Budget · Cairo · Egypt
Cairo on a budget
What a trip to Cairo really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: User:Berthold Werner, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
Cairo is very affordable for most international visitors. Budget roughly $25–$45 per person per day on a tight budget, $70–$150 mid-range and $250–$700 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in May–August.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $25–$45 a day
- Mid-range
- $70–$150 a day
- Luxury
- $250–$700 a day
- Local currency
- EGP
- Free sights
- 2
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $25–$45 | $75–$135 | $125–$225 | $175–$315 |
| Mid-range | $70–$150 | $210–$450 | $350–$750 | $490–$1,050 |
| Luxury | $250–$700 | $750–$2,100 | $1,250–$3,500 | $1,750–$4,900 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Cairo, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Metro ride | about EGP 8–20 |
| Bowl of koshari | about EGP 30–80 |
| Ful or ta'ameya sandwich | about EGP 10–30 |
| Tea or coffee in an ahwa | about EGP 15–40 |
| Ride-hailing trip across central Cairo | about EGP 80–250 |
| Major site ticket for foreign visitors | about EGP 500–1,500 |
| Mid-range restaurant dinner | about EGP 500–1,200 per person |
Money-saving tips
- Ticket prices for foreign visitors are set in Egyptian pounds and have risen often in recent years, so check the official prices before you go.
- Many antiquities ticket offices accept cards only, so carry a card that works abroad.
- Students with a valid international student card often get reduced entry at antiquities sites.
- Ride-hailing apps avoid haggling over taxi fares and are usually cheaper for visitors.
- Koshari, ful and ta'ameya shops cost a fraction of hotel restaurants.
- Carry plenty of small notes for baksheesh, toilets and small purchases, as change is often scarce.
- Hiring one driver for a full day to Saqqara, Dahshur and Memphis usually costs less than separate tours.
Free things to do
- Khan el-Khalili — Cairo's great bazaar has traded since the 14th century in a tangle of lanes selling lanterns, brass, spices, perfume oils, textiles and silver, among old caravanserai gateways.
- Al-Azhar Mosque — Founded in 970, Al-Azhar is one of the oldest continuously working centres of Islamic learning in the world.
Where to stay on a budget
$ · Best for budget, culture, solo travellers and first-timers
Downtown
Belle-époque boulevards, Tahrir Square and budget hotels
$$ · Best for first-timers, families and couples
Giza Pyramids area
Hotels with pyramid views on the edge of the desert plateau
$ · Best for culture, budget and solo travellers
Islamic Cairo
Medieval mosques, minarets and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar
Eating well for less
- Koshari — Koshari restaurants across the city; Abou Tarek on Champollion Street Downtown is the best known.
- Ful medames — Street carts and ful shops in every neighbourhood, busiest early in the morning.
- Ta'ameya — Ful and ta'ameya shops and breakfast carts all over the city.
- Feteer meshaltet — Feteer shops (fatatri) across the city, many open late.
- Hawawshi — Street-food shops Downtown and in local neighbourhoods.
Getting around for less
Cairo is huge and its traffic notoriously heavy, so plan days by area: Giza and the GEM; Downtown and the Egyptian Museum; Islamic Cairo and the Citadel; and Coptic Cairo with NMEC. The metro is fast for the centre and Coptic Cairo, while ride-hailing apps are the easiest way to reach Giza and Islamic Cairo.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Cairo cost?
About $350–$750 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $125–$225 on a tight budget.
+Is Cairo expensive?
It is very affordable for international visitors. Ticket prices for foreign visitors are set in Egyptian pounds and have risen often in recent years, so check the official prices before you go.
+How much money do I need per day in Cairo?
Roughly $25–$45 on a budget and $70–$150 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Cairo?
Usually in May–August.