Tipping in Egypt: what to actually budget

Tipping in Egypt — baksheesh — is not a bonus for exceptional service. It is a structural part of how people in tourism are paid, and budgeting for it properly is the single easiest way to avoid awkwardness on a trip.

Tipping in Egypt: the short version

Budget €8–12 per person per day across the whole trip. Over ten days that is roughly €100 per person, and it covers everyone you will meet.

Who gets what

Your Egyptologist guide is the largest single share: €8–10 per person per day is normal for a private guide, less in a group. Drivers get €3–5 a day. On a cruise there is usually a communal crew box at the end, at around €5 per person per night.

Hotel porters and housekeeping take small notes rather than coins. Restaurant service is often already added — check before adding more.

Why baksheesh feels different to a Western tip

In much of Europe a tip rewards good service after the fact. In Egypt baksheesh works more like a small, expected transaction that runs alongside the service itself, and it covers a much wider range of interactions.

That is why it can feel relentless on a first visit. Someone opens a door, points at a view, or steadies you onto a boat, and a hand goes out. It is not a scam and it is rarely aggressive.

The practical answer is to carry far more small notes than you think you need, decide your own limit, and stop apologising for it. A polite no is understood, and it is used constantly by Egyptians too.

Practicalities

Bring small denominations in Egyptian pounds and change money early. Handing over a large euro note because you have nothing smaller helps nobody, and it distorts expectations for the travellers behind you.