Tipping in Egypt

When I inform staff members that they have received praise in a good review—whether it’s at Mara House, on a cruise boat, or during a tour—their gratitude is palpable. They genuinely appreciate being recognized for their hard work. After all, isn’t it essential for everyone to feel valued and appreciated?

On the flip side, I hope that, by the end of this article, you will understand that not tipping a person in Egypt can have a demoralizing effect. It’s not just about the financial aspect; it’s about acknowledging their effort and making them feel that their work has made a positive impact on your experience.

See my full Travel Advice Hub for answers to all your questions on Egypt.

How to Get the Best Rate

Tipping is culturally embedded and expected by Egyptians from Egyptians. It played a critical role during the economically tough years from 2011 to 2017, acting as a form of mutual aid without loss of dignity.

• Egyptians tip with gratitude and grace, or not at all if there’s a valid reason like discourtesy.
• Tipping or not tipping signals to workers whether they performed well.
• The Egyptian economy has faced several challenges, including the devaluation of the Egyptian pound and removal of government subsidies, increasing the cost of living. Tipping helps supplement wages which cannot keep up with the cost of living for many.

The Economic Context

• Even government employees such as teachers and clerks take on additional jobs.
• Devaluation of the Egyptian pound in 2016 and subsequent devaluations since 2022 have severely impacted purchasing power.
• Removal of subsidies increased the cost of basic necessities.
• Tourism industry struggles: operators often quote prices below costs, resulting in hidden extras and reliance on tipping to supplement wages.
• I know this is horrible and ridiculous for you to hear – but it is not unknown for guides to have to pay the tour company to get the guiding job not the other way around – and if you are smart you will realise what that means.

Understanding these elements helps explain why tipping is vital in Egypt.

Tipping vs. Baksheesh

It’s important to distinguish between tipping and baksheesh.

• Tipping: This is for services rendered. You give a tip to show your appreciation for good service, whether it’s to a waiter, hotel staff, or tour guide.
• Baksheesh: This term can sometimes be used interchangeably with tipping but traditionally refers to giving money without a service being rendered, often resembling begging. It’s important to recognize individuals who genuinely provide a service versus those who ask for money without offering one.

General Tipping Guidelines

– For anyone who doesn’t want to go along with tipping the same as at home or the same as what they would consider a good tip if on the receiving end.

• Tour Guides and Drivers: Tip guides minimum US$20 = 950 egyptian pounds per day and drivers around half that amount.
• Hotels: For porters, it’s customary to give around US$1 = 47 egyptian pounds per bag. Housekeepers should receive at minimum US$10 = 475 egyptian pounds per day.
• Cruise Boats: End of Stay Tipping on Cruise Boats and Hotel. Most have a tip box in reception for the staff you don’t meet, such as laundry staff, kitchen staff, and general workers. The minimum expected tip would be $10 = 500 egyptian per person per night.  That tip is expected to be given by all my guests that I book tours for.  Managers are not generally included in the tip box, so if you have had regular contact with a manager of some sort, who was extra helpful to you, a tip may be in order, depending on how much you have had to do with him or her. The same goes if you had a particular waiter who was very attentive to your needs. Discretion when tipping waiting staff on the boat is important. You need to specify the tip is directly for him and not a general tip for the kitchen. Sometimes there are chefs who are particularly proud of the food they have prepared for you and you will notice that these will have been keeping an eye on your reaction to their food during the trip. If you are feeling generous you could make it a point of complimenting them and giving a tip also.
• Felluca Captains and/or their helpers: US$10 = 475 egyptian pounds.
• Taxis: US$3 but that is a difficult one because you should not get into a taxi without agreeing the rate before you get in anyway.
• Shops and Markets: If a salesperson or stall keeper helps you extensively, it’s polite to leave a small tip as a token of appreciation
• Toilet Attendants: US$2 or 100 egyptian pounds  If you are in Egypt and wondering why toilet paper is not supplied in bathrooms outside of hotels and airports – here is a raw detail – sewer pipes are narrow, continually getting blocked from the volume of paper used by tourists.  So, attendants hand it out – but you are free to ask for more.  They use water and don’t understand what you are doing!  Plus they have to buy the toilet paper out of the tip you give them.  Heaven protect us from the amount of whining on social media about this, when people could just go find out why!

ON RESTAURANTS:  If you are eating in a top hotel restaurant and the meal costs you upwards of $50 leaving a 10% tip means you are leaving the waiter $5 – don’t expect a smile because the are accustomed to much more.  If you are eating in a normal type egyptian restaurant and the meal costs you 1000 LE leaving a 10% tip = $2.  If that is what you tip your waiter at home then I guess that’s fine.  But suppose you were the waiter? Tip directly to your server. While some restaurants may include a service charge, it doesn’t always go to the staff. Therefore, it is still appreciated if you leave a tip directly.

