🇪🇬Cairo
Twenty-odd million people, the last standing Wonder of the ancient world at the end of a city bus route, and a brand-new museum built to hold Tutankhamun. Loud, hot and exhausting, and nowhere else is quite like it.
Mid-range figures, per person
Per person, no flights — those are just below. The mid-range figure is researched; budget and luxury scale it, so treat the two as rough. The trip calculator and hotels below break the day down properly.
Fares are into Cairo. Luxor and Aswan have almost no long-haul service: connect through Cairo, or take the roughly one-hour domestic flight or the overnight sleeper train. Ranges are typical fares booked 1–3 months out, checked mid-2026 — school-holiday peaks run higher, and patient shoppers beat the bottom end.
Prices checked · how we work these out
Entry & visa
Most visitors do. US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and EU passport holders can either apply online for an e-visa before flying — US$30 single entry or $65 multiple entry on the official visa2egypt.gov.eg portal — or buy a visa on arrival for US$30 in cash at the bank counters before passport control. The on-arrival fee went up from $25 in March 2026, so bring crisp dollar bills. Avoid the look-alike visa websites that charge double. Rules vary by nationality, so check yours before booking.
Visa rules turn on your nationality and change often — always confirm the current requirement for your own passport with an official government source before you book.
Quick facts
Money & what things cost
Cairo is a split-payment city. The big sites are now card-only — the Giza plateau, the Egyptian Museum and the Grand Egyptian Museum all want a Visa or Mastercard, not cash — while taxis, street food, small shops and every tip run on cash. ATMs from the big banks (NBE, Banque Misr, CIB) are everywhere and give pounds at close to the market rate; take out larger amounts less often, and ask for small notes, because nobody has change for a EGP 200 note. Some hotels and tour operators quote in dollars or euros. That is legal and normal, but pay in pounds where you can — the conversion is rarely in your favor.
What locals earn
| Average monthly salary (national) | ≈ EGP 8,000–9,000 ($155–175) | Cairo professionals earn well above this; the huge informal economy earns well below |
| Minimum wage (private sector) | EGP 7,000/month ($135) | the public-sector floor rose to EGP 8,000 ($155) in July 2026 |
Food & drink
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Ful or ta'ameya sandwich from a street cart | EGP 15–40 | $0.30–0.80 |
| Bowl of koshary (Abou Tarek or any koshary shop) | EGP 45–100 | $0.90–1.90 |
| Casual Egyptian restaurant, per person | EGP 200–450 | $4–9 |
| Mid-range dinner in Zamalek, per person | EGP 600–1,200 | $12–23 |
| Tea or Turkish coffee at an ahwa (street café) | EGP 15–40 | $0.30–0.80 |
| Stella beer at a licensed bar | EGP 150–250 | $3–5 |
Transport
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Metro ride (fare by number of stations) | EGP 10–20 | $0.20–0.40 |
| Uber or Careem across central Cairo | EGP 80–200 | $1.50–4 |
| Uber downtown → Giza pyramids | EGP 150–300 | $3–6 |
| Airport (CAI) → downtown or Zamalek, Uber/Careem | EGP 150–300 | $3–6 |
Sights (foreign-visitor prices, card only)
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Giza pyramids plateau | EGP 700 | $13.50 |
| Inside the Great Pyramid (extra ticket) | EGP 1,500 | $29 |
| Grand Egyptian Museum (book online, timed entry) | EGP 1,450 | $28 |
| Egyptian Museum, Tahrir | EGP 550 | $10.50 |
| Saqqara | EGP 600 | $11.50 |
| Citadel of Saladin | EGP 550 | $10.50 |
Where to sleep & what it costs
| Tier | Per night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | $8–15 (EGP 410–780) | Mostly in the old apartment blocks of downtown, around Talaat Harb |
| Budget hotel | $25–45 (EGP 1,300–2,300) | Downtown, or the pyramid-view guesthouses in Nazlet el-Samman right below the Sphinx |
| Mid-range hotel | $50–110 (EGP 2,600–5,700) | Zamalek and the Nile-front business hotels; the Giza side for a pyramid view from the roof |
| Luxury | $200+ (EGP 10,300+) | The Nile corniche towers and the Marriott Mena House below the Great Pyramid |
Been recently? Check our prices
One tap per figure. Check-ins reset whenever this guide is re-priced, so they only ever vouch for the numbers you see here.
Trip cost calculator
$139 per person per day · 4 nights of lodging (Mid-range hotel)
A rough estimate from this page’s daily budget and hotel prices — not a quote. Lodging assumes one room for the group; flights use the midpoint of the Getting there ranges above.
