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There are a lot of destinations that get popular for being… super cheap! Yet somehow, I find myself finding that is truly not the case in 2026.
Maybe 10-15 years ago, some countries deserved the hype for “cheap” destinations, but that always begs the question, “based on whose income”…
Anyway, Egypt actually delivers when it comes to affordability, even if that changes slowly there as well.
After spending about 7 days in Egypt back in November, I tracked every purchase, and expense and I am ready to report.
I mostly covered some of the most popular locations including Cairo (which I must admit I was a bit scared of to start with and had some serious concerns to travel to on my own), Luxor and Hurghada. The latter is famous for scuba diving which is also the main reason I added it to the list.
Before I dive deeper into the what and how, a little disclaimer. As with any country, you can go on a budget or run wild. But if you are looking for a place that can deliver with little money, then Egypt might just be a good choice.
📲 Best eSIM for Egypt: The easiest way to stay connected in Egypt is with an eSIM you install before departure. I tested several options. Use my code BACH20 for 20% off with Superalink
🚖 Airport Tip: Skip the bargaining with taxi drivers and book your Cairo airport transfer in advance with Welcome Pickups. For under $30 you’ll have peace of mind and comfort.
🗺️ Navigation: Download Google Maps and Uber before landing — they’re essential for getting around Cairo.
🏺 Best Tours:
There are so many organized tours that are affordable and worth your time. Here are just a few of my favorites.
- Diving in Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh or Dahab.
The cost of accommodation in Egypt and what to expect
Before traveling to Egypt, I read traveler accounts a lot more than I usually do. Accommodation came up time and time again, as a sore spot that could cause trouble, both in terms of money but also safety.
Even though, I’ve travelled solo in a container ship, have gone WWOOFing to volunteer in New Zealand and even lived in the Middle East growing up, Egypt was always a place that felt like things could go wrong.
For that, I was quite glad to have male co-travelers on the trip and based on my experience it wouldn’t be my first choice as a solo female traveler in the future either.
So, what can you expect when booking hotels in Egypt? In my experience, it’s a bit of all or nothing and the price will reflect that.
There are very basic hotel rooms in Cairo that seem sketchy (and possibly are) that will set you back about $20-$30 a night. But you will need to sacrifice some amenities. On the other hand, a last minute stay in one of the luxury hotels near the Giza Pyramids could be upwards of $300 a night.
The word on the street (aka reviews) is that the fancy high priced hotels, are really closer to a mid-range hotel in other countries, but with a higher price tag.
Here are a few things that I learned about booking hotels in Egypt in general.
- Never trust the reviews. This is true for both the good and the bad. Good reviews might be fake. But bad reviews might also be fake. The location might also not be 100% correct and if you arrive late it might be better to plan ahead with transport.
- Carry cash. Most of the hotels I found on Booking.com, had small print that said you need to pay cash on arrival. Even more strangely at the time of our visit, it couldn’t be paid in Egyptian Pounds but only USD. Apparently, only Egyptians can pay in Egyptian pounds. Having said that, we paid in Egyptian pounds for at least one hotel without issue so experiences may vary here.
- Taper expectations: After a few less favorable experiences, I would say that a clean room with a working AC was enough to make us happy. If you expect paying peanuts for being treated like a king, you will want to up your budget.
- Smoking indoorsThis is more of a country wide issue, and as a smoker I am not that fussed about it, but even then it is noticeable. Egypt is still very smoke friendly (cigarettes) and so you might get a lot of people smoking inside the building or in the rooms. If that is something that really bothers you, I would suggest booking hotel chains during your stay as you might be disappointed with the budget accommodation.
- Hotels will dissapear from the list and reappear: Based on the knowledge of a local driver we had for a few days, a lot of these hotels are not exactly legal. Meaning, they often appear on booking sites, then get taken down, then reappear with a different name, etc. You might also find yourself booking one hotel, arriving and then being told you are to go in a sister hotel down the road.
