Egypt relocation guide 2026

01The country in 30 seconds

Egypt is the easiest option for Russians who want to live by a warm sea on a budget. There are direct flights, a $30 visa right at the airport, and a huge Russian-speaking community in Hurghada.

In winter it's about +22-26°C during the day, the Red Sea is warm all year, and life costs much less than in Europe. The pyramids, Luxor, and diving in Dahab and Marsa Alam are all close.

The downsides are clear too. There is no digital-nomad visa. Russian cards don't work. You can stay a long time, but through extensions at the passport office, and the terms change.

• A visa is required, but easy: e-visa ($30) or on arrival ($30 cash), 30 days
• For Sinai resorts (Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba, Taba) — a free stamp for up to 15 days
• No nomad visa; the long-stay path is an in-country extension or residence on other grounds
• Budget per person is about $650-1,500/month
• Direct flights from Moscow, St Petersburg and other cities to Cairo, Hurghada and Sharm

02Who it's for

Egypt works well if:

• You want to spend the winter, or longer, by a warm sea, and Turkey or the UAE feel too expensive
• You work remotely for foreign or Russian clients and don't need an official "nomad" status
• Direct flights home matter to you — no connections in Istanbul or Dubai
• You love diving, snorkeling, kitesurfing, or just the sea every day
• You're comfortable where there are many Russians — Hurghada has Russian-speaking doctors, agents, schools and chats
• You like history — pyramids and temples you've only seen in pictures

What to explore in the country:

• Cairo and Giza — the pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, old Islamic Cairo
• Luxor and Aswan — Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, a Nile cruise, Abu Simbel
• Sinai — Dahab and the Blue Hole, Mount Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery
• Marsa Alam — dugongs, turtles and calm reefs
• Alexandria — a Mediterranean city with a very different feel
• El Gouna — a neat resort town near Hurghada, with kitesurfing and lagoons

Trips from Egypt: Jordan (Petra and Aqaba — ferry from Nuweiba), Israel via Taba, Turkey, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Morocco. Which of these are visa-free for Russians — see the residency section.

Maybe not for you if:

• You need a clear "remote worker" residence permit with a path to permanent residency and citizenship
• You need visa-free Schengen access — Egyptian status doesn't give it
• You don't handle heat well: summer is +35-40°C and more, especially in Luxor and Aswan
• You need fast fiber internet in any apartment — quality in Egypt is uneven
• You're not ready for a country with strict laws on drugs, "morality" and criticism of the authorities

03Entry & visa

There is no visa-free entry to Egypt for Russian citizens — you need a visa. But it's easy to get, with no embassy visit.

You have three options.

1. E-visa — in advance on the official portal visa2egypt.gov.eg. Russia is on the list of eligible countries. A single-entry visa costs $30, multiple-entry costs $65. Apply at least 7 days before your flight. You pay by Visa or Mastercard.

2. Visa on arrival — $30 in cash at a bank kiosk at the airport, before passport control. It gives you 30 days. Since August 1, 2026, Cairo airport also offers a digital visa on arrival — $36 (including a $6 service fee), card only, through self-service machines or an online portal.

3. Sinai stamp — free if you fly into Sharm El Sheikh and stay less than 15 days in the resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba. If you go beyond these resorts (for example to Cairo or on a trip to Luxor) or stay longer, you need a normal visa.

What else you need at the border:

• A passport valid for at least 6 months from your arrival date, with at least one blank page
• A printout of your e-visa (if you got one in advance)
• A hotel booking and a rough travel plan — you may be asked
• You can bring in or take out no more than 5,000 Egyptian pounds; foreign cash over $10,000 must be declared
• You may be asked to declare expensive electronics. Drones without Ministry of Defence permission are not allowed and will be confiscated

Overstaying: according to the UK Foreign Office, a fine applies if your visa expired more than 14 days ago. But don't plan around that — extend in advance.

Visa runs. We found no official limit on repeat entries with a visa on arrival. Many people leave for a few days to Turkey, the UAE or Jordan and come back with a new visa. But frequent back-to-back entries can lead to questions at the border — for stays longer than a couple of months, an in-country extension is better (see the residency section).

04Residency & legalization

Egypt has no digital-nomad visa. Such a visa has been discussed in recent years as part of tourism plans, but as of November 2026 we could not find any officially launched program that actually issues permits. If you see ads for an "Egyptian nomad visa", be careful — it's most likely middlemen.

Below are the real options for a remote worker, from simplest to hardest.

1. Extending your tourist stay in Egypt — the most common path.

You enter on a tourist visa, then extend your stay at the passport and immigration office (in Cairo — the main office in Abbassia; Hurghada and other tourist cities have their own branches). Appointments are booked through the Ministry of Interior portal eres.moi.gov.eg. The site may not open from Russia — use a VPN or an agent.

