Best Place to Exchange Money in Hurghada

Where to change money in Hurghada

Banque Misr's branch list puts several branches in town, among them the Banks District and El Dahar, the old centre, where TUI says haggling is normal in the shops. Hotels and the airport will also exchange money, but Wise cautions that airport rates and fees are usually worse than a bank's. Resort extras are sometimes priced in euros, so check the currency of any quote before you pay.

• Banque Misr, Banks District branch, Hurghada - Currency exchange is listed among its services. The bank's branch list puts it on Airport Road, while an older after-hours page names El-Tahrir Street in the Bank District and says it changes foreign currency from 5 pm to 9 pm; that page is undated, so confirm locally.
• Banque Misr, Hurghada Islamic branch, Nasser Street, El Dahar - Useful if you are staying in the old town. Exchange is listed as a service, but the bank publishes no opening hours online.

Changing money at the airport

Hurghada is outside the Sinai arrangement, so a British passport holder needs a visa here. The Foreign Office recommends applying for an e-visa ahead of the trip; Egypt's official portal accepts UK applicants and charges 30 US dollars for one entry, by card. The alternative is a paper visa from the kiosks before passport control, also 30 US dollars and payable only in cash.

Banque Misr lists a branch in the arrivals hall, and an airport guide updated in December 2024 says several bank branches there exchange money and that Egyptian banks' cash machines take foreign cards without trouble. The same guide rates airport exchange slightly below town, so change enough for your transfer and first tips only. Taxis wait in numbers outside; agree the fare before you get in, or arrange a hotel transfer, which a local transport guide calls the easiest choice on arrival. Uber covers Hurghada, including rides from the airport to your hotel.

ATMs and cards in Hurghada

Pick a bank-owned cash machine where you can. Which? says standalone machines often add premiums, and Wise points out that any local charge appears on screen before you approve the withdrawal. Wise also found per-withdrawal caps of about EGP 2,000 to 3,000 in 2024, so a bigger sum may take two attempts.

Large hotels and restaurants usually take cards, but taxis, microbuses and market stalls want cash. If a terminal or ATM offers to convert the amount into pounds, say no and pay in Egyptian pounds; Which? notes that otherwise the retailer picks the rate, normally a poorer one. On entry and exit you may carry at most EGP 5,000 in local notes, and foreign currency above 10,000 US dollars has to be declared on arrival.

Paying for transport in Hurghada

Uber runs around the clock in Hurghada, and Uber Egypt says riders can pay cash when no card is saved; the price in the app is an estimate. Street taxis are plentiful. Settle the price before you set off and have small notes ready, as a local transport guide says taxi fares are always paid in cash.

Microbuses are the cheap local option. Pegasus Airlines' city guide says they have no fixed stops: wave one down, tell the driver where you want to get off and pay in cash. A ferry to Sharm el-Sheikh has run in the past, but Direct Ferries now says nothing is sailing on the route, so check before building a trip around one.

Good to know

• Baksheesh is expected for many small services. Lonely Planet calls tipping standard practice, and TUI's Hurghada page says rounding up or a small amount is a kind gesture for taxi drivers and hotel staff.
• In restaurants, TUI says 10 to 15 per cent is normal when no service charge appears on the bill.
• Keep a stock of small notes for microbuses, taxis and the shops of El Dahar, where TUI warns that opening prices can be inflated threefold.