to just grab a plate from a street stall, you can even find many of these Egyptian staple foods in sit-down restaurants that cost just a bit more than their street counterparts.
Koshary Abou Tarek, a multi-story Koshary restaurant in Downtown Cairo, for example, is a local legend that offers a sit-down dining experience while still pacing it Koshary at a very competitive 35 EPG to 50 EGP.
Activities: From Expensive Nile Cruises to (Almost) Free Attractions
When it comes to activities, Cairo is a place that simply keeps on giving. From three separate enormous pyramid complexes, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) to Islamic and Coptic Cairo and nightly Nile Cruises, we can only scratch the surface of all that’s to do in the capital city of Egypt. As listing all of the activities would simply burst the seams of this articles, let’s look at the activities in Cairo sorting by the type of activity from guided tours to independent exploration.
Nile Cruises and Guided Tours
One of the biggest contributors to your travel expenses in Cairo are, without a doubt, tour costs. Guided tours are easily booked through the hotel you are staying at and online services such as GetYourGuide. Day Tours offer convenient access to local tourists sites, archaeological sites and historical sites, covering transportation, a local guide along with food and drinks, leaching you to pay only the entrance fee to the attractions, costing between $50 (43€) and $150 (130€) per person.
Similarly, Nile cruises are frequently offered by hotels, promising a fun evening activity, often including some sort of dinner and drinks, belly dancing or music and views of Cairo at night. If you would like to avoid the hustle and bustle of the city booking tours through your hotel is certainly a great option. However, this way of exploring Cairo also has its downsides.
Tours costs are more often than not based on the quality of hotel you’re are staying at, with nicer hotels charging inflating rates, while the experience itself rarely changes in quality. Additionally, guided tours provide a highly curated experience that fails to capture the essence of the city as you are being ushered from the tour bus to a ticket office, to a monument and back again.
Visit Popular Tourist Sites Independently
While many other travelers and guides might be inclined to tell you, that it’s not possible to explore many tourist sights in Cairo without a guide, the opposite is true. All of Cairo’s archaeological sites, museums and other historical sites are easily reachable without a tour.
For your transportation, simply order an Uber to your intended destination. For food and drinks, bring along snacks or eat at one of the local restaurants located just outside many tourist sites. For the entrance fee, book your ticket online on the Egypt Monuments website, for convenient access. And for explanations, simply follow the signs onsite.
Between rides, food and entrance fee, you will end up paying much closer to 250 EGP to 500 EGP, while not even having to do much more planning than joining a guided tour. Even a Nile cruise doesn’t have to be expensive. Instead of a dinner cruise, book a felucca ride on the Nile. To save even more money, connect with other travelers at your hotel or hostel and share the ride with them. Easy as that.
(Almost) Free Activities in Cairo
While paying less than 500 EGP for a full day of exploration is already great, Cairo even has something in store for the lowest of budgets. In and around Cairo, you can find several tourist that are conveniently located within walking distance of the city center or the Metro network while charging (next to) nothing in entrance fees.
These are some of the best (almost) free activities you can do without spending a lot on public transportation to get there: Tahrir Square (known for thee Egyptian Revolution), the Nile Bridge (great for views of the Nile), Islamic Cairo or Historic Cairo (the Medieval city center comprising several historic mosques and a market), Coptic Cairo (the historical Christian city center comprising historical Christian landmarks such as the Hanging Church) and the Cairo Flea Market in Al-Horreya Gardens in Zamalek (10 EGP entrance fee).
All of these activities will cost you nothing or 20 EGP at most, if you account for the occasional entrance fee and metro ride. Additionally, we can only recommend exploring Cairo independently and visiting other districts around the city such as Abdeen, Garden City, Dock and Heliopolis.
Souvenirs: From Tourist Traps to Back-Alley Gems
Of course, you don’t want to leave Egypt without having bought some souvenirs. So, it’s only right for us to look at where to get souvenirs in Cairo and how much to spend on them before we end this article. These are the best ways to buy souvenirs from overpriced tourists traps to back-alley bargains.