• Extensions are usually for several months, sometimes up to a year
• You need your passport, photos, a rental contract or proof of address, and sometimes a bank statement
• You pay a government fee. Since 2023-2024, many fees for foreigners are charged in US dollars

We couldn't find an official public table of terms and prices. In practice, the length and the fee depend on the office and on whether you own property. Check with your local office or with a local agent who does this every day.

2. Residence through buying property.

Property owners in Egypt can get a residence permit, and many Russians in Hurghada live this way. In 2024, the authorities announced residence permits for foreigners who buy property with foreign currency: the more expensive the property, the longer the permit. We couldn't verify the exact thresholds and terms in an official source — they're reported differently in different places. Before buying "for the residency", hire an independent lawyer.

3. Work or your own business in Egypt.

There are residence permits based on a contract with an Egyptian employer (with a work permit) and investor residence. Note that the share of foreigners on a company's staff is limited — according to the investment authority GAFI, it's 10-20% of employees. This is local work and local taxes, not remote work for foreign clients.

4. Study or marriage.

Student residence is given when you enroll at an Egyptian university or an accredited language program (many people come to study Arabic). There is also residence for spouses of Egyptian citizens. These are real paths, but only if you actually have that basis.

5. Citizenship by investment — for wealthy people.

Under Law 190/2019, Egyptian citizenship is granted, for example, for a $250,000 payment to the treasury, buying $300,000 of state property, or a $500,000 deposit for three years. Not relevant for a typical remote worker.

Do Russians actually get this? There are no special restrictions for Russian citizens in the rules. Extensions and property-based residence for Russians are common practice, especially in Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.

What the status gives you for travel. An Egyptian residence permit gives you no Schengen access and no visa-free access to any bloc of countries. But Egypt is a convenient base for places Russians can already visit:

• Turkey — visa-free up to 60 days per trip, no more than 90 days in 180
• UAE — visa-free up to 90 days in 180
• Saudi Arabia — visa-free up to 90 days per calendar year (not during Hajj season)
• Jordan and Qatar — visa-free up to 90 days
• Tunisia and Morocco — visa-free up to 3 months
• Israel — needs an ETA-IL electronic authorization, up to 90 days

These country rules come from summary tables as of November 2026 — check the destination's official site before you travel.

05Work & taxes

Egypt has no special "remote worker" status. Its rules on foreign workers are about working for an Egyptian employer — that needs a work permit.

If you live on a tourist visa or an extension and work remotely for foreign clients, it's a gray area. It's not clearly allowed or forbidden. We found no stories of tourists being punished just for remote work for foreign clients. But don't advertise it as "working in Egypt", and don't take local clients without a permit.

Taxes. You become an Egyptian tax resident if:

• you live in Egypt for more than 183 days (in a row or not) within 12 months, or
• you have a permanent home in Egypt

Here it gets interesting. According to PwC, residents pay tax on income earned in Egypt. Foreign income is taxed only if the center of your commercial or professional activity is in Egypt. How this applies to a remote worker who physically sits in Hurghada and works for clients abroad is an open question. We couldn't find a clear position from the tax authority.

Rates for reference (in Egyptian pounds per year): up to 40,000 — 0%, then progressive 10%, 15%, 20%, 22.5%, 25%, and a top rate of 27.5% on income above 1,200,000 pounds.

06Banks, cards & money

Russian cards don't work in Egypt. Visa and Mastercard cards from Russian banks are blocked. A Mir launch in Egypt has been discussed since 2022, but as of November 2026 we found no working acceptance. Don't count on it.

What people do in practice:

• Bring cash US dollars or euros and exchange them locally. Dollars are accepted almost everywhere in tourist areas
• Use a card from a foreign bank (Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, etc.) if they already have one
• Top up friends' accounts or use transfer services through third countries — everyone decides this for themselves, at their own risk

Local bank account. Egyptian banks (National Bank of Egypt, Banque Misr, CIB and others) usually want to see a residence permit, not a tourist visa. Opening an account with a tourist stamp is hard. We found no ban targeting Russians specifically, but local banks may not accept statements and transfers from sanctioned Russian banks.

07Renting a place

People look for housing through Russian-speaking chats and Facebook groups (especially in Hurghada), through agents, and on sites like Property Finder and Aqarmap.

Where to live:

• Hurghada — areas near the sea and the Mamsha promenade, Intercontinental, Arabia, Sakkala. El Gouna is pricier and quieter
• Cairo — Maadi and Zamalek (green, many foreigners), New Cairo and Sheikh Zayed (newer areas, but far from the center)
• Dahab — Assala, Lighthouse, Mashraba

Rough monthly prices for a studio or 1-bedroom:

• Average rent across Egypt (Numbeo) — about $100-150 for a 1-bedroom, but that's the local level
• Hurghada — $200-500 for a furnished, air-conditioned apartment near the sea
• Cairo — $300-700 in Maadi or Zamalek
• Dahab — $250-500

These are guides based on listings, and the range is wide. Prices are higher in the tourist season (October to April); in summer you can often negotiate a lower price.

