Can you pay by card in Sharm el-Sheikh or is cash better?
Based on 1 discussion with 3 participants · Last activity: 23 days ago
TL;DR
Card payments are rarely accepted in Sharm el-Sheikh — cards mostly work for ATM withdrawals. Withdraw the maximum at once (4,000–4,250 EGP) and try paying by card first, but always have cash as backup.
What the community said
Card payments are accepted in very few places in Sharm el-Sheikh. The main use of a card here is ATM cash withdrawals, not purchases.
23 days ago
Paying by card is more cost-effective where accepted since there's no fee. Best strategy: try card first, fall back to cash if declined.
23 days ago 0% fee when paying by card
When withdrawing cash, take the maximum allowed per transaction — 4,000–4,250 EGP — to minimize ATM fees per pound withdrawn.
23 days ago Max per withdrawal: 4,000–4,250 EGP
Some foreign-issued cards (such as those from payment services like Plati Po Miru and similar) do work for purchases, but there's no guarantee they won't stop working — use them while you can.
23 days ago Plati Po Miru, Paylate cards
An alternative to cards is buying gift certificates through services like PeopleBot, but they cost roughly twice the face value — an expensive workaround.
23 days ago Gift certificates: ~2× markup
Some shops (similar to MTS-style outlets) offer payment processing but charge a commission — a last-resort option if cards and cash aren't working.
23 days ago MTS-type shops (commission applies)