Egypt on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Egypt is good for budget travel: about E£2,700 (roughly US$55) per person per day covers a guesthouse, local food, Uber rides and one major site. Entrance tickets are the biggest daily cost, so choose sites carefully rather than trying to see everything.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | E£900 | E£2,500 | E£9,000 |
| Food & drink | E£500 | E£1,300 | E£3,500 |
| Sights & tickets | E£1,000 | E£2,200 | E£4,000 |
| Local transport | E£300 | E£1,000 | E£3,000 |
| Per person, per day | E£2,700 | E£7,000 | E£19,500 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Egypt day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk Al-Muizz Street, a pedestrian lane of Mamluk mosques and madrasas
- Wander Khan el-Khalili bazaar and see Al-Azhar Mosque lit at night
- Walk the Corniche in Luxor at sunset
- See Luxor Temple lit after dark from the street and the Avenue of Sphinxes
- Stroll the Aswan souk on Sharia el-Souk
- Ride the public ferry across the Nile in Luxor for a few pounds
Cheap eats
- Koshari (rice, lentils, pasta and tomato sauce), about E£50-100
- Ful and ta'ameya (falafel) sandwiches for breakfast, about E£15-40
- Feteer meshaltet (layered pastry), about E£80-150
- Grilled kofta or chicken in a local restaurant, about E£200-350
- Mint tea at El Fishawy café, about E£30-60
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in guesthouses and small hotels in downtown Cairo near the metro, and family hotels on Luxor's West Bank, at about E£1,200-2,500 a double. Aswan has simple Nubian guesthouses on the West Bank and Elephantine Island.
Getting around cheaply
The Cairo metro costs a few pounds a ride and Uber is cheap for everything else. From Cairo airport, Uber or Careem is the simplest budget option; there are also public buses. For the south, the day trains are cheaper than the sleeper, but foreigners may be steered to the sleeper; domestic flights are often good value booked early.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Giza plateau at 7:00, about E£700
- Lunch: koshari, about E£80
- Afternoon: Uber to Islamic Cairo and Al-Muizz Street, about E£200
- Evening: Khan el-Khalili, tea at El Fishawy and a simple dinner, about E£300
- Total: about E£2,700 per person including a shared room
More ways to save
- Group sites by area to save on transport, for example Saqqara and Dahshur on one day.
- Share a car and driver for the Aswan-Luxor road with other travellers.
- Bargain in markets, starting at about half the first price and staying friendly.
- Take the public ferry in Luxor instead of private boats.
- Say no to unrequested 'help' if you do not want to tip for it.
- Refill water bottles from large bottles bought at grocery shops.
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Common questions
Is Egypt cheap to visit?
Food, hotels and transport are cheap; entrance tickets are the main cost. Budget about E£2,700 a day.
What is the cheapest food in Egypt?
Koshari, ful and ta'ameya sandwiches, and feteer from local shops, often under E£100.
What is the cheapest way to travel from Cairo to Luxor or Aswan?
Day trains are cheapest, the sleeper train is the most comfortable overland option, and domestic flights booked early can be good value.