Which place is cheaper, Aswan or Aqaba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Aqaba or Aswan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Aqaba or Aswan, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Aqaba or Aswan?
Aqaba
Aqaba is a port city in Jordan, in fact, it is the only port city in the country. This city is located on the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea, which is in the southern part of Jordan. The city is still being developed; many of its facilities and infrastructures are being improved. The population of Aqaba is about 190,000 and the city has been key in developing Jordan's economy via trade and tourism.
Aswan
Lounging along the Nile like Egyptian royalty is a fantasy for most world travelers. If you want to do it without the hustle and bustle of Cairo, there's always Aswan. This city in the south of Egypt is the smallest of the three major cities on the Nile. Located just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, Aswan's 275,00 people include a large portion of Nubians – mostly resettled from their flooded homeland.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Jordan, The Best Budget Tours to Jordan, The Best 10-Day Tours in Egypt, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAqaba $127Aswan $16
The average daily cost (per person) in Aqaba is $127, while the average daily cost in Aswan is $16. 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 Aqaba and Aswan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAqaba $59Aswan $6.67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAqaba $118Aswan $13
Compare Hotels in Aqaba and Aswan
Looking for a hotel in Aqaba or Aswan? 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: Aqaba Hotel Prices and Aswan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aqaba $24Aswan $4.29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aqaba
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aqaba:
- Aqaba Airport transfer to Aqaba City: $25
- Transfer From Aqaba Airport to Aqaba City Or TalaBay: $25
- Private Transfer: Aqaba Hotels to Aqaba Airport: $27
- Aqaba King Hussein Intl Airport to Aqaba-Arrival Private Transfer: $33
- Private Transfer from Aqaba Port to King Hussein Airport (AQJ): $37
- Private Transfer from King Hussein Airport (AQJ)to Aqaba Port : $37
- Private Transfer from Aqaba Cruise Port to Aqaba City Hotels: $37
- Private Transfer from Aqaba city hotels to Aqaba Cruise Port: $37
- Private Transfer from Aqaba Hotels to Aqaba Cruise Port: $41
- Private Transfer from Aqaba Cruise Port to Aqaba hotels: $41
- Private Transfer from Aqaba Port to King Hussein Airport AQJ: $41
- Private Transfers Aqaba to Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum, Amman & vice versa: $47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Private Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels or Nile Cruise : $13
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $110
- Transfer Service to Luxor from Aswan: $55
- VIP Aswan to Hurghada Transfer: Luxury and Comfort: $100
- 3-Days Travel Into The History to Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers: $299
- Arrival Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels or Nile Cruise: $12
- Aswan Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $28
- Aswan Airport Private Departure Transfer: $19
- Aswan Airport Transfer: $20
- Aswan Airport Transfer to Hotels : $20
- Aswan Airport Transfer to Hotels in Aswan: $25
- Aswan Airport Transfers: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Aqaba or Aswan?
Prices for flights to both Aswan and Aqaba 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
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Food Meals for one dayAqaba $42Aswan $5.67
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aqaba
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aqaba.
- Overnight in Bedouin Camp. Dinner and breakfast included.: $56
- Explore Wadi Rum: Jeep Tour, Bed and Breakfast, and Dinner: $72
- 4 hour desert jeep tour with overnight in beduin camp including dinner&breakfast: $85
- Wadi Rum Full Day Jeep Tour + Overnight + Dinner in Bedouin Camp: $87
- Wadi Rum Full Day Jeep Tour + Overnight & Dinner in Bedouin Camp: $89
- Wadi Rum Full Day Jeep Tour + Overnight + Dinner Under the Stars: $135
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.
- Nubian Dinner in Nubian Village Of Aswan: $40
- Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $51
- Dinner on board a cruise on the Nile: $59
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan : $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aqaba $54Aswan $6.04
Tours and Activities in Aqaba
Here are a few actual costs in Aqaba for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Sightseeing Bike Rental in Aqaba: $7.00
- Stargazing Adventure in Jordan: $30
- 3-Hour Shore Dive or Snorkel Experiences in Aqaba: $30
- Glass-Bottom Boat 2-hours Tour and Coral-Reef Viewing from Aqaba: $30
- 2 Hour Jeep Tour (Morning or Sunset) Wadi Rum Desert Highlights: $35
- 3 hours Jeep Tour in Wadi Rum: $35
- 2 Hour Jeep Tour - Wadi Rum Desert & Canyon: $35
- 2 Hours Morning or Sunset Jeep Tour in Wadi Rum Desert Highlights: $35
- 2-Hour Sunset Tour Wadi Rum Desert Highlights: $35
- Jeep Tours in Wadi Rum with Bedouin Guide 2,3,4,5 hours | Magic Bedouin Star: $38
- 4-hour sunset tour of desert highlights: $40
- Half day Jeep Tour in Wadi Rum incl. water and Bedouin tea: $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in Aswan
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Aswan are as follows:
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Temple Kom Ombo for Two$1.25
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- Unfinished Obelisk Entry Ticket: $5.60
- Kom Ombo Temple Entry Ticket: $9.12
- Philae Temple Entry Ticket: $11
- High Dam Aswan Entry Tickets With Pickup And Drop Off: $13
- The High Dam In Aswan Entry Ticket With Pickup : $13
- Aswan High Dam Entry Tickets Included Pickup And Drop Off: $13
- Philae Temple Complex Skip the Line Entry Ticket: $13
- Unfinished Obelisk Entry Tickets Included Pickup And Drop Off: $18
- 2 Hours Tour in Philae Temple: $19
- Day Trip to Nubian Village with Camel Tour from Aswan: $20
- Adventure Felucca Ride in Aswan: $20
- Guided Tour of Philae Temple in Aswan Egypt: $22
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAqaba $9.07Aswan $1.23
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aqaba and Aswan, we can see that Aqaba is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Aqaba is in Middle East and Aswan 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 Aswan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Aswan 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 Aqaba would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Aqaba than you might in Aswan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Aqaba Expensive? and Is Aswan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aqaba or Aswan?
Aswan has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Aqaba. When comparing the sizes of Aqaba and Aswan, 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.