Tourist Traps around Major Tourist Sites
When visiting major tourist sites in and around Cairo, you can expect to be swarmed by vendors offering you souvenirs at seemingly acceptable prices. The sad reality is that many of these vendors are tourist traps. Often times, souvenirs sold around tourist sites are of low quality and sometimes not even produced in Egypt. This is not to say that you can’t buy any souvenirs around tourist sites. It just means that you have to know to rules of the game.
Don’t let yourself be talked into buying something you didn’t plan to buy anyways. Ask for prices from several vendors. Negotiate prices and don’t be afraid to be bold. Souvenirs are way cheaper than you think. Many small souvenirs cost no more than 10 EGP to 50 EGP. And lastly, don’t hesitate to walk away from a bad offer, there is better options to get souvenirs. anyways.
Official Souvenir Stores
If you are not one for back-and-forths and negotiating, you might prefer buying souvenirs in official souvenir store in major tourist attractions. Some tourist attractions in Cairo featuring their own souvenir stores at the Old Egyptian Museum and the Grand Egyptian Museum. There, you will be delighted to find a calm atmosphere and price tags on every article.
From experience, we must admit, however, that these souvenir stores often do not offer the same authentic souvenirs you can find elsewhere. For a true Cairo souvenir sold at a proper store at a fair price, we recommend having a stroll around Abdeen, a lively district with lots of shopping options not far from the Old Egyptian Museum.
In Abdeen, you can find several local businesses and vintage stores offering authentic souvenirs that are made locally and sold at fixed prices. Our personal favourite, Markaz sells anything from local fabrics to jewelry and even tableware that you can’t find anywhere else in Cairo for small souvenirs going for as little as 200 EGP to 500 EGP.
Hidden Gems in Islamic Cairo
Far from its museum stores and shopping street, Cairo holds one more secret to cheap souvenirs. If you have an afternoon to spare, let us introduce you to the most affordable option for buying souvenirs anywhere in Cairo: Islamic Cairo, or more specifically Khan El-Khalili.
Khan El-Khalili is generally known as a historic Mamluk-era bazaar in Islamic Cairo that has functioned as a trade center for hundreds of years. It features all sorts of products from spices to clothing to souvenirs.
Within Khan El-Khalili, you can find a collection of souvenir store enclosed in a single building, offering Egyptian souvenirs from the last decades at great prices. To find this hidden gem, search “Gamal Souvenir Shop” in El-Gamaleya and look for a building with an inner courtyard featuring about a dozen souvenir stores on multiple levels.
How Much Does a One Week Trip to Cairo Egypt Cost?
Considering everything we just talked about, how expensive is a week in Cairo really? We simulated three scenarios for three drastically different budgets to illustrate how much you can spend in Cairo and what each budget will get you:
- Low Budget: Are you a budget traveler? Walk to close-by sites (0 EGP) and use public transportation (10 EGP per ride) whenever possible. Stay in hostels (starting from $10 per night incl. breakfast) and eat local street food (under 50 EGP per meal). For activities, explore independently (prioritise free sights) and buy souvenirs in Islamic Cairo. On a low budget, you can expect to spend around $175 (152€) per week, allowing for a daily budget of $20 (17€) to $30 (26€).
- Mid-Range Budget: Do you like to be comfortable while not breaking the bank? You can easily explore Cairo without stress and not spend any more than $100 (87€) per day. Use a mix of metro and Ubers to get around (approx. 50 EGP per ride), stay in boutique hotels (starting from $50 per night), eat in local restaurants (under 200 EGP per meal), explore independently (only pay entrance tickets) and find authentic souvenirs in Abdeen (up to 500 EGP). This way, you can expect to spend around $630 (547€) per week, equalling to $80 (69€) to $100 (87€) per day.
- High Budget: Are you planning a luxury vacation to Egypt? Then sky is the limit for you. Make the best of your stay in Cairo by lodging in one of the city’s finest hotels (starting from $100 per night), get around by Uber (50 EGP to 250 EGP per ride), enjoy dinner at acclaimed sit-down restaurants (starting from 1,000 EGP) and visit the city’s most renowned sites on guided tours (starting from $50). Accounting for some memorabilia at the, you can expect to spend around $3,150 (2,730€) per week, amounting to about $400 (347€) to $500 (433€) per day.
