21k gold jewelry by weight (bangles, chains) — El Sagha, Khan el-Khalili

This is the single best arbitrage in Egypt: near-bullion pricing with ~1% making charges versus 8-20% making in India and 100-200% retail markups in the US. You pay for metal, not brand.

Price: 6752 EGP (Per gram, 21k rate on 2026-07-03 (E£6,751.52/g ≈ US$137/g); jewelry adds official average making charge ~E£59/g + ~E£8 VAT — roughly 1% over metal value)

Where to buy: El Sagha gold quarter inside/beside Khan el-Khalili, Cairo — dozens of competing shops; every shop posts the daily rate

Price checked 2026-07-03

• Gold is priced by weight at the posted daily rate — the rate is NOT negotiable, only the masna'iyya (making charge) is; jewelers have been cutting making 20-30% to move stock, so push
• Official 2025-26 average making: E£58.56/g for 21k, E£87.85/g for 18k — anything wildly above that on plain pieces is a tourist tax
• Check the hallmark stamp (21K/875 or 18K/750) and get a written invoice with weight, karat, and rate — you'll want it for customs and resale
• Egypt trades mostly 21k (Middle East standard) — richer color than US 14k, softer; 18k for stone-set pieces
• Formal gold shops are VAT-registered — this is your most realistic shot at the E£1,500+ VAT refund receipt, though don't count on collecting