How Does Alcohol Rules Work in Egypt?
Last verified: 2025-06 · Middle East
1The Quick Answer
Alcohol is available at licensed hotels, tourist restaurants, and specialist shops — but not at most local eateries.
2What You Need to Know
Egypt is relatively liberal compared to some Muslim-majority countries regarding alcohol, but it is not freely available everywhere. Licensed hotels, tourist-oriented restaurants, beach resorts, and some supermarkets sell beer and spirits. Local Egyptian beers Stella and Sakkara are widely available; imported spirits and wine are sold at licensed bottle shops such as the Drinkies chain, which also delivers. Most neighbourhood restaurants and food stalls do not serve alcohol. The legal drinking age is 21. During Ramadan, alcohol sales are significantly restricted — many licensed venues suspend sales during daylight hours.
3Practical Tips
Practical Tips
- 1Use the Drinkies app (delivery available in Cairo, Alexandria, and major resort towns) to buy alcohol to your hotel
- 2Stick to sealed, labelled bottles — there are occasional reports of counterfeit spirits in unlicensed venues
- 3During Ramadan, buy alcohol in advance for your hotel room as availability drops sharply
Important Warning
Drinking alcohol in public (streets, beaches outside resorts, public transport) is illegal and can result in arrest.
How does this compare?
Alcohol Rules rules in nearby and similar countries:
Alcohol is only legal at licensed hotels, restaurants, and bars. Drinking in public is illegal. Legal age is 21. Ramadan has extra restrictions.
Alcohol is available at licensed hotels, tourist restaurants, and specialist off-licences but is not sold in general supermarkets and is restricted during Ramadan.
Alcohol is completely and absolutely banned throughout Saudi Arabia — there are no exceptions, no licensed venues, and no tolerance whatsoever.
Traveling to Egypt?
You might also need:
More About Egypt
Tipping (baksheesh) is deeply embedded in Egyptian culture and expected for almost every small service.
Updated 2025-06
Use the Cairo Metro for cheap city travel, and Uber or Careem for safe, fairly-priced taxis.
Updated 2025-06
Private hospitals in Cairo are good, but healthcare in rural and desert areas is very limited — travel insurance with evacuation cover is essential.
Updated 2025-06
Drug possession, LGBTQ+ activity, photographing government or military sites, and criticising the president are all serious criminal offences in Egypt.
Updated 2025-06
Police: 122, Ambulance: 123, Fire: 180, Tourist Police: 126.
Updated 2025-06
Cover shoulders and knees in most public areas; swimwear is fine at Red Sea and Mediterranean resorts.
Updated 2025-06
🍺 See Alcohol Rules rules in all countries
Compare all countries →