Still got some budget left after Cairo? Detach from the tourist mass in Cairo by exploring some of Egypt’s best off-the-beaten-path destinations.
5 Ways to Save Money on Your Egypt Trip
In many ways, your Egypt trip is what you make it. From experience we can assure you that you can survive in Egypt on almost any budget, even as little as $10 per day, if not less. As a budget traveler, these are five ways to save money on your Egypt trip:
- Use Local Buses: Spending on Uber and InDrivers in Cairo might seem negligible at first, but trip costs amount fast in a city a big as Cairo. If you are staying in Cairo for a longer time, we highly recommend getting familiar with the local bus system. Local buses not only reach most parts of Cairo and Giza, but also cost only a fraction of a taxi ride, often coming in at just 10 EGP.
- Avoid Taking Domestic Flights: While it might be tempting to take domestic flights to get to faraway places like Luxor or Abu Simbel, we urge you to stay on the ground. Taking a GoBus instead of a flight, not only saves you money, but is also more comfortable than you think. For instance, an overnight GoBus ride from Cairo to Luxor on Business Class costs only 795 EGP, while including large, comfy seats, free drinks and snacks and an entertainment screen.
- Stay in Hostel Dorms: Skip hotels for hostels and save money on accommodation. In Egypt, hostels are by far the cheapest option to stay overnight, often costing no more than 500 EGP while still including breakfast the next morning. Funnily enough, booking a hostel in Egypt not always equals sleeping in hostel dorms. Depending on the city you are in, you might end up with a private room anyways. Privacy and saving money? What more can you wish for?
- Eat Street Food: When saving money on food in Egypt, street food will become your best friend. Street food sold at street stalls often costs little more than 20 EGP to 50 EGP while still filling you up for some hours. One of Egypt’s staple foods in specific, Koshary, is the budget traveler’s best friend, filling you up with carbs for less than 50 EGP – even in sit-down restaurants.
- Explore Independently: Hearing stories about Egypt or researching about the country online, you might think that there is no way around booking tours in Egypt. But that’s not true. With the right preparation you can visit just about any tourist site in Egypt without a tour and save lots of money along the way. Additionally, you can consider getting tourists passes such as the Cairo Pass.
Whereto next? You cannot end your Egypt trip without visiting the Sinai Peninsula. Find out why in our in-depth article on the best activities on the Sinai Peninsula.
The Bottom Line
After accounting for transportation, accommodation, food, activities and souvenirs, we can confidently say that Cairo is not expensive to visit. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We would even dare to say that Cairo is one of the cheaper places to visit in Egypt, if you do it right.
Whether it comes to your place for the night or your daily activities, you budget for Cairo is completely up to you. From spending well over the average daily cost of $97 to spending less than $10 a day, in Cairo everything is possible. Follow our advice to make your travel expense in Cairo fit your budget just right and make the best of your time in Egypt. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a meal cost in Cairo?
While street food can be as cheap as 20 EGP, local restaurants charge between 100 EGP and 200 EGP depending on your meal. For a sit-down dinner in a fancier or international restaurant, you should plan with paying anywhere between 500 EPG and 1,000 EGP and upwards, depending on your choice.
Is Cairo expensive as a tourist?
No, Cairo is not an expensive city to visit for tourists. However, Cairo can be expensive, if you want it to be. The cost of your stay in Cairo is very much dependant on your choices for transportation, accommodation, food, activities and souvenirs.
How much does a 7 day trip to Egypt cost?
According to Arabic Gulf Business Insight, the average tourists spent about $97 (83€) per day during their stay in the country in 2024. For a one-week trip, this would be a total cost of $679. If you are travelling on a budget, you can also travel for significantly less money than that.
How safe is Cairo for tourists now?
Cairo is considered generally safe for tourists. While online sites will point out security risks, travellers overwhelmingly report feeling safe in Cairo and the rest of Egypt. The biggest evil of Cairo seem to be unofficial sellers around tourists site harassing tourists and trying to scam them with inflated prices.
Wadi Tribe 