Which place is cheaper, Varanasi or Alexandria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Alexandria or Varanasi?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Alexandria and Varanasi can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Alexandria or Varanasi?
Alexandria
There are few cities in the world with a history as rich, deep, tragic and fascinating than Alexandria, Egypt. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Egypt's second largest city has seen the most extreme ups and extreme downs. The city watched the beautiful and iconic Alexandria Lighthouse crumble to the ground after several natural disasters. The Alexandria Library housed their most sacred and historical documents only to be burned to the ground. These structures may be physically gone, but the history remains. Alexandria is a city with an ancient allure that draws in visitors from all over the world. Alexandria is a survivor city ready for a comeback.
Varanasi
Known to be one of India's holiest cities, many come to Varanasi on a spiritual pilgrimage looking to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges River. Dating back to the 11th Century BC, it is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Centuries old temples make up the backdrop, as many come and come again to perform their holy rights at the edge of the historic river.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Egypt, The Best Budget Tours to Egypt, The Best Bicycle Tours in India, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in India.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAlexandria $17Varanasi $30
The average daily cost (per person) in Alexandria is $17, while the average daily cost in Varanasi is $30. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Alexandria and Varanasi in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAlexandria $7.99Varanasi $16
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAlexandria $16Varanasi $32
Compare Hotels in Alexandria and Varanasi
Looking for a hotel in Alexandria or Varanasi? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Alexandria Hotel Prices and Varanasi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Alexandria $2.49Varanasi $4.94
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Alexandria
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Alexandria:
-
Taxi to Train Station$0.08
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alexandria
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alexandria:
- Private transfer from Luxor to Alexandria: $244
- Private Transfer from Alexandria to Cairo/Giza Hotels or Cairo./Giza to Alexandr: $65
- Private Transfer from Alexandria to Cairo : $73
- Private Transfer from Alexandria Port to Alexandria City Hotels: $16
- Private Transfer around El Nouzha Airport (ALY) in Alexandria: $63
- Private Pickup Transfer From A Hotel In Alexandria To Borg Al Arab Airport: $50
- Private Pick Up Transfers From Alexandria To Cairo: $130
- Private One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Cairo and Giza Hotels: $68
- Private Airport Transfer in Alexandria: $22
- From Private Transfer to Luxor: $253
- From Private One-Way Transfer to Cairo: $75
- Borg El Arab Arrival & Departure Transfers: $40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Varanasi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Varanasi:
-
Tuk Tuk Through Town$0.96
-
Rickshaw Ride$0.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Varanasi
Also for Varanasi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Delhi Private Arrival Transfer From New Delhi Airport To Hotel In Delhi: $34
- From Agra: Agra to Varanasi One Way Transfer: $177
- From Agra: Budget One Way Transfer Agra to Varanasi: $170
- From Varanasi Airport Transfer: $36
- Private Transfer Varanasi Airport (VNS) To Varanasi Hotels Drop: $12
- Private Varanasi Heritage Walk with Hotel Transfer: $28
- Smooth transfer from Varanasi Airport to Hotel: $60
- Spiritual Varanasi - A Most Amazing Heritage Walk with Private Transfer: $108
- Varanasi Airport : Transfer To Hotel / To Airport: $12
- Varanasi Airport : Transfer to Hotel / To Airport: $21
- Varanasi Airport Transfer: $30
- Varanasi Airport to hotel private transfer: $18
Is it cheaper to fly into Alexandria or Varanasi?
Prices for flights to both Varanasi and Alexandria change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
-
Food Meals for one dayAlexandria $6.46Varanasi $7.14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alexandria
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alexandria.
- Half-Day Food Tour in Alexandria, Egypt: $35
- Alexandria Food Tour: $50
- From Giza: Sound&light show, Giza pyramids and Dinner on the Nile: $94
Typical Food Prices in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Dinner In Town$4.13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Tests of Best Varanasi Local Food Tour With Tourist Guide: $18
- Taste of Varanasi (2 Hour Guided Street Food Tour): $22
- Varanasi Cooking Classes with Indu and Shobha: $40
- From Street food tour with Evening Ganga Aarti: $42
- Private Evening Rooftop Dinner: $44
- 3-hour Shopping and Street Food Tour on a tuk-tuk ride: $46
- Evening Dinner with Private Transfer: $50
- Night Boat Ride, Aarati Ceremony and Dinner: $62
- Private Evening Street Food Tour: $63
- India: Evening Ganga Aarti With Dinner and Private Transfer: $65
- Private Evening Handicraft Market Tour with Dinner: $71
- Night Boat Ride, Aarti Ceremony and Dinner: $100
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Alexandria $3.50Varanasi $10
Tours and Activities in Alexandria
Here are a few actual costs in Alexandria for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Day Tour to Alamein and Alexandria: $169
- National Museum and Egyptian museum Private Tour in Egypt: $258
- Tour to The Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria: $16
- 10-Hour Historical Pyramids Tour from Alexandria Port: $130
- 2 Day Tour Visit the Top Attractions of Alexandria City: $155
- 6-Hour Day Tour in Alexandria: $95
- 6-Hour Private Day Tour to Rashid from Alexandria: $100
- 8 Days Ultra Luxury Cairo, Alexandria & Nile cruise: $4,190
- Alamein full day tour from Alexandria: $95
- Alexandria : Rosetta Day Tour from Alexandria: $117
- Alexandria : Tour to WadiElNatroun Monastery from Alexandria: $135
- Alexandria By Night Private Free Walking Tours & Horse Carriage Ride: $60
Typical Entertainment Prices in Varanasi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Varanasi's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Boat Ride$0.84
Tours and Activities in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Audio Guided Walking Tour of Banaras Ghats, Varanasi: $6.12
- Varanasi Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.63
- Sarnath Audio Tour on HopOn India App – Land of Buddha's First Sermon, Varanasi: $7.66
- Spiritual and Heritage Walking Tour in Varanasi: $8.60
- Varanasi's Spiritual & heritage walking tour: $11
- Varanasi:- Morning Varanasi Short Tour with Boat Ride: $11
- Varanasi Walking Tour : $12
- Spiritual Tour in Varanasi with a local- Experience true essence of spirituality: $12
- Temple Walk Tour Varanasi: $12
- Ghats of Varanasi Morning Walking Tour: $12
- Vibrant Markets of Varanasi (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $12
- Heritage Kashi Photography Tour (2 Hours guided walk): $13
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAlexandria $1.35Varanasi $7.85
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Alexandria and Varanasi, we can see that Varanasi is more expensive. And not only is Alexandria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Alexandria is in Africa and Varanasi is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Alexandria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alexandria and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Varanasi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Varanasi than you might in Alexandria.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Alexandria Expensive? and Is Varanasi Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Alexandria or Varanasi?
Alexandria has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Varanasi. When comparing the sizes of Alexandria and Varanasi, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.