Where to buy cigarettes and snacks cheaply in Egypt - hotel shop vs duty free vs local stores?
Based on 1 discussion with 4 participants · Last activity: 28 days ago
Based on 1 discussion with 4 participants · Last activity: 28 days ago
TL;DR
Hotel shops charge more for cigarettes (~$4 a pack with capsule), while local town stores sell them for as little as $1. It's cheaper to bring alcohol and cigarettes from home or buy at airport duty free; bargaining over small snacks like chocolate isn't worth the hassle.
At the hotel, a pack of Winston with a flavor capsule cost about $4, while a town shop had thin capsule cigarettes for just $1 by the end of the trip — stock up if you smoke.
After the trip it became clear that haggling over chocolate, seeds and similar small snacks isn't really worth the effort — the price difference is negligible.
Better to bring alcohol in your checked luggage plus grab some at airport duty free; cigarettes were bought locally around day 10 of the trip.
A local shop sold chocolate bars for $3 each, with a promo of 2 for $5, but the promo bars were close to their expiration date — always check the date before buying.
Local cigarettes of the same brand tend to be stronger and taste different from the ones at home — if you smoke a specific brand, bring enough with you.
Cigarettes brought from home ran out quickly — had to buy Winston with a flavor capsule locally, two packs for about $4.
At the hotel shop cigarettes cost $4 and chocolate was even pricier; you can haggle at the hotel store, though prices are still higher than at the Gomla market.