Gold Price Today in Egypt
The live table shows the gold price in Egypt in Egyptian pounds (EGP) per gram for 21K, the most traded karat, as well as 24K and 18K, plus the 8-gram gold pound coin. Figures are world parity at the live exchange rate; shops add a workmanship charge (masna'iya), and local prices can drift from parity when the currency is under pressure.
Live gold rate in Egypt (EGP)
| Weight & purity | Live price |
|---|---|
| 21K gold · 1 gram | live |
| 24K gold · 1 gram | live |
| 18K gold · 1 gram | live |
| 21K gold · 10 grams | live |
| 24K gold · 10 grams | live |
| Gold pound · 8 g of 21K | live |
| 24K gold · 1 troy ounce | live |
World gold (OANDA:XAUUSD) × USD/EGP (FX_IDC:USDEGP), scaled to each weight and karat. International parity: the live world gold price converted at the current exchange rate, scaled by weight and purity. It excludes local dealer premiums, taxes and making charges. How we calculate
How gold is priced in Egypt
Egyptian jewellers quote a daily price per gram for each karat, led by 21K. The base is the world price in dollars converted into pounds. In normal conditions, that conversion uses the official exchange rate and local prices sit near parity. During periods of foreign-currency shortage, when a parallel market rate has opened up, gold traders have priced off their expected cost of dollars instead, pushing local gold well above parity at the official rate. Gold is then bought partly as a way to hold value outside the pound.
The large devaluations of the Egyptian pound, including the float of November 2016 and the moves in 2022 to 2024 culminating in the March 2024 float, each lifted gold prices in pounds sharply. Someone who bought 21K gold before those moves saw its value in pounds multiply, even though the dollar price of gold rose far less.
21K, 24K and 18K
| Karat | Gold content | Use in Egypt |
|---|---|---|
| 24K | 99.9% | Bars and ingots for saving |
| 21K | 87.5% | The main jewellery karat: bracelets, chains, bridal gold (shabka) |
| 18K | 75% | Lighter and gem-set jewellery, popular with younger buyers |
The 21K price per gram is 87.5% of the 24K price before margin, and 18K is 75%. If a shop's 21K quote is far from 0.875 × its 24K quote, ask why. The Egyptian gold pound (geneh dahab) is a coin of 8 grams of 21K gold, bought as a savings unit and as a gift; it has its own premium over the gold content. Egypt's state assay office stamps jewellery with its hallmark showing the karat.
Workmanship (masna'iya)
On top of the gold value, jewellers charge masna'iya, usually a fixed amount of pounds per gram that depends on the design and the shop. Plain bracelets carry a low charge; intricate or imported pieces carry more. When you sell, shops pay the gold value for the karat, often with a small deduction, but they do not refund the masna'iya. Bars and gold pounds have much lower charges, which is why savers prefer them.
Where Egyptians buy gold
In Cairo, the Al-Sagha goldsmiths' quarter near Khan el-Khalili and Al-Muski has been the centre of the trade for generations, and its prices are a reference for the city. Alexandria, Mansoura, Tanta and Asyut each have their own sagha streets. Bridal gold for the shabka is a major source of demand, and families often buy around weddings and Eid. Large chains and bullion importers sell branded bars with certificates.
Worked example (illustrative)
Suppose 24K parity is E£6,400 per gram, so 21K is E£5,600 and 18K E£4,800. You buy a 20 g 21K bracelet with masna'iya of E£250 per gram:
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gold value | 20 g × E£5,600 | E£112,000 |
| Masna'iya | 20 g × E£250 | E£5,000 |
| Total | E£117,000 | |
| Gold pound, gold content | 8 g × E£5,600 | E£44,800 |
These numbers are examples, not current prices. Any tax line the shop adds would come on top.
Checklist
- Check the assay stamp for the karat and ask for the weight on the invoice.
- Ask the masna'iya per gram before choosing a design.
- Compare the shop's 21K price with 87.5% of its 24K price.
- Keep the invoice (fatoura); it helps when selling back.