Should I use cash or card in Egypt?
Use both, because each works in different places. Canada's travel advice for Egypt says credit card acceptance varies and that many merchants accept only cash or add a fee for card payment. Australia's Smartraveller says most well-established hotels and resorts take cards and that ATMs are available in most established areas.
The U.S. State Department sums up the pattern: Egyptian pounds are available from ATMs, many stores accept US dollars, and cash is preferred for most transactions.
At the same time, some official payments now run the other way. Cairo airport's visa on arrival is paid by card, the e-visa is card-only, and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has moved the Egyptian Museum to electronic QR tickets. A traveller with only cash, or only cards, will get stuck somewhere.
| Where you are paying | What works | Source of the rule |
|---|---|---|
| Visa on arrival at Cairo airport | Card, USD 36 | UK FCDO, U.S. State Department |
| Visa on arrival at other airports | USD cash, USD 30 | UK FCDO, U.S. State Department |
| Land border visa and entry fees | USD cash only | Smartraveller |
| Egypt e-visa | Visa, Mastercard or debit card online | Egypt e-Visa Portal |
| Established hotels and resorts | Card usually accepted | Smartraveller |
| Small shops, cafes, street vendors | Cash in pounds, sometimes dollars | Canada, U.S. State Department |
| Airport black-and-white taxi | Negotiated cash price, no meter | Cairo International Airport |
How much cash can I bring into Egypt?
The limit is on Egyptian pounds, not on foreign money. The UK FCDO, Canada and Smartraveller all give EGP 5,000 as the most you can bring into or take out of Egypt in pounds.
For foreign currency, the UK says there is no limit on how much you bring, but you must declare more than USD 10,000. Canada words it as USD 10,000 or more. The U.S. State Department warns that undeclared amounts above that level may be confiscated, with further penalties. If you are carrying anything near that figure, declare it on arrival and keep the declaration for your departure.
Where do I get Egyptian pounds?
ATMs are the main route. Smartraveller says they are available in most established areas, and the State Department names ATM withdrawal as the way to get pounds. Canada adds that foreign currency is easily exchanged in hotels and banks.
Smartraveller also warns that ATMs may not dispense US dollars or other foreign currency. That matters because some official fees are due in dollars cash. Bring the dollars you will need from home rather than expecting to withdraw them in Egypt.
Worked example: what to carry for a week, two people
A couple arrives overland from Jordan, spends a week in Cairo and Giza, and flies home from Cairo.
- Entering by land: Smartraveller says you pay for a tourist visa and a land border entry fee, in US dollars cash only, and does not give the amount. Bring a separate dollar reserve from home for this: you pay at the border, and Smartraveller warns that ATMs in Egypt may not dispense dollars. Buying e-visas online beforehand, at USD 30 each, removes the visa part of that cash.
- Daily spending: withdraw pounds from ATMs as you go rather than bringing a large pile of pounds, which could not legally exceed EGP 5,000 per person anyway.
- Sights: have a card ready for electronic tickets such as the Egyptian Museum's.
- Last day: each of you may leave with up to EGP 5,000. Spend down anything above that before the airport.
Had the same couple flown into Cairo, their on-arrival visas would have cost 2 × USD 36 = USD 72 by card, with no dollars needed for the visa at all. See the Egypt visa on arrival and e-visa guide for which option fits your route.
Tipping and baksheesh
Baksheesh is the Egyptian word for a small tip or payment for a service. None of the government sources checked for this guide sets out recommended amounts, so treat any fixed figure you read with caution.
What the official sources do support is carrying small notes in pounds. Many small merchants take only cash, and the State Department says cash is preferred for most transactions, so breaking large ATM notes early in the day at a supermarket or hotel makes it easier to tip in the right amount and avoid handing over far more than you meant to.
The UK FCDO's safety advice warns that scammers and touts target foreign visitors in tourist areas. Paying in exact small notes, and agreeing prices first, is the practical defence.
Paying for the airport taxi
Cairo International Airport's transport page says black-and-white taxis usually have no meter and the price is negotiated before you travel, while white taxis are metered. The airport's limousine service has four categories with fixed prices by destination, picked up at the kerb in front of the terminals.
That means you need pounds in hand before you reach the taxi rank. Use an airport ATM after customs, or ask the limousine desk whether it takes cards before you commit.
What to do if something goes wrong
- Your card is declined at a shop: switch to cash in pounds. Canada notes some merchants charge a fee for cards, so cash can be cheaper anyway.
- An ATM will not give you dollars for a visa fee: this is expected, according to Smartraveller. Bring dollars from home for any cash-only fee, or pay for an e-visa online before you travel.
- You are over EGP 5,000 on departure day: spend the difference before you pass security.
- The Cairo visa machine rejects your card: use the official Visa on Arrival platform on your phone with another card. It issues a QR code for immigration. The e-visa portal also accepts Visa, Mastercard and other debit cards, but you must apply in advance.
For the ticket prices you will be paying at the pyramids, see the Giza pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum ticket guide.