To put money into context:

• 1 kilo of GOOD meat is over 700 le per kilo – that is US$15
• 1 kilo of apples is 150 le – $3
• things like rice, pasta etc are the same as abroad.
• 24 disposable baby nappies is 300 le = $6
• electricity for average family is 2000 le per month = $42

Alternative Tipping Recommendations You Might Have Encountered

Questionable Tipping Guidance: Insights from Tour Operators

I’ve encountered certain tour operators, often those masquerading as genuine local experts, offering misguided advice on tipping, some even boldly advising against tipping altogether. Some of these operators, who vehemently reject tipping and claim to include it within their prices, may be using this as a tactic to win your business. It’s crucial to scrutinize what they’re truly offering in return for your business. These operators are aware of the frustration tourists often feel about tipping and exploit this sentiment, assuring you that tipping is unnecessary and relieving you of the emotional and mental burden associated with it. Instead, they should aim to help you grasp foreign customs in unfamiliar territory and guide you on making a positive impression on the locals. After all, every tourist serves as an ambassador for their home country while abroad.

Questioning the Credibility of Some Travel Bloggers on Tipping

I find some travel bloggers’ advice on not tipping or suggesting minimal tips frustrating. It’s evident they receive complimentary accommodations, along with commissions from various sources, in exchange for promoting places, operators, products, etc. They enjoy a few luxurious days in a country with everything provided, and suddenly, they present themselves as experts without a genuine understanding of the local economy or cultural customs.

Why Not Include Tipping in the Pricing?

I understand that some guests would prefer if tipping was included in the pricing. Every year, when reviewing my own tour prices, I am tempted to include the tipping in my group tours, as I cringe inside any time I or my guides have to remind people to tip the bus driver, a cruise boat, or a waiter. I also feel very embarrassed if guests at Mara House ask me the appropriate amount to tip my housekeepers or Amr for cooking up his amazing Salahadeen Feast. However, altering the economic landscape of a country that isn’t mine isn’t a viable solution. Instead, my aim is to help you navigate and appreciate the local tipping culture.

Including tipping in our prices wouldn’t serve its purpose because Egyptian workers would not comprehend it. They may assume the tip solely originates from us and not from you. Alternatively, they might think you tipped us on their behalf, and we failed to pass the full amount on to them.

Additionally, if you don’t personally offer tips, the workers may interpret it as a sign that you didn’t find their service worthy of a tip, which could leave them feeling disheartened. It’s essential to recognize that tipping isn’t merely a financial transaction; it’s a culturally ingrained way of expressing gratitude throughout Egypt. It’s a tradition that extends beyond individual preferences.

How to Tip Someone and what not to do

In all situations, except when you’re directly settling the bill in a restaurant, it’s customary to discreetly fold the tip in the palm of your hand and offer it subtly during a handshake while expressing your gratitude. It’s generally seen as impolite to wave the tip in the air and hand it over to someone, such as a guide or housekeeper, as if you were making a payment. Some Egyptians view it as a display of good manners to initially decline the tip once or twice, so it’s considered polite on your part to insist while expressing your sincere thanks.

Be aware that foreign coins are not exchangeable or spendable in Egypt so please do not use foreign coins for tipping. If you are stopped in the street by someone holding a handful of coins, they are asking you to exchange them for Egyptian pounds. They have been keeping them until they find someone who will change the coins for them. This can be an annoyance but changing them is a kindness.

Exceptions to Tipping: When It’s Not Required

• Police or security personnel.
• Guardians in temples (avoid those offering to show something special like the plague because they will continue to plague you until you leave).
• Guardians in tombs offering to let you take photos (you can do this without their permission and avoid potential hassles).
• Street food vendors (though I advise against eating street food due to hygiene).
• Anyone in airports except baggage handlers who actually load and push your trolley. Be wary of someone meeting you at the door going into the airport, unless you have pre-arranged it, offering to fast-track you through check-in, this is a trick and can turn into an unpleasant encounter.

Conclusion

I am sure there is a better way to phrase my final thoughts this morning and my metaphysical musings may well be a bridge too far for some to take.

• If you feel you can’t afford to tip – don’t come to Egypt until you can afford it – save yourself the misery of feeling bad 50 times a day.  An average stay of 14 nights in Egypt would take about $250 in tips.
• How we speak about our abundance or lack of it in regard to paying anyone anywhere for anything tells the world more about us than we realise.  This applies to how we speak about EVERYTHING.  We speak our reality into manifiestation.  The world is not something coming at us – we build it with out words.  Everything around us is simply a reflection of where we are inside.  This is not meant to be a spiritual lecture but I need to add an addendum here – when bad things happen, such as losing a job or an way or earning that is usually a sign it is time to change paths and that is always a good thing – eventually.
• If you feel abundant – spread the joy around and it will come back to you – but it must be from the heart.

HAVE A WONDERFUL TRIP!

The Economic Crisis in Egypt Raises Another Dilemma: Tipping – NY Times Nov 2025

Last updated on 31/12/2025 by Marie Vaughan