Tipping in Egypt
Tipping (baksheesh) is expected in Egypt — plan on about 10% at restaurants and small cash tips for almost any help you get. Many tourism and hospitality workers earn modest base wages and rely on tips for a large part of their income. The Egyptian pound has lost much of its value in recent years, so older guidebook amounts are often too low; the figures below reflect current prices.
Usual: 5–15%
Short answer
In Egypt, leave about 10% in cash at restaurants even if a 12% service charge is on the bill, EGP 20–50 for small services (porters, bathroom attendants, someone who shows you around), EGP 50–100 per night for housekeeping, and around EGP 200–500 per day for a private guide.
Open the tip calculator for this countryRestaurants
Leave about 10% at restaurants. Many restaurant bills show a 12% service charge plus 14% VAT, but the service charge doesn't reliably reach your waiter, so a cash tip of 5–10% handed directly to the server is still customary. At local eateries and koshary shops, rounding up or EGP 10–20 is enough. Tip in Egyptian pounds; euros or dollars are accepted in tourist areas, but coins can't be exchanged, so never tip in foreign coins. Always carry small notes (EGP 10, 20 and 50), because change can be hard to get.
Hotels
Hotel tipping is expected. Give porters EGP 20–50 per bag, and leave housekeeping EGP 50–100 per night, ideally daily, as staff rotate. Pool and beach attendants who set up loungers or towels appreciate EGP 20–50. A concierge who organises tours or transport might get EGP 100–200. On a Nile cruise, a pooled crew tip is usually collected at the end — often around $5–10 per person per day; check the recommendation in your cabin.
Taxis & Transport
Agree the fare before you get into a taxi without a working meter, and that agreed price usually includes everything. For metered taxis, round up or add about 10%. Uber and Careem work in Cairo, Alexandria and some other cities, with fixed prices and optional in-app tips. A private driver for a day trip (e.g. Cairo to Saqqara and Dahshur) typically gets EGP 100–300, depending on the length of the day.
Tours, spas, cafés & more
Massage and spa: 10–15% of the treatment price, or EGP 100–200 for an hour at a hotel spa. Tour guides: around EGP 200–500 per person per day for a group guide, more for a private guide; the driver gets about half. Temple and tomb guards who unlock a room or point something out will expect EGP 20–50 — politely decline if you didn't ask for help. Toilet attendants: EGP 5–10. Felucca captains: EGP 50–100. Camel or horse handlers: agree the price in advance, then EGP 20–50. Diving and snorkelling crews: often a pooled tip of a few hundred pounds per person.
Common practice
Small tips are expected for almost every service: helpers, guides, drivers, porters and attendants. Carry plenty of EGP 10, 20 and 50 notes so you can tip without needing change.
Typical examples
A EGP 800 dinner for two with service charge included: leave EGP 50–80 extra in cash. A EGP 300 meal at a local restaurant: EGP 20–30. A porter with two bags: EGP 50–100. A one-hour massage for EGP 1,000: tip EGP 100–150. Roughly, EGP 100 is about $2 or £1.50 — exchange rates fluctuate a lot, so treat conversions as approximate.
Helpful note
Wages vary widely, but many waiters and hotel staff earn only a few thousand Egyptian pounds a month in base pay, so tips make a real difference. Even so, you don't need to give in to pushy requests for baksheesh.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I tip in Egypt?
About 10% at restaurants, EGP 20–50 for small services, EGP 50–100 per night for housekeeping and roughly EGP 200–500 per day for a guide. Always tip in Egyptian pounds and small notes.
How much do you tip for a massage in Egypt?
Around 10–15% of the treatment price, or about EGP 100–200 for an hour at a hotel spa, handed directly to the therapist.
Should I tip in euros, dollars or Egyptian pounds?
Egyptian pounds are best. Dollar or euro notes are accepted in tourist areas, but foreign coins are useless to staff because banks won't exchange them.
Do I still tip if there's a service charge on the bill?
Usually yes. The 12% service charge often doesn't go fully to staff, so leave about 5–10% in cash for your waiter.
How much do waiters earn in Egypt?
It varies a lot, but base pay is low — often just a few thousand Egyptian pounds a month — so tips are a major part of income in tourism and hospitality.