Getting around
- From the airport
- Cairo International (CAI) is on the northeast edge of the city, 45–90 minutes from downtown depending on traffic. Uber and Careem both pick up at the terminals and are the easiest answer — the fare is fixed in the app, so there is nothing to argue about. Ignore the men inside arrivals offering 'taxi, taxi'. If you are flying into the newer Sphinx International Airport west of the city, it is closer to Giza than to downtown; book a transfer through your hotel.
- Metro
- Three lines, cheap (EGP 10–20, $0.20–0.40, priced by how many stations you ride) and faster than anything on the road at rush hour. Useful for downtown (Sadat station under Tahrir), Coptic Cairo (Mar Girgis station) and Ramses rail station. The middle cars of each train are reserved for women, which women travelers often appreciate. It doesn't reach Giza's plateau or the Grand Egyptian Museum.
- Uber & Careem
- The way most visitors get around, and the single biggest improvement to a first trip to Cairo in the last decade. No haggling, the route is tracked, and a ride across the center is usually EGP 80–200 ($1.50–4). Careem often runs a little cheaper; inDrive also works but makes you negotiate. Have small cash ready, since many drivers prefer it.
- Street taxis
- The white taxis are metered by law, but a tourist often hears that the meter is broken. Say 'meter, please' before you get in, and if the answer is no, wave down the next one. It's rarely worth the energy when an app ride costs the same.
- On foot
- Walkable in patches — downtown, Zamalek, Muizz Street and the lanes of Khan el-Khalili — and miserable in between. Crossing big roads means stepping into slow-moving traffic with confidence; the trick is to cross alongside a local and match their pace. The city is not built for pedestrians, and summer afternoons are for being indoors.
Map
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Neighborhoods to stay in
- Downtown (Wust el-Balad)
- Central, cheap and walkable to Tahrir and the Egyptian Museum, with the metro underneath. Noisy, a bit shabby, and full of good cheap food — the budget traveler's base.
- Zamalek
- A leafy island in the Nile with embassies, bookshops, cafés and the city's best bars and restaurants. The calmest place to sleep in central Cairo, and an easy Uber to everything.
- Giza, near the pyramids
- Wake up to the Great Pyramid from your roof terrace, walk to the Sphinx gate at opening, and you are next door to the Grand Egyptian Museum. The trade-off is an hour's drive to Islamic Cairo, and the area around the plateau is thick with touts.
- Garden City & the Nile corniche
- Where the big international hotels line the river. Pricier, insulated, and close to downtown without its noise.
Things to do
Pharaonic Cairo
Islamic & Coptic Cairo
Restaurants
Evenings
Tipping & etiquette
- Dress modestly away from the hotel pool: shoulders and knees covered for everyone, and women bring a scarf for mosques. You will be more comfortable, and hassled less.
- Non-Muslims can visit most historic mosques outside prayer times. Shoes off at the door; women cover their hair.
- During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking in public in daylight is frowned on. Tourist areas still function, but opening hours shrink and the city comes alive after sunset.
- Public affection beyond holding hands draws stares. Egypt is socially conservative even where it looks cosmopolitan.
- Don't photograph police, soldiers, checkpoints, bridges or government buildings. People usually say yes if you ask first; some will then ask for a tip.
- Friday is the weekend's main day — expect quiet mornings, busy afternoons, and packed sites.
How to spend a trip to Cairo
Traffic decides everything in Cairo. The pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum sit together on the Giza side, Islamic Cairo and the old museum an hour's drive away on the other, so plan one side of the city per day and front-load the mornings — the plateau at noon in summer is a mistake people only make once.
One day gets you the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is the Cairo most people came for. Everything medieval waits for another trip.
- MorningThe Giza pyramids and the Sphinx at opening, before the tour buses and the heat arrive together.
- MiddayThe Grand Egyptian Museum for your pre-booked slot: Tutankhamun, Khufu's boat, and air-conditioning.
- AfternoonRest. Cairo punishes people who try to cross it twice in one day.
- EveningKhan el-Khalili after dark and tea at El Fishawy, then koshary at Abou Tarek on the way back.
Three days is this guide's own answer, and it splits cleanly into pharaonic Cairo, medieval Cairo and the older museum.
- Day 1The Giza pyramids at opening, then the Grand Egyptian Museum for the rest of the day.
- Day 2Islamic Cairo: the Citadel in the morning, Muizz Street in the late afternoon, Al-Azhar Park for sunset, and the Tannoura show if it is on.
- Day 3The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir in the morning, then Coptic Cairo by metro. Dinner in Zamalek.
Cairo can fill five days, but the country is better for them. Take one more day here for Saqqara, then leave while you still like the city.
- Days 1–3The three-day plan above: the pyramids and the GEM, Islamic Cairo, the old museum and Coptic Cairo.
