Before my Egypt trip, one after another questions kept coming up while I was planning: How should I go? Which Places Should I Visit? And at last it hit me how much money I would actually need? Without it, how will I enjoy it?
And there wasn't one simple answer because the total depended on where I stayed, how I travelled and how many attractions I included. Once I separated the costs, though, the budget became much easier to understand.
Accommodation
Coming to the Accommodation it can take up a large part of the budget, but Egypt has different options for different travel styles.
Budget hotels and hostels can keep costs lower, while comfortable three- and four-star hotels offer more facilities without reaching luxury prices.
And the location of where we are staying matters. Staying close to the places we wanted to visit saved time & reduced some transport costs.
Food and Daily Spending
Food was one area where I found it fairly easy to control my spending.
You can also eat at local restaurants/casual places which will usually cost you way less than if you were to eat all your meals at the hotel/tourist restaurants.I’ve eaten several Egyptian dishes that are super tasty and don’t break the bank like koshari, falafel & ful etc.I also kept a small daily amount aside for drinks, snacks and unexpected purchases.That little buffer helped.
Transport and Attractions
Transport costs depend heavily on the route. Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Red Sea destinations have very different travel requirements, so moving between several regions can increase the overall budget.
Sightseeing should also be included when calculating the total. Entry fees, guided tours, Nile cruises and activities can quickly add to the daily cost.
This is where having a rough itinerary helped me. I could decide which experiences mattered most instead of paying for everything that appeared along the way.
A Simple Way to Plan
I found it easier to divide the budget into four sections: Accommodation, Food, Transport & activities.
Then I kept some extra money aside for unexpected expenses.
Rather than choosing an exact daily amount and trying to follow it perfectly, I looked at the whole trip as a package. That gave me much more flexibility.
Egypt doesn't have to be an expensive destination, but the final cost can change a lot depending on your travel style.
The best part of planning the budget was knowing where my money was going before I left. Once that was clear, I could enjoy the trip without constantly worrying about every small expense.