Even though our experiences were not terrible on that front, I would recommend a strong dose of “being ready for everything”. This includes cash, arriving early during the day and having a back up plan just in case.
- Can you stay in a hotel as an unmarried couple? This is one of the questions that comes up a lot, and even catches some people by surprise. The question it seems is a bit of grey area. If you are a foreign couple staying in a modern or more touristy high end hotel, then you should be fine. Egyptian couples that are unmarried or Muslim couples from other countries, might be turned down.
Let’s talk specifics.
This hotel, Rehana Pyramids Hotel, just opposite the pyramids has a solid 8.4 on Booking and was about $30 dollars with breakfast for one night. At the moment, (February 2026) it is listed for $80-$170 per night for the following week. I would consider the $30 we paid a steal but the high season price is less nice!
The breakfast with a view in the morning was great and the room was actually large and comfortable. Plus, the AC worked which even in November is much needed. On the other hand, you need to sacrifice a few things. It will smell like camel poop once you walk outside, and it will feel like you are in a construction site when moving to other rooms, or to walk to the terrace.
I also booked another hotel near Tahir Square for the three men in the group before I arrived, whose reviews were sooo bad it made me question whether they should step foot in there. Somehow though it ended up being okay, if not a bit noisy all for the price of $60 for 3 nights for 3 people. And yeah.. the hotel is no longer on Booking.com
How much do good hotels cost in Egypt?
I would estimate at least $200 a night or more if you are looking for a good hotel.
My experience is contrary to what I saw and still see listed on other blogs, which claim that a “good” room is as little as $20 and a high end room is $100.
The prices when I looked back in November were closer to $200 for most of the nicer hotels in Cairo and a quick search for February (still high season) reveals the same.
As a test, here are prices for 1 night in downtown Cairo in five of the most popular chain hotels plus the famous Mariott Mena House near the pyramids.
Prices are in USD and were checked in the end of January for a Tuesday night stay. I chose their cheapest room option without breakfast (if that added extra cost).
| Hotel | Price For 1 Night |
| Marriott Mena House, Cairo | $928 |
| Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski Cairo | $242 |
| Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile | $261 |
| The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo | $490 |
| Hilton Cairo Grand Nile | $290 |
| InterContinental Cairo Semiramis by IHG | $307 |
I am aware that early February is still very much considered high season in Egypt, and prices do begin to go down after March, but this is one side of the accommodation cost that is not talked about as much and I wanted to make sure it is obvious that yes, there are very expensive options, more so, or equally to other countries.
Plus, the service, amenities and overall experience is not usually equivalent to a 4 or 5* star hotel in other countries.
You can chose to travel outside that time, but do be prepared if you are planning a January or February trip to Egypt, when the weather is mild. After all, it is the most popular time of year to visit.
What about hostels or budget accommodation options?
Even here, I will push back and say that some of the advertised cheap options are not as cheap anymore, or during the high season. I saw the Australian Hostel in downtown Cairo advertised as a good $10 option, but prices for February at the moment are closer to $40 for a double room. Definitely not expensive, but not enough to budget $20 per day either!
Note: Prices in locations like Egypt do change fast. Inflation or tourism demand might fluctuate during the year, so don’t assume that everything is super cheap, unless you’ve confirmed with people that have visited in the past month. This was my issue during my latest trip to Turkey a few years ago as well, which I had visited so many times before, and I still got flabbergasted at the price of attractions.
At the end of this article, you’ll find a total breakdown of everything I paid for 7 days in Egypt so you can compare and estimate your true budget for Egypt.
Cost of transportation in Egypt
Unless you are planning to stay in one location, then you’ll want to consider how to get around.
There are four main ways to do that: flying, train (for some locations), bus, and driving.
I would remove driving from the list, due to a variety of reasons. Bad roads, weird driving behavior and extra unnecessary stress with rentals.
What I would consider instead, is a private driver transfer to and from a certain location. Depending on your ability to do a deal, that might work out a lot cheaper than expected.
