Summary
Egypt’s currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, written E£ or LE, and جنيه in Arabic). In early October 2026 one US dollar bought about 52 pounds. Cards are accepted in hotels, larger restaurants and shops, but you need cash for markets, taxis, small cafés and tips. ATMs are easy to find in every town. Tipping, called baksheesh, is part of daily life, so keep small notes with you.
Exchange rate from the National Bank of Egypt, 4 October 2026. The pound moves, so check the rate before you travel.
The Egyptian Pound
One pound is divided into 100 piastres. You will mostly use notes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 pounds, plus 1-pound and 50-piastre coins. Newer 10- and 20-pound notes are plastic (polymer); older paper versions are still valid. Prices may be written in Arabic numerals, so it helps to learn them: ٠ ١ ٢ ٣ ٤ ٥ ٦ ٧ ٨ ٩ are 0 to 9.
Watch for the “50 piastres or 50 pounds?” trick: both notes are small and look alike at a glance, so check change before you put it away.
Cash or Card?
| Where | Card | Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels, Nile cruise ships | Yes | For tips |
| Restaurants and cafés | Larger ones | Smaller ones, street food |
| Supermarkets, malls, pharmacies | Usually | Small shops |
| Markets and bazaars | Rarely | Yes, and bargain |
| Taxis | No (Uber and Careem can be paid by card) | Yes |
| Monument tickets | Card at most major sites | Bring some just in case |
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted; American Express less so. Tell your bank you are travelling, and when a card machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choose Egyptian pounds: the conversion offered by the machine is usually worse.
ATMs and Changing Money
- ATMs: found in airports, hotels, malls and every town centre. Use machines inside banks or hotels where you can. Your bank and the local bank may both charge a fee, so take out larger amounts less often.
- Changing cash: banks and licensed exchange offices (look for “Exchange” or صرافة) give fair rates; airport counters are convenient for your first taxi and tips. Never change money with someone on the street.
- Which currency to bring: US dollars, euros and pounds sterling are easy to change. Bring clean, undamaged notes; torn or very old notes may be refused.
- Declaring cash: declare foreign cash over $10,000, or the equivalent, when you arrive.
- Keep exchange and ATM receipts, and spend or change your remaining pounds before you leave Egypt.
Paying in Dollars or Euros
Some tours, hotels and cruises quote prices in US dollars or euros, and many sellers in tourist areas will take them. In everyday shops and taxis, pay in pounds: you will get a better price, and change in foreign currency is rarely available. Keep the two currencies in separate places in your wallet so you never hand over a 50-dollar note for a 50-pound bill.
Tipping in Egypt: How Much to Give
Tipping is expected for most services, and wages in tourism are low, so tips matter. These are typical amounts; give more for great service.
| Who | Typical tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurant waiter | About 10% on top of any service charge |
| Hotel porter | A small note per bag |
| Toilet attendant, someone who shows you a tomb or takes your photo | A small coin or note |
| Private Egyptologist guide | Around $5–10 per person per day |
| Driver | Around $3–5 per person per day |
| Nile cruise crew | Usually a shared envelope at the end, around $5–8 per person per night |
| Felucca captain, camel or horse handler | A small tip on top of the agreed price |
Tips are always your choice. Keep a stack of small notes (5, 10 and 20 pounds) ready, because change for large notes is often hard to find.
8-Day Cairo, Siwa and White & Black Desert Adventure
Planning the trip itself? Start here.
View This TripHow Much Does a Trip to Egypt Cost per Day?
| Style | Per person per day | What it buys |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | About $40–70 | Simple hotels, local food, trains and shared transport |
| Mid-range | About $100–200 | Good hotels, a guide for major sites, private transfers |
| Luxury | $300 and up | Five-star hotels, a luxury Nile cruise, private guides and drivers |
Monument tickets, domestic flights, a Nile cruise and tips are the larger costs to plan for. Our Egypt tour packages include hotels, transfers, guides and entry tickets, so you mostly need money for meals, drinks, shopping and tips.
Bargaining and Avoiding Money Scams
- Bargain in markets: start well below the first price, stay friendly, and walk away if you are not happy.
- Agree the price, and the currency, before any ride, carriage, camel or felucca trip.
- Be wary of “free” gifts that turn into a demand for money.
- Count your change, and watch the 50-piastre and 50-pound notes.
More in our guide to Egypt travel scams.
Money Checklist Before You Go
- Tell your bank you are travelling and check your card’s foreign fees.
- Bring two cards, kept in different places, and some US dollars or euros in cash.
- Take enough pounds at the airport for your first taxi and tips.
- Get travel insurance for Egypt that covers theft of money and cards.
- Read our Egypt visa guide (the visa on arrival is paid in cash) and the guide to SIM cards and internet in Egypt.
Egypt Money FAQ
Plan Your Egypt Trip
- Before you go: the complete guide
- Best time to visit Egypt
- Egypt visa: e-Visa, visa on arrival & cost
- Is Egypt safe? Travel advice & tips
- Travel insurance for Egypt
- How much a trip to Egypt costs
- SIM cards, eSIM & internet
- What to wear in Egypt
- Packing list for women
- Summer packing list
- Winter packing list
- What to pack for a Nile cruise
