Should you visit Alexandria or Virginia Beach?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Alexandria and Virginia Beach. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Alexandria
Just minutes from the nation's capital of Washington DC, Alexandria offers a world of rich history and beautifully preserved buildings from the 18th-19th centuries. A city of many interests, attractions range from the old haunts of George Washington and historic architecture to museums, local crafts, and quaint boutiques. With its cobblestoned streets, Old Town of Alexandria is sure to charm as well.
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. It's a popular beach destination and has many of the characteristics of most southeastern beach towns. There are many activities that you can enjoy and there's a concrete boardwalk that runs parallel to the water for about three miles. The boardwalk is a fun place to walk or bicycle. The beach itself is wide and sandy and is a great place to soak up some sun. During the summer months and school holidays it can get quite crowded and you might struggle to find a place for your towel and beach chairs. There are also many beach side resorts that line the water front. Most have pools and hot tubs where you can relax and some hotels have indoor pools as well, which can be nice during the cool winter months.
Which city is cheaper, Virginia Beach or Alexandria?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Alexandria is $0.00, while the average daily cost in Virginia Beach is $104. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Alexandria and Virginia Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Alexandria, $60 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Alexandria, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $30, such as in a hostel.
The prices for places to stay in Virginia Beach can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $60, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $120.
Food
Food in Virginia Beach costs travelers about $25 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Alexandria
-
Virginia Beach $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alexandria
For Alexandria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Private Full-Day Food Tour of Alexandria with Hotel Pick Up:
$32
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Alexandria Food Tour:
$36
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Amazing Alexandria Food Tour:
$55
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Alexandria Food Tour:
$60
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Old Town Boutique Food Tour:
$89
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Sound&light show,Giza pyramids-Dinner on the Nile:
$94
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Virginia Beach than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $31 on transportation in Virginia Beach on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alexandria
Also for Alexandria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Cairo International Airport-25 Seater:
$381
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One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Cairo International Airport-15 Seater:
$258
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One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Cairo International Airport –Premium:
$226
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One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Cairo International Airport-Standard:
$183
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Private Transfer from Alexandria to Cairo in Egypt:
$128
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One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Alexandria Port – 25 Seater:
$117
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Private Transfer from Alexandria to Cairo Airport:
$96
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Private Transfer From Alexandria City To Cairo Airport:
$96
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One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Borg El Arab Airport – 15 Seater:
$87
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One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Borg El Arab Airport – Premium:
$66
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One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Alexandria Port – 15 Seater:
$57
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One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Borg El Arab Airport - Standard:
$53
Typical Local Transportation prices in Virginia Beach
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Virginia Beach:
Is it cheaper to fly into Alexandria or Virginia Beach?
Prices for flights to both Virginia Beach 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Virginia Beach, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $17 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Alexandria
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Alexandria.
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10 Day Motorcycle Adventure Tour Across Egypt:
$3,000
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10- hours trip to Alexandria from Cairo day tour:
$110
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2 Day Cairo Tour From Alexandria Port:
$308
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2 Day Tour in Cairo:
$300
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3-Day Private Guided Tour of Cairo and Giza and Alexandria:
$373
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3-Days Egypt Tours:
$375
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3-Days Tour Cairo Giza Alexandria:
$375
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3-Days Tour around Cairo Giza Alexandria:
$375
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3-Days Tour around Cairo and Alexandria:
$375
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3-Days Tour to Egypt:
$375
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Alexandria Day Tour:
$38
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Alexandria Day Tour:
$174
Tours and Activities in Virginia Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Virginia Beach.
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All-Inclusive, Autumn Weekend Tour for GROUPS of 10-16:
$5,901
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RIDE ALONG GREEK GODS & AQUATISM *Certified Tours*:
$75
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Small Group Dolphin Kayak Eco-Tour:
$62
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Sunset Dolphin Kayak Tours:
$62
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Sunset Stand Up Paddleboard Tour of Linkhorn Bay:
$41
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Tour of Virginia Beach (half day), for GROUPS of 10-16:
$499
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Tour of Virginia Beach, for GROUPS of 10-16:
$831
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Wetland Zip Tour:
$61
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Virginia Beach, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $8.51.
Sample the Local Flavors in Alexandria
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Alexandria:
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Alexandria Bar Hunt: Ye Olde Pub Crawl through Old Town:
$12
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Haunted Old Town Alexandria Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$26
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Alexandria and Virginia Beach, we can see that Virginia Beach is more expensive. And not only is Alexandria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Virginia Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Virginia Beach than you might in Alexandria.
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