Think twice.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Cairo at 50/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Egypt's national picture overall (54/100 vs 55/100).
City page · part of Egypt
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Cairo report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside Egypt's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
49.8
Safety Index
50.2
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as Egypt's national page, with crime swapped for Cairo's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Cairo, specifically
- • Scams against tourists are almost a national sport, though they're usually obvious.
- • During politically-calm times, you can walk around the main streets anytime you feel like roaming.
- • Crossing streets is another major challenge in Cairo.
- • Also, when riding in a taxi, the driver may go quite fast and drive erratically. If at any time you feel unsafe, tell the driver to stop and get out.
- • Be careful about wearing the jerseys of local football clubs Al Ahly and Zamalek, as violent incidents have been known to occur between the supporters of both clubs.
- • Emergency services:
Legal status (national law)
De Jure LegalDe facto illegal
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / F · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 112 or 122 / ambulance: 123 / fire: 180
Tipping
Egyptians do not tip at restaurants, nor do restaurant owners expect them, though at fancier restaurants a service charge may be added to your bill. Many restaurants in touristy areas will inflate prices for foreigners anyway, and you probably won't even know it unless you notice a printed price or another customer being charged a different price for the same thing.
Cash vs. Card
Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards are accepted at many frequented places, but only bigger hotels or restaurants in Cairo and restaurants in tourist areas will readily accept American Express and Diners Club cards as payment. Traveller's cheques can no longer be used.
How this compares to Egypt
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Cairo at 50/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Egypt's national picture overall (54/100 vs 55/100).
See the full Egypt page and all receipts →