Should you visit Ankara or Cairo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Ankara and Cairo. 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Ankara or Cairo?
Ankara
Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.
Cairo
Cairo is the chaotic capital city of Egypt. With a population of more than 16 million, it is one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East. As a traveler, you're likely to arrive and leave from here and you'll get your first orientation to the area during the chaotic and congestion filled taxi ride from the airport.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.
Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Ankara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $91, while the average daily cost in Cairo is $29. 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 Ankara and Cairo in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Ankara or Cairo? 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:
Ankara Hotel Prices and
Cairo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:
-
Metro Ride
$0.03
-
Short Taxi Ride
$0.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:
-
Ankara Airport & Hotel Transfers:
$40
-
Ankara Airport Transfer Meet Transfer:
$49
-
Ankara Airport Transfer: Ankara by Private Luxury Vehicle:
$62
-
Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers:
$108
-
Ankara Esenboga Airport to City Hotels Transfer:
$55
-
Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels:
$108
-
Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer:
$69
-
Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB):
$51
-
Private Airport Transfer From/To Ankara Airport to Cankaya Hotels:
$40
-
Private Transfer Ankara Esenboga Airport ESB to Keçiören Ankara:
$40
-
Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara:
$51
-
Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Beypazari Town:
$185
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
-
Metro Ride
$0.07
-
Taxi Ride
$0.27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
-
01 way Private Transfer from Cairo Airport to Your Hotel in Cairo:
$13
-
01 way Transfer from Cairo airport to your Hotel in Giza:
$13
-
01 way Transfer from hotel in Cairo to Alexandria:
$50
-
1 Hour ATV Quad Bike Ride At Giza Pyramids With Private Transfer:
$30
-
1 Way Pick up transfer from Cairo to Hurghada by private Car:
$80
-
1 way Private Pickup transfer from Le Meridien Heliopolis to Cairo airport:
$18
-
2 Days Private Guided Tours of Cairo and Giza with Free Cairo Airport Transfers:
$180
-
2 Private day tours in Giza pyramids and Cairo city with 2 airport Transfers:
$155
-
2 Private days in Giza and Cairo including Free Transfer from Airport:
$126
-
2-Day-One night Camping Tour in The Bahariya Oasis with Private Transfer:
$274
-
2-Days Trip in Cairo & Giza (Including Free Transfer from the Airport):
$143
-
2-Days Trips in Cairo & Giza (Including Free Transfer from the Airport):
$137
Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Cairo?
Prices for flights to both Cairo and Ankara 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 day
Ankara $37
Cairo $15
Typical Food Prices in Ankara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ankara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ankara.
-
Sustainable Home Cooking Class in Ankara:
$75
-
Home Cooking Class, Sustainable Tables & Stories:
$104
-
Turkish Cuisine Cooking Class at Local Home with Family:
$291
Typical Food Prices in Cairo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.
-
Giza Pyramids Sphinx , ATV, camel ride Plus Nile Dinner Cruise:
$3.00
-
Giza Pyramids,Sphinx,Camel Ride,ATV Bike,Shopping, Dinner cruise:
$4.50
-
Night Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer and folklore show:
$7.00
-
Cairo Dinner Nile Cruise with Belly Dancer Show on Nile River:
$7.00
-
Quad Bike ATV ,Camel Ride ,Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show:
$7.00
-
Giza Pyramids Sphinx and Nile River Dinner Cruise Cairo Tour:
$7.20
-
Cairo Dinner Cruise in Nile River With Belly Dancer & Tanora show:
$8.00
-
Food Tour Private Tour from Cairo or Giza Hotel:
$8.00
-
Cairo Dinner Cruise show with belly dancer show on Nile river:
$8.00
-
Private Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Quad Bike, Camel Ride, Nile Dinner Cruise:
$8.00
-
Cairo Food Tour – Discover Hidden Downtown Gems:
$8.00
-
Giza Pyramids,Sphinx,Camel Ride,ATV Bike,Shopping,Dinner cruiseII:
$8.00
Entertainment
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara
Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Ankara
Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Secrets of Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour:
$8.54
-
Atakule Tower Observation Deck Ticket:
$13
-
Ankara Private Walking Tour: Hidden Gems & Highlights:
$24
-
Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Local:
$27
-
Ankara Walking Tour with a Local:
$30
-
Ankara : Highlights Walking Tour With A Guide:
$33
-
Ankara Highlights Walking Tour With A Guide:
$33
-
Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ):
$34
-
Private Guided Walking Tour:
$35
-
Ankara Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems:
$39
-
Private Walking Tour with a Local:
$40
-
Women-Only Turkish Home Dining Experience:
$104
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo
Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Luxury private tour Giza Pyramids, grand Egyptian Museum, kingTut:
$3.50
-
Private Half-Day Giza Pyramids & Sphinx Tour with Camel Ride:
$4.00
-
Best ViP Private Tour Giza Pyramids,Sphinx, inside Pyramids:
$4.00
-
Cairo tour to Giza Pyramids Sphinx Grand Egyptian museum (GEM ):
$4.50
-
Private Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum Tour:
$5.00
-
Egyptian Spicy Shop and Egyptian Cotton Shopping Private Tour:
$5.00
-
Private Tour in Iconic Giza Pyramids From Cairo:
$5.00
-
Private Giza Pyramids & Sphinx Tour with Licensed Egyptian Guide:
$5.00
-
Cairo shopping advisor tour papyrus ,perfume ,golden cartouche , Egyptian cotton:
$5.00
-
Half Day Private Guided Shopping Tour in Cairo:
$5.00
-
Private Tour in Pyramids of Giza with Lunch and Camel Ride:
$5.00
-
Luxury Private Pyramids Tour with Lunch and Camel Ride:
$5.00
Alcohol
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairo
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cairo:
-
Pub Crawl and Speakeasy Bar Tour with 2 Free Drinks:
$69
-
Cairo Pub Crawl and Speakeasy Bar Tour:
$75
-
Cairo Autumn Downtown Food & Bar Crawl with Drinks:
$108
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ankara and Cairo, we can see that Ankara is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ankara is in Europe and Cairo is in Africa, 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 Cairo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cairo 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 Ankara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ankara than you might in Cairo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ankara Expensive? and Is Cairo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ankara or Cairo?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Ankara. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and Cairo, 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.
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