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Cash, cards, VAT, and shopping

Money in Egypt

Egypt uses the Egyptian pound. Plan for a mix of cards and local cash, check the current official exchange-rate reference before converting, and keep receipts for purchases that may matter at departure.

Last checked: 2026-08-11. This is practical travel guidance, not financial, tax, legal, or customs advice.

Quick rules

Do not make one payment method carry the whole trip

  • Check the current Central Bank of Egypt exchange-rate page before exchanging or comparing quotes; do not rely on old screenshots or fixed conversion examples.
  • Use banks, bank ATMs, and legitimate exchange offices instead of informal street exchange.
  • Cards can work well in hotels, larger shops, restaurants, attractions, and many tourism businesses, but small shops, taxis, tips, toilets, kiosks, and local services may still need cash.
  • Keep a small cash backup and small notes for low-value payments, but do not carry more cash than you can secure.
  • Check the amount, currency, receipt, and change before leaving the counter or vehicle.

Exchange, ATMs, and cards

Use official channels and keep a paper trail

The safest evergreen rule is to separate the official rate check from the place where you exchange. Use the Central Bank of Egypt as the current reference, then compare the actual bank, ATM, card-network, or exchange-office offer shown to you at the time.

  • Use ATMs attached to banks or inside controlled areas where possible, and keep the withdrawal receipt until you confirm the account posting.
  • Your own bank, the ATM operator, the card network, and the merchant may each affect the final cost; check foreign transaction, withdrawal, cash-advance, and ATM fees before travel.
  • If a terminal offers to charge your foreign card in your home currency, compare carefully. Paying in Egyptian pounds often avoids dynamic currency conversion markup, but your issuer's rules still matter.
  • Do not let an unofficial helper handle your card, phone, PIN, passport, or ATM screen.
  • For hotels, tours, drivers, and activities, confirm whether tax, service charge, card fee, deposit, balance, cancellation, and tip are included before accepting.

VAT refund

VAT refunds are source-sensitive and paperwork-driven

The Egyptian Tax Authority VAT refund page for departing foreign visitors, checked 2026-08-11, says the visitor stay must not exceed three months, purchase invoices must not be less than EGP 1,500, and the purchases must leave with the visitor on departure. It also says the refund is transferred in foreign currency to the visitor's own foreign bank card.

  • Scope: Egyptian Tax Authority guidance for departing foreign visitors; threshold and conditions should be rechecked on the purchase or departure date.
  • Buy only from stores displaying the VAT Refund sign if you plan to claim.
  • Get an electronic receipt containing your passport number, and keep the goods in purchase condition for the refund process.
  • At departure, allow enough time for the airport VAT refund office, and be ready to show the goods and your passport for review.
  • Hold a valid bank card for the transfer and use the Tax Refund mobile application only through the official Tax Authority process.
  • Do not pack VAT-refund goods in checked luggage until you know whether inspection is needed before bag drop.

Tips and bill checks

Treat tipping as voluntary custom, not law

Small tips can be customary in tourism and service settings, but this page does not publish fixed ranges or treat tipping as mandatory. A tax line, service-charge line, or package inclusion on a bill is not automatically the same thing as a voluntary tip.

  • Keep small notes available when you choose to tip a porter, restroom attendant, hotel staff member, guide, driver, boat crew, or helpful service worker.
  • If a price is unclear, ask before accepting the service: "What is the total price in Egyptian pounds, including tax, service, luggage, waiting, and card fee?"
  • If pressured, a calm "No, thank you" or "I already paid" is enough. Move toward staff, your hotel, or an official counter if pressure continues.
  • For Mersavia-arranged services, use the written confirmation and payment and cancellation guidance rather than a verbal counterclaim at the point of service.

Shopping and bargaining

Know whether the setting is negotiable before you start

Bargaining may be normal in markets, bazaars, some souvenir shops, and informal services. It is usually not the right approach at supermarkets, malls, museums, official ticket offices, pharmacies, posted-price shops, hotel desks, or transport apps showing a fixed fare.

  • Ask the total price, currency, quantity, delivery, shipping, card fee, and return policy before agreeing.
  • Keep receipts for higher-value purchases, VAT refund claims, and anything that could be questioned at departure.
  • Use the customs antiquities guidance before buying, packing, or shipping anything described as old, antique, ancient, archaeological, or original.
  • Avoid protected, restricted, or counterfeit-looking goods when you cannot verify their legality and export status through an official channel.
  • Responsible local crafts are best bought with clear pricing, seller identity, material description, and respect for the maker or community behind the work.

Sources

Official sources checked for this page

  • Central Bank of Egypt exchange rates - Central Bank of Egypt; public exchange-rate reference; checked 2026-08-11; use as the current rate link rather than storing a rate here.
  • Experience Egypt Useful Information - Egyptian Tourism Authority / Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities; tourists in Egypt; retrieved 2026-08-11; used for cash/card practical context.
  • Egyptian Tax Authority VAT refund procedures - departing foreign visitors; retrieved 2026-08-11; used for VAT eligibility, threshold, electronic receipt, passport, goods review, and refund method.
  • Egypt customs rules - Mersavia customs guide using Cairo Airport, traveler-government, CDC, and Experience Egypt sources; checked 2026-08-11; used for currency and antiquities/export cross-checks.

Practical help

Need help planning the cash-and-arrival basics?

Mersavia can help with non-urgent arrival logistics, transport, and local planning questions before confirmation. Official tax, bank, customs, and card-issuer channels stay in charge of their own rules.

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