Cash or Credit Cards in Egypt: What Should You Use?

A practical guide to paying in Cairo and Luxor

Planning a trip to Egypt often raises a practical question: How much Egyptian cash should you carry, and how much can you rely on your credit card?

The answer is a little different from traveling in countries where almost every purchase can be made by card. In Cairo and Luxor, international credit and debit cards are widely useful at hotels, larger restaurants, established shops, tour operators, and many tourist attractions. However, Egypt remains a largely cash-based society, particularly for taxis, small shops, local cafés, tips, markets, and everyday purchases.

The most comfortable approach for most travelers is not to choose between cash and cards, but to use both. Keep enough Egyptian pounds with you for small and unexpected expenses while using your card when it is accepted and convenient.

How Much Cash Should You Carry in Egypt?

There is no single amount that works for every traveler because your cash needs depend on your itinerary, hotel arrangements, transportation, and travel style.

For a typical traveler staying in Cairo or Luxor, carrying the equivalent of roughly EGP 1,000–2,000 per person for daily small expenses can be a practical starting point. This is not a required budget and does not include major expenses such as hotels, private tours, or expensive restaurants. Travelers who are visiting markets, using local taxis, buying souvenirs, or traveling independently may want somewhat more.

You also do not need to carry your entire trip budget in cash.

A better strategy is to withdraw Egyptian pounds periodically from a reputable ATM and keep only the amount you expect to need for the day or the next couple of days. Keep your backup card and larger reserve separately from your everyday wallet.

Egypt's official tourism information also advises visitors to carry enough Egyptian cash because, despite widespread card acceptance in major cities and tourist destinations, cash remains particularly important for taxis and smaller businesses.

Cash in Cairo: When Will You Need It?

Cairo has a large network of hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, tour companies, and businesses that accept international cards. If you are staying in a modern hotel and visiting established restaurants and attractions, you may be able to pay for many of your larger expenses by card.

Cash becomes more important when you move into everyday local transactions.

You may need Egyptian pounds for:
Local taxis and some smaller transportation services

• Small cafés and neighborhood restaurants
• Street food
• Small grocery stores
• Local markets and bazaars
• Small souvenir purchases
• Tips
• Public toilets or small service charges
• Purchases from independent vendors

This is particularly useful to remember when exploring areas away from Cairo's major hotels and shopping districts.

How Much Cash Should You Carry in Luxor?

Luxor is slightly different because travelers often combine organized sightseeing with visits to smaller local businesses and archaeological areas.

Major hotels, cruise boats, established restaurants, and tourism companies generally offer card payment. However, cash is still useful for smaller purchases, local transportation, tips, drinks, snacks, markets, and purchases from independent vendors.

If your Luxor itinerary includes the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, local markets, or a private guided tour, keeping Egyptian pounds available can make the day easier.

If you are traveling on a Nile cruise, it is also useful to have some cash ready for purchases and tips rather than depending entirely on your card.

Which ATM Is Best for Foreigners to Use in Egypt?

For international travelers, the safest general approach is to use an ATM belonging to a major Egyptian bank, preferably one located inside or directly beside a bank branch, major hotel, shopping center, airport, or another secure and busy location.

There isn't one Egyptian ATM that is universally "the best" for every foreign card. The important factors are whether the ATM accepts your card network, what fees your own bank charges, the Egyptian bank's withdrawal limits, and the exchange rate offered by your card issuer.

Large Egyptian banks such as Banque Misr and National Bank of Egypt (NBE) have extensive ATM networks. Before traveling, check with your card issuer to understand international ATM fees and withdrawal limits.

Visa also recommends looking for ATMs displaying the Visa PLUS mark when withdrawing local currency abroad.

When an ATM asks whether you want the transaction processed in Egyptian pounds or converted into your home currency, choose Egyptian pounds in most situations. This avoids Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC), where the ATM or merchant performs the currency conversion using its own exchange rate and potentially adds a markup.

Always review the screen carefully before confirming a withdrawal.

What Is the Best Credit Card to Use in Egypt?