My three companions did just that before I arrived, an almost 6 hour return drive from Cairo to Alexandria, plus driving in and around the city’s attractions for a full day, which set them back $100 divided across 3 people. Not bad at all!
The other options are more straightforward.
- Flying: The fastest and easiest way to cover some ground, especially if you are short on time. You can fly domestically to most of the major tourist hubs, including Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. Prices seem to be generally affordable if you book in advance so this is a good option.
- Train: Trains are mostly for Cairo-Alexandria and then from Cairo – Luxor – Aswan. The latter has a ton of good reviews (and some bad) from travelers, as very scenic, especially if you take the first class or sleeper class option. With that said, I have no experience taking the train. Prices can be higher than a flight ($90-$130 per night for a private cabin).
- Bus: The bus was… interesting. But also very useful and I would still choose it as the best value for money option. There are frequent bus routes to and from most locations and a lot of overnight buses as well that depart from Cairo to Luxor so you don’t spend money on a hotel room! I paid $34 for 2-people for the overnight Elite Business Class route from Cairo to Luxor that took about 10hours. There are a few popular companies and we went with Go Bus Egypt.
What about taxis in Egypt?
Here, I have an issue with other blogs as well. Taxis in Egypt are not just a couple of dollars. At least not when you look like a tourist. Or at least not in 2026.
Without sounding like a constant complainer, it is truly a game of whack a mole. It didn’t piss me off as much as entertained me, but it would be a lie to call it simple and easy.
The issue with Uber
The main issue with Uber in Egypt is that it’s not treated like Uber usually functions. Instead, drivers will accept a ride and instantly text you. It is almost like they have magic powers, to always be texting while driving. They will want to confirm where you are going (your hotel) and then start bargaining for a price. If Uber estimated 50 Egyptian Pounds for the route, they will quote 300 or 400. If you counter with 300 they might accept, or they might just cancel the ride.
This could happen again and again and again… until you either give up, or you find a driver that feels generous on the day.
This wasn’t so much an issue in but it was huuuuge in Luxor. At some point, we honestly thought we would have to walk from the bus station to our hotel, since not only did every Uber cancel on us, but a huge line of locals, and taxi drivers had pulled in where we were and were fighting on whether Uber drivers are legal or who should take us and for what amount of money.
The “taxi” drivers were telling us that the Uber drivers are scams, the Uber drivers were texting us to walk further down to avoid the taxi drivers. All very… hectic.
To add insult to the injury, you should not by any means expect to be able to use your card to pay for the Uber. You better have some cash ready, and also offer something extra at the end.
A few times, we were also quoted one price, then it slightly got bigger at the end.
Or they wanted a bit of baksheesh (tipping) which is a whole other category you should read about.
If this all sounds very overstimulating, it is. Especially if you are tired, grumpy, sweaty, hungry and annoyed. But alas, it can also make for some interesting moments if you approach everything with a bit of patience.
So, how do you overcome this issue?
You can ask the hotel to call and book a taxi driver for you (yes, you will 100% pay extra) or go through the drama, find a driver you like, get his number (he’ll ask you first) and then call him when you need a ride. This is exactly what we did in all of the locations we stayed in.
So, how much are taxis?
It really depends on how much Arabic you speak, and how well you negotiate. Most taxi routes should cost less than a few dollars, but you’ll usually end up paying $3-$10.
Cost of food in Egypt
The food was one of the things I was most looking forward to in Egypt and, with a few exceptions, it didn’t disappoint. It also has the potential to be extremely affordable, but again, I would say that eating where locals do, and being with a local, will drastically change the price you see at the end.
In terms of the classic meals, similar to some Arab countries, you’ll get a lot of hummus and falafel, but the hummus for me was different than, say, Lebanon or Jordan. It is a bit thicker. You also can’t skip the staple bread that comes with every meal or is sold in bakeries all around the streets. And of course, ful! I became quite fond of this fava bean dip like paste, that is mushy and flavored with olive oil and salt.