- Day 4Saqqara and the Step Pyramid by car, with Dahshur if you have the energy. Back for a last evening in Khan el-Khalili.
- Day 5Head south: the overnight sleeper train or a one-hour flight to Luxor or Aswan, where most of what the museums only hint at is still standing.
Safety & common scams
Violent crime against visitors is rare, and the tourist areas are heavily policed, with checkpoints and metal detectors at hotels and sites. The US State Department rates Egypt as a whole at Level 2 (exercise increased caution) and the UK does not advise against travel to Cairo; both warn about the wider regional situation, so check their current advice before you fly. What wears people down day to day is the hustle — persistent touts, 'friendly' strangers steering you to shops, and prices that change halfway through — along with traffic, heat, and street harassment of women, which is common and mostly verbal. A firm 'la, shukran' (no, thank you) and walking on handles almost all of it.
Scams to know
- Giza camel and horse rides — a handler offers a cheap ride, and the price multiplies once you are up; sometimes the camel won't kneel to let you down until you pay. If you want a ride, agree the total price, the length of the ride and the currency before you get on, and pay at the end. With the electric shuttle buses now on the plateau, you don't need an animal to get around at all.
- The 'wrong entrance' at the pyramids — men on the road to the plateau wave your car down, say the entrance is closed or you need a special ticket, and steer you to a stable to 'ride in'. The ticket offices are at the official visitor center; buy online in advance and tell your driver not to stop for anyone.
- The 'museum is closed' detour — a well-dressed man near Tahrir says the Egyptian Museum is closed for prayer or a holiday, and offers to show you something else in the meantime, which ends at a shop. It's open. Walk to the gate yourself.
- Papyrus and perfume 'institutes' — a friendly stop on a tour or a stranger's invitation leads to a demonstration, free tea and a hard sell on 'real' papyrus (often banana leaf) and 'essence' perfumes at inflated prices. Buy only if you want the thing at the price, and tell your driver or guide in advance that you want no shopping stops.
- The 'free' gift — someone presses a headscarf, a scarab or a postcard into your hands as a 'gift for you, welcome to Egypt', then demands money. Don't take anything into your hands you didn't ask for; if it happens, give it straight back.
- The 'I work at your hotel' greeting — a stranger says he recognizes you from your hotel, and happens to have a cousin with a perfume shop nearby. Staff don't chase guests down the street. Smile and keep walking.
- Broken meters and short change — a street taxi 'forgets' the meter, then quotes a tourist price at the end, or change comes back a note short. Use Uber or Careem, keep small notes, and count change before you walk away.
Emergency numbers: 126 tourist police (English spoken at most tourist sites) · 122 police · 123 ambulance · 180 fire · 112 unified emergency line
Phone & internet
Buy a tourist SIM from Vodafone, Orange, e& (Etisalat) or WE at the airport — bring your passport; around 30 GB costs roughly EGP 500–600 ($10–12). Egypt registers every phone's IMEI on its network, and since January 2026 imported phones pay a customs charge — but foreign tourists are exempt for 90 days per visit, so a normal holiday costs nothing extra. An eSIM from home sidesteps the whole system and is the simpler choice if your phone supports one. Coverage is good across Cairo, and you will want data for Uber and maps.
First-timer FAQs
How many days do I need?
Three full days: one for the Giza pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, one for Islamic Cairo — the Citadel, Muizz Street, Khan el-Khalili and Al-Azhar Park — and one for the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir and Coptic Cairo. A fourth day adds Saqqara. Most people then head south to Luxor and Aswan.
Do I need both the Grand Egyptian Museum and the old Egyptian Museum?
If you only have time for one, it's the GEM — that's where Tutankhamun is now, and it's next to the pyramids. The old museum in Tahrir is for people who want more: fewer crowds, a remarkable old building, and thousands of objects the GEM hasn't taken. Buy GEM tickets online before you go; foreigners can't buy them at the door.
Is Cairo safe?
For violent crime, yes, broadly — it's safer than many big Western cities in that sense, and tourist areas are heavily policed. The real risks are traffic, heat and being overcharged. Women traveling alone should expect verbal harassment on the street; dressing conservatively and using Uber at night reduces it. Check the current US or UK advisory before traveling, since the regional situation can change.
Should I stay near the pyramids or in the city?
Split it if you can: one or two nights in Giza to reach the plateau and the GEM at opening, then move to Zamalek or downtown for the rest of Cairo. If you pick one base, Zamalek is the most central for everything else.
Can I drink alcohol?
Yes, at licensed hotels, restaurants and bars — Zamalek has most of them — and at specialist shops like Drinkies. Stella is the local beer. Street cafés (ahwas) don't serve alcohol, and it's harder to find during Ramadan.
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