Hurghada on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, if you stay in town rather than in a big resort and eat in local places. A realistic minimum is about E£2,450 per person a day (about E£900 for a shared room in a simple hotel, E£600 food, E£800 sights or a trip, E£150 transport).
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | E£900 | E£2,500 | E£7,000 |
| Food & drink | E£600 | E£1,500 | E£3,500 |
| Sights & tickets | E£800 | E£2,000 | E£4,000 |
| Local transport | E£150 | E£400 | E£1,000 |
| Per person, per day | E£2,450 | E£6,400 | E£15,500 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Hurghada day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walking the El Dahar souk (looking is free, bargaining optional)
- El Mina Mosque on the seafront, open to visitors outside prayer times with covered arms and legs
- The promenade of Hurghada Marina, with yachts and sunset views
- Public beaches in town and swimming in the Red Sea
- Watching the kitesurfers in El Gouna or along the windy beaches
- Shore snorkelling from a house reef, if your hotel has one
Cheap eats
- Ful medames (stewed fava beans): about E£30–80 with bread in a local place
- Ta'ameya (Egyptian fava-bean falafel): about E£30–80
- Koshari: about E£80–150
- Molokhia or mahshi in a simple home-style restaurant
- Grilled fish by weight in Sakkala or El Dahar: about E£500–1,000 per person
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in El Dahar or Sakkala, where simple hotels cost roughly E£1,500–3,000 a room, close to the souk, the marina and the dive centres. Many beach hotels on Village Road offer good off-season deals.
Getting around cheaply
Use Uber or Careem in town (most rides E£50–200), or local minibuses along the main roads for a few pounds. From the airport to Sakkala is about 10–20 minutes by taxi or ride app. Buses to Cairo take about 6–7 hours and are much cheaper than flying.
A sample budget day
- Morning: ful and ta'ameya breakfast (about E£60), then a walk through the El Dahar souk and El Mina Mosque (free)
- Lunch: koshari (about E£100)
- Afternoon: Hurghada Museum (about E£300–500) and a swim at a town beach
- Evening: walk the marina, then a grilled fish dinner shared in Sakkala (about E£500); ride-app trips (about E£150)
- Total: about E£2,200–2,400 per person including a shared room of about E£900
More ways to save
- Do the Giftun boat trip once, and on other days snorkel from a house reef or a town beach.
- Bargain in the souk: start at about a third of the first price and walk away politely if it is too high.
- Ask whether prices are in Egyptian pounds, dollars or euros before agreeing to a tour.
- Carry small notes for tips and minibuses.
- Travel in late October, November or March, outside the Christmas and Easter peaks, for warm weather at lower prices.
- Share a private car for Luxor with other travellers instead of a full guided tour if you are happy to arrange tickets yourself.
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Common questions
Can you visit Hurghada on a budget?
Yes. Stay in El Dahar or Sakkala, eat ful, ta'ameya and koshari, and use ride apps; about E£2,450 per person a day covers the basics.
What is free in Hurghada?
The El Dahar souk, El Mina Mosque, the marina promenade, public beaches and shore snorkelling from house reefs.
How do I get from Hurghada airport to my hotel cheaply?
Use Uber or Careem or agree a taxi fare first; Sakkala is about 10–20 minutes away and Makadi Bay about 30–40 minutes.