Usually you pay a one-month deposit plus one month in advance. Many landlords want cash — pounds or dollars. Monthly rentals are possible, but a 6-12 month lease is cheaper.

08SIM card & internet

There are four carriers: Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat by e& and WE. Buy your SIM at an official store — you need your passport.

• A plan with calls and 10+ GB costs about $5-10 a month
• Tourist packages at the airport cost more than in town
• Mobile 4G is good in Cairo, Hurghada and the resorts; in the desert and on roads between cities it can drop

Home internet. The main provider is WE, and many others run on its network. According to Numbeo, unlimited 60+ Mbps costs about $13 a month. But real speed depends a lot on the building: newer compounds may have fiber, older ones have slow DSL.

Cairo has plenty of coworking spaces; Hurghada and Dahab have fewer — people mostly work from cafés and home.

09Healthcare & insurance

Public healthcare is not really suitable for foreigners. Expats go to private clinics.

• In Cairo, good private hospitals include As-Salam International, Cleopatra Hospital and Dar Al Fouad
• Hurghada has private clinics and Russian-speaking doctors, but serious cases usually go to Cairo
• A doctor's visit at a private clinic is cheap by European standards, but a serious hospital stay is expensive

Insurance is a must. Get international insurance with evacuation cover. The UK Foreign Office warns that sea or desert rescue can cost more than $4,000 per hour. As a guide, expect $40-150 a month depending on age and cover.

Everyday things to know:

• Don't drink tap water — only bottled
• Summer heat goes up to +40°C and more, so watch out for heatstroke
• Traveler's diarrhea is a common problem in the first weeks

10Transport

Flying from Russia is easy. Direct flights:

• To Cairo — Aeroflot from Sheremetyevo and EgyptAir from Domodedovo
• To Hurghada — Aeroflot (Moscow, St Petersburg, Krasnodar), Air Cairo, EgyptAir and many charters from Moscow, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Perm and other cities
• To Sharm El Sheikh — Aeroflot flights and charters as well

The flight from Moscow is about 4-5 hours. Some routes are seasonal, so check the schedule in advance.

Getting around:

• Cairo has a metro — cheap, but crowded at rush hour. Plus Uber, Careem and inDrive
• Hurghada and Dahab have no metro: taxis, inDrive, minibuses. Fewer apps than in Cairo
• Between cities — domestic flights, buses (for example Go Bus) and trains. Cairo — Luxor — Aswan is comfortable on the sleeper train
• A ferry runs from Nuweiba to Aqaba (Jordan)

11Safety & important laws

The UK Foreign Office considers Egypt's tourist areas — Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Marsa Alam, Luxor, Aswan — generally low risk. Street crime is low. The main problems are pushy touts, scams and roads.

Where not to go:

• North Sinai — advised against all travel
• The 20 km zone along the Libyan border
• Most of the Western Desert, the Al Bawiti — Siwa road, and the Hala'ib Triangle — essential travel only

Common scams:

• A "free" gift or a photo with a camel, then a demand for money
• A taxi driver who "doesn't know" the meter — agree on the price first or use an app
• Tours and diving safaris from random people — book only with trusted companies

Also useful:

• Always carry your passport or a copy with your visa — police may check documents
• Don't photograph military sites, the Suez Canal, police, or people without permission
• During Ramadan, don't eat, drink or smoke in public during the day
• Alcohol only in licensed places, hotels and at home
• Boat trips and desert safaris can be unsafe — check the condition of boats and quad bikes, and wear a helmet

Women should be careful with new acquaintances, including hotel and tour staff — the UK Foreign Office specifically mentions such cases in Red Sea resorts.

12How much money you need per month

totalAround $650-1,500 per month per person, depending on city and lifestyle

13Step-by-step moving plan

1. Check your passport: at least 6 months of validity from your arrival date and a blank page.
2. Decide how you'll enter: e-visa at visa2egypt.gov.eg (if you have a foreign card) or a visa on arrival for $30 cash.
3. Book a flight — direct to Cairo, Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh.
4. Get international health insurance with evacuation cover.
5. Bring cash dollars or euros for at least your first month — Russian cards don't work.
6. Book housing for 1-2 weeks, and look for a longer rental locally through chats and agents.
7. Buy a local SIM at a carrier store on day one.
8. Pick your city — Hurghada, Cairo or Dahab — and rent an apartment for a few months.
9. If you'll stay longer than 30 days, book an extension at the passport office in advance (eres.moi.gov.eg) or find an agent.
10. If you plan to stay more than half a year, sort out residency and taxes with a local lawyer and advisor.

14Useful links

• Egypt official e-Visa portal
• e-Visa portal FAQ — fees and eligible countries
• Residence permit appointments — Ministry of Interior
• UK Foreign Office — Egypt entry requirements
• UK Foreign Office — safety and regional risks
• PwC — personal income tax in Egypt
• Numbeo — Cost of living in Egypt

15Other countries

Every guide follows the same structure, so they're easy to compare. Comparison table: all countries.

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