There isn't one specific "best credit card for Egypt." The best card is generally the one that combines:

• No or low foreign transaction fees
• Competitive foreign-exchange rates
• Broad Visa or Mastercard acceptance
• Good fraud protection
• No unnecessary cash-advance fees
• Easy access to customer support while abroad

Both Visa and Mastercard are widely useful for international travel in Egypt.
A travel-focused card with no foreign transaction fee can be particularly convenient because you can use it for larger purchases without repeatedly exchanging cash.

If you have two different cards, consider bringing both. Ideally, keep them separately so that losing one card does not leave you without access to your money.

It is also worth notifying your bank before traveling if your issuer requires travel notifications or has restrictions on overseas transactions.

Is It Better to Use Cash or Credit Card in Egypt?

For most travelers, neither cash nor credit cards are better for everything.

Credit cards are particularly convenient for larger, established businesses. They can reduce the need to carry large amounts of cash and provide useful transaction records.

Cash, meanwhile, is essential for many smaller everyday transactions.

A simple way to think about it is:

Use your card for larger purchases and cash for smaller local expenses.

For example, you might pay for your hotel, upscale restaurant bill, organized tour, or major shopping purchase by card, while using Egyptian pounds for a taxi, coffee, market purchase, tip, or small souvenir.

This combination gives you flexibility without requiring you to walk around with a large amount of cash.

Should You Exchange Money Before Arriving in Egypt?

You generally do not need to arrive in Egypt carrying your entire travel budget in Egyptian pounds.

Many travelers arrive with a small amount of accessible money and obtain Egyptian pounds after arrival through ATMs or authorized currency-exchange services.

If you bring foreign cash, keep it secure and avoid carrying all of it in one place.

The Egyptian pound is the local currency, and when making everyday purchases, paying directly in Egyptian pounds can make prices easier to understand and reduce confusion over exchange rates.

A Simple Cash-and-Card Strategy for Cairo and Luxor

A practical strategy for a one-week Egypt vacation could look like this:

Before leaving home:
Bring at least two payment cards if possible. Check foreign transaction fees, international ATM fees, and travel restrictions with your bank.

When you arrive:
Withdraw a reasonable amount of Egyptian pounds from a reputable bank ATM rather than carrying your entire trip budget in cash.

During the day:
Keep a modest amount of cash in your wallet for taxis, tips, snacks, markets, and small purchases.

For larger purchases:
Use your credit card when the business is established and accepts international cards.

As your cash decreases:
Withdraw again rather than carrying a very large amount of Egyptian currency at once.

If an ATM offers currency conversion:
Choose to be charged in Egyptian pounds rather than accepting the ATM's conversion to your home currency.

What About Credit Card Fees and ATM Fees?

This is one area travelers sometimes overlook.

There can be several separate costs: your card issuer's foreign transaction fee, the ATM operator's fee, and the exchange rate used for the transaction.

Some cards have no foreign transaction fees, while others charge a percentage of every international purchase. Similarly, ATM withdrawals can have fees from both the ATM provider and your own bank.

For this reason, withdrawing a reasonable amount at once can sometimes be more efficient than making many tiny withdrawals.

Avoid using a credit card as an ATM cash advance unless necessary. Cash advances can carry additional fees and interest, often making them considerably more expensive than using a debit card or a card specifically designed for travel.

One Important Tip: Always Pay in Egyptian Pounds

Suppose a restaurant gives you the choice to pay in Egyptian pounds or in your home currency.

It may seem convenient to choose your home currency because you immediately know the approximate amount you are paying. However, this can activate Dynamic Currency Conversion, meaning the merchant or ATM determines the conversion rate rather than your card network or bank.

Choosing the local currency—Egyptian pounds (EGP)—usually gives your card issuer the opportunity to handle the currency conversion instead.

The same principle applies when withdrawing money from an ATM.

Planning your trip? Explore our Egypt travel packages, including private tours, luxury holidays, and unforgettable Nile cruises designed to make your Egypt experience seamless from Cairo to Luxor.