9 ways to experience Cairo on a budget

08.12.2023 - 22:31 / lonelyplanet.com

Cairo is one of the biggest budget-friendly cities on the planet – where else can US$11 buy you entry to a wonder of the world? The capital of Egypt – and the country as a whole – is a great destination for travelers on a budget, with reasonable prices for accommodation (even high-end properties if you time it right), food and activities.

However, be mindful that Egypt’s economy is floundering. Inflation has soared – the Egyptian pound is worth half of what it was in 2022 – and the currency fell to an all-time low against the US dollar in January 2023. While favorable exchange rates are good news for foreign visitors, poverty is becoming more widespread, and basics like eggs and meat are becoming luxury items even for middle-class Egyptian families.

Tourism makes up a significant percentage of Egypt’s GDP, so pay fairly for services and haggle respectfully. Here’s how to visit Cairo on a budget.

Average daily cost

Cairo now has two operational airports: Cairo International – the capital’s main airport for decades, and the largest and busiest in Egypt – and Sphinx International on the western side of the Nile River in Giza. Sphinx Airport opened in 2019 on a trial basis, and in 2023 it started receiving flights from European cities on budget airlines. Low-cost carriers have not previously flown to Cairo, opening the gate to budget travelers to the capital for the first time.

Condor, a German low-cost carrier, started flights from Frankfurt in May 2023, while EasyJet and Wizz Air began flying from London a few months later. Budget airline flights are also landing from Berlin, Budapest, Milan and Rome. You can also fly on Middle Eastern low-cost carriers, such as Air Arabia, Air Cairo, flydubai, flynas and Jazeera Airways to Sphinx International.

If departures to Sphinx International aren’t suitable and flights to Cairo International are out of your price range, see whether budget airlines in your city fly to Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada, popular resort towns on Egypt’s Red Sea coast. Flights to these resorts tend to be significantly cheaper than those directly to Cairo, and bookending your visit to the capital with a bit of relaxation on the Red Sea is never a bad idea. 

An internal flight within Egypt is significantly cheaper than flying from abroad, or you can go the real budget route and take a bus to the capital. Go Bus operates lines from both Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada for as little as US$8.

Egypt’s treasure trove of archaeological sites – where incredible discoveries are still being made – promises to morph any traveler into a student of history. But if you’re an actual student of any discipline and under 30 years old, you are hugely rewarded in Egypt with 50% off ticket prices to all government-run