These measures (with a local) can be as low as a few dollars, but for us it was at times much higher.
In hotels, a typical breakfast includes falafel, eggs, some tomatoes, olives, and dips like hummus, as well as bread (aish baladi). In Hurghada, the price to add on breakfast at AJIRA Bay Hotel Hurghada Marina, was about $9 (with coffee and juice), which reflects the adjusted prices for hotels and tourist spots. Here is the hotel we stayed at in Hurghada, which I found great for what we needed.
For lunch and dinner, we usually opted for local hangout spots when we could find them. Usually, the less put together they look, the better they are. The issue here is that they are not exactly on Google Maps, so it might take a bit of walking around to find them.
Most of the actual restaurants you see advertised are a lot more expensive, or at least comparable to what you would pay in some European countries.
One of my favorite restaurants was Al Shahaby Lane (in Luxor), where we went twice and paid about $70 total, without alcohol, for four people to eat very well. The place is popular, and you need to walk up 8 flights of stairs… even if they say there are no tables up at the rooftop, which they usually do to keep you down.
Some of the most expensive meals we had were in Hurghada, in the marina restaurants by the waterfront that cater to tourists. Despite knowing better, I thought we would try them a few times. While I can’t complain about a $13 surf and turf, the quality of the food is average resort style, and alcohol or cocktails were a huge miss in the few places I tried. With a few salads and appetizers, our four-person steak meal came to about $30 per person, or $120 total.
One of my favorite places to eat was also in Hurghada, furthest from the marina. It is not on Google Maps, but you can find it on this corner. The meat wraps were delicious, and we got a ton of sauces, salad, bread, and some soup and appetizers to try, which came to a total of $25 for four people, including soft drinks. The sign outside says El Hatee Grill.
How much to budget for activities in Egypt
Of course, you haven’t come this far to stay in the hotel. Most activities in Egypt are what I would term mid-range.
Some of the must-see or popular options you will likely want to visit are:
The New Museum in Cairo: approx. $20–30
The Giza Pyramids (general entry): approx. $15
(additional tickets apply for entering pyramids)
Felucca ride in Luxor: approx. $10–30 per person, depending on duration and how much you bargain.
Temple tours in Luxor (guided): approx. $40–80, depending on scope and transport. I’ve linked the one we did!
Luxor Temple (entry only): approx. $10
Temple of Khnum (Esna Temple, entry only): approx. $5
Temple of Hatshepsut (entry only): approx. $10–12 * It really makes more sense to do this with a tour or private guide if you want extra time.
Valley of the Kings (entry only): approx. $12
(special tombs cost extra)
We paid about $70 per person for our tour with the lovely Adam, which included transfer to and from the hotel and lunch plus visits to The Valley of the Kings, Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple. If you up the individual entry tickets we would have paid, you can see why this made a lot of sense and why we felt we should absolutely tip.
When booking tours outside of platforms like Get Your Guide, and instead directly through a provider, it is both expected and necessary to haggle.
Of course, I can’t forget one of the most popular activities for me and many other visitors: scuba diving. I’ve written a full guide on diving in Hurghada that you can check for prices. Like everywhere else, expect prices to fluctuate, but it is much cheaper than almost anywhere else. A normal price range like in this tour is about $30–40 for two dives, including equipment and some sort of lunch on a day tour.
What about a hot air balloon ride in Luxor?
This is another super popular activity that I didn’t do this time, but a few people in our group did. They paid $60 per person, with hotel pickup arranged through the hotel.
Compared to a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, which we did a few years ago and which cost over $140 per person for a basic package, this is a much cheaper option for sure.
Total cost for Egypt
Our total cost for Egypt came out to just under $600 per person at the end, excluding flights which I consider to be great value for money.
