Egypt runs on cash more than cards, especially outside hotels and major restaurants — plan around that rather than fighting it. Understanding the cash culture before you arrive, rather than adjusting on the fly, makes the first couple of days noticeably smoother.
The Egyptian Pound (EGP) is the only legal currency for purchases; some tour operators quote in USD or EUR, but you’ll pay the equivalent in pounds at most actual points of sale. Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates close to your trip rather than relying on old numbers — the pound has floated significantly in recent years, and a rate you remember from even a year ago may be meaningfully out of date.
Hotels, higher-end restaurants, and larger shops in Cairo take cards. Markets, small restaurants, taxis, tips, and rural areas are cash-only. Carry small bills — large notes are often genuinely hard for vendors to break, particularly early in the day before a shop has built up change from other customers.
Small bills matter more in Egypt than almost anywhere else — vendors often can’t break large notes.
ATMs are common in cities and hotels and generally reliable, dispensing EGP. Notify your bank before traveling, and expect a foreign transaction fee on top of whatever the ATM itself charges. Airport ATMs are convenient for your first cash on arrival but sometimes carry slightly worse rates than ATMs found in the city itself — withdraw a modest amount at the airport and top up later if rates matter to you.
Official exchange bureaus (found in cities, hotels, and airports) offer an alternative to ATMs, though rates and fees vary meaningfully between locations — comparing two or three nearby options before committing a large sum is worth the extra few minutes.
Tipping is expected far more broadly than in most Western countries — for guides, drivers, hotel staff, restroom attendants, and anyone who provides a small service. Keep a stock of small notes specifically for this; it adds up but is a genuine part of how service workers are paid here, with base wages in many tourism-adjacent roles built around the expectation of tips rather than treating them as purely optional extras.
A rough guide: a few pounds for small services (opening a door, pointing you in a direction), a somewhat larger note for a full day’s driver or guide, and modest amounts for hotel housekeeping and porters. None of these amounts are large individually, but they’re worth budgeting for as a real, recurring cost across a multi-day trip rather than an afterthought.
Keep a mental (or literal) running tally of small bills throughout the day so you’re never caught needing exact change with nothing smaller than a large note. Splitting cash across a wallet, a bag, and a hotel safe is a sensible precaution rather than carrying your entire trip’s cash in one place.
