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Tipping in Egypt

Tipping expectedEGP (E£)Tips: cash only

Here's the tip.

Tipping, baksheesh, is constant and expected.

Baksheesh is woven into daily life in Egypt. Small tips are expected for almost any service, from carrying a bag to pointing you towards the right doorway. Wages in tourism are very low and tips are the main income. Budget for it and carry a thick stack of small notes. You will need them every day.

At a glance

Card tipping. Card tipping is not practical outside of large hotels. Cash in Egyptian pounds is essential; foreign notes are accepted but often at a poor rate.

  • A 12% service charge plus tax is routinely added in restaurants and hotels. It rarely reaches the staff, so a direct cash tip is still expected.
  • Break notes at every opportunity. Small denominations are the single most useful thing you can carry in Egypt.
  • Guidance quoted in US dollars ages badly here. The pound has devalued sharply, so older sources give figures that are now well below what anyone actually hands over.
  • Expect unsolicited 'help', an offer to take your photo, open a door, show you a shortcut, that comes with a tip request. A firm, friendly 'la shukran' is a complete answer.
  • You are not obliged to tip for something you did not ask for.

Tip calculator

10%
—

EGYPT

The tipping cheat sheet

  • Restaurants10%, on top of any service charge
  • Cafés5–10 EGP
  • Bars10%
  • TaxisRound up
  • Hotel porters10–50 EGP per bag
  • Housekeeping25–100 EGP per day

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Things to do in Egypt

Where are you actually going? These are the best rated in each place.

CairoPrivate VIP Tour : Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum5.0·218 reviews·from €45.53LuxorFull Day Private Luxor East & West Bank Tour With Egyptian Lunch5.0·296 reviews·from €182.13GizaGiza Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian museum " GEM "5.0·265 reviews·from €150.26HurghadaLuxor Day Tour from Hurghada5.0·219 reviews·from €200

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Travelling in Egypt?

Stay connectedGet an eSIM before you land so you can check fares, maps and this guide without roaming charges.View eSIM plansAirport transfersBook a fixed-price transfer in advance and skip the taxi-rank negotiation.Book a transfer

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Common questions

Do you tip in Egypt?
Tipping, baksheesh, is constant and expected. Baksheesh is woven into daily life in Egypt. Small tips are expected for almost any service, from carrying a bag to pointing you towards the right doorway. Wages in tourism are very low and tips are the main income. Budget for it and carry a thick stack of small notes. You will need them every day.
How much do you tip at a restaurant in Egypt?
10%, on top of any service charge. Leave about 10% in cash, even if service was added.
Can you tip by card in Egypt?
Card tipping is not practical outside of large hotels. Cash in Egyptian pounds is essential; foreign notes are accepted but often at a poor rate.

Reviewed by Greg Kockott on 3 September 2026.

Figures checked against the sources below on 4 September 2026.

Sources