Here is how it sums up for a 7-day 2 people trip.
| Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | $230 | This is for 6 nights, since we stayed in the bus overnight for 1 night. |
| Transport | $90 | This includes bus from Cairo to Luxor and Luxor to Hurghada. Also includes at least a few taxis per day. The taxis were shared across 4 people though so estimate a bit more. |
| Activities | $400 | This includes the full day tour in Luxor, another tour day with a personal driver for another temple, tickets to a few museums and 2 days of diving. |
| Food | $300 | |
| Misc | $150 | Souvenirs and a bit of shopping plus $25 VISA on arrival per person. |
As you can see, this is a very affordable 2-person budget, even without including flights. You can also make that stretch even more if you avoid the mid-priced restaurants, and book cheaper activities.
Overall, I would rank Egypt as a country that does deliver on affordability with a few main things to look out for. Personally, I would love to return and spend more time near the coast, for scuba diving.
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Must Know When Visiting Egypt
- Emergency: Dial 122 for police, 123 for ambulance, and 180 for fire services. English is not always guaranteed, so if it’s a serious situation, ask your hotel or a local contact for help calling.
- Language: Arabic is the official language. In tourist areas, hotels, and with guides, English is commonly spoken, but don’t expect it everywhere. Learning a few basics helps: Salam Aleikum (hello), Shukran (thank you), La shukran (no thank you). Google Translate works fairly well for Egyptian Arabic when you download it offline. Also keep in mind that some people can’t read so using voice recordings to communicate is better than showing them a translation in written Arabic.
- Navigation: Google Maps works in Egypt for driving and walking, but directions and ETAs can be unreliable, especially in Cairo. I found it most useful just for orientation and tracking routes in taxis rather than strict navigation. Always keep offline maps downloaded.
- Water: The general word of advice is to not drink the water in Egypt. You can stick to bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth, especially if you have a sensitive stomach.
- Driving: Cars drive on the right-hand side. Driving in Egypt, especially Cairo, is chaotic and not recommended unless you are very experienced and calm under pressure. If you need a car, arrange a driver or transfers instead. For longer distances, internal flights or trains are much easier. I would not drive in Egypt. If you must drive, check out Discover Cars for the best rates and comparisons across all major and local companies.
- Accommodation: Booking.com offers the widest range of hotels, from budget stays to luxury Nile-view properties. Hotels in Egypt tend to use their own rating scale: 1–3* are usually very basic, while 4–5* properties can be extremely expensive but often feel closer to a 3* in terms of amenities. Keep in mind that reviews at both the low and high end can be unreliable. A 3* property I booked turned out to be quite good, while an 8/10-rated one was underwhelming. Many hotels don’t even appear on Google Maps or have much of an online presence, so if you value comfort and predictability, it’s best to stick to well-known hotel chains.
- Public Transport: Public transport exists but is not tourist-friendly. Cairo’s metro is cheap and functional but very crowded. Most visitors rely on Uber, Careem, or pre-arranged drivers. For longer distances, domestic flights save a lot of time and stress.
- Activities: There’s no shortage of things to do in Egypt, from food tours around Cairo to full day guided tours in Luxor and lots of water and scuba activities near the coast. For hassle-free bookings with verified reviews, use Get Your Guide to arrange activities in advance.
- Taxi & Ride Apps: Uber works well in Cairo and was my preferred option. Careem is another solid alternative. Always avoid getting into random taxis off the street unless arranged by your hotel. Keep in mind that even Uber drivers will try to haggle a price with you (ahem, overcharge you) and cancel the ride if you don’t agree to it. If you find an Uber driver that you feel good with, exchange phones so you can request him when you need him.
- Culture: Egypt is conservative but welcoming. Dress modestly at religious sites (covered shoulders and knees). Expect attention as a tourist, especially in busy areas — staying polite, firm, and not engaging too much with unsolicited offers goes a long way. Tipping (baksheesh) is common for small services, though not mandatory everywhere. With that said, you will be asked to tip almost everywhere and sometimes less politely than other times.
- Connection and WiFi: The Wifi in Egypt is not very reliable. I’ve written a full guide on options for sims and e-sims plus my experience using them.
