A Travel Price Comparison for Egypt Aswan vs. Cairo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Aswan or Cairo?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Aswan or Cairo? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Aswan or Cairo?

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.

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.

Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Aswan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $25, while the average daily cost in Cairo is $27. 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 Aswan and Cairo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Aswan $10
    Cairo $14
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Aswan $20
    Cairo $28
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Cairo

Looking for a hotel in Aswan 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.

Hotels in Aswan


Hotels in Cairo


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: Aswan Hotel Prices and Cairo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Aswan $6.68
    Cairo $4.60

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:

  • Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $78
  • Private transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $35
  • 3-Day Guided tours to Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor & Train and Transfers : $327
  • 3-Days Travel Into The History to Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers: $233
  • Abu Simbel Shared Transfer: $20
  • Abu Simbel from Aswan in Egypt - Private Tour (guide and transfers Included): $209
  • Arrival Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels or Nile Cruise in Aswan: $8.00
  • Aswan Airport Arrival Transfer: $16
  • Aswan Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $22
  • Aswan Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $28
  • Aswan Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $19
  • Aswan Airport Private Departure Transfer: $28

Typical Local Transportation prices in Cairo

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:


  • Metro Ride
    $0.13
  • Taxi Ride
    $0.49

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:

  • Private Departure Transfer from Cairo or Giza Hotels to Cairo Airport: $5.00
  • Giza: Pyramids Transfer With Optional Guide & Ticket: $9.45
  • Private Arrival or Departure Cairo Airport Transfer: $9.50
  • Cairo Airport Private Transfer: $9.60
  • Private Transfer From Cairo Airport To A Hotel In Down Town: $10
  • Private Transfer From Cairo Airport To A Hotel In Giza And Pyramids Area: $10
  • Private Airport Transfer to Cairo and Giza Hotels: $10
  • Private Transfer from Cairo Airport to Cairo: $10
  • Cairo Airport Arrival or departure transfer in Private Van : $10
  • Private transfer and pickup from Cairo Airport to Hotels: $10
  • Private Transfer from Cairo City to Cairo Airport: $10
  • Private Cairo Airport Transfers & Limousine to Anywhere in Cairo or vice versa: $10

Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Cairo?

Prices for flights to both Cairo and Aswan 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
    Aswan $8.83
    Cairo $7.32

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.

  • Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $49
  • Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $51
  • Dinner on board a cruise on the Nile: $59
  • Nubian lunch Or Dinner at Nubian village : $60
  • Private 3-Hour Nubian Party with Dinner and Pickup in Aswan: $77
  • Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan : $80
  • Dinner In Nile Cruise in Aswan: $120

Typical Food prices in Cairo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:


  • Juice
    $0.06

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.

  • Unusual Cairo Food Tour : $15
  • Delicious food tour in Cairo: $15
  • 2-Hour Nile River Night Dinner Cruise from Cairo: $16
  • Family Safari, ATV Quad Bike, Buggy, Dinner, Transfer - Hurghada: $16
  • Dinner Cruise on the Nile with Private Transfer from Cairo: $16
  • Super Safari ATV , Drive Buggy Car, Camel Ride, Dinner, Show-Hurghada: $19
  • Cairo Hidden Gems and Food Tour: $20
  • Dinner Cruise Cairo With Belly Dancer Show in The Nile River: $20
  • Food Tour in Local Cairo Life with Egyptian tea: $22
  • Romantic Nile View Dinner: $23
  • Quad Bike ATV Camel Ride Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show: $23
  • local oriental food tour from Cairo or Giza hotels: $24

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Aswan $9.42
    Cairo $8.86
Typical Entertainment prices in Aswan

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Aswan are as follows:


  • Temple Kom Ombo for Two
    $1.95

Tours and Activities in Aswan

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:

  • 6-Hour Private Tour Aswan , High Dam , Obelisk , Philae Temple : $15
  • Kom Ombo Private Guided Tour From Aswan: $19
  • 2 Hours Tour in Philae Temple: $19
  • Aswan City Tour by Horse Carriage: $19
  • Private Day Tour In The Nubian Village In Aswan: $20
  • Private Horse Carriage Tour in Aswan City: $20
  • Philae Temple Guided Half-Day Group Tour: $21
  • Private Day Tour Visit Nubian Villages in Aswan: $21
  • From The Unfinished Obelisk Private Tour: $21
  • Private Car And Day Tour To Philae Temple & High Dam in Aswan: $25
  • Aswan City Tour By Horse And Carriage: $25
  • Nubian Village Day Tour in Aswan: $25

Typical Entertainment prices in Cairo

Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Entry to Camel Market for Two
    $1.30
  • Egyptian Museum Entry for Two
    $10

Tours and Activities in Cairo

Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Cairo Shopping Tour.: $5.00
  • Cairo Shopping tour Private Papyrus Perfume, Bazar Cotton Shop : $5.00
  • Giza Pyramids and Sphinx Day Tour : $8.00
  • Discover Ancient Wonders Half Day Tour Giza Pyramids and Sphinx: $8.00
  • Private tour to The Mosque of Muhammad Ali: $9.00
  • Private tour to Al-Rifa'i Mosque: $9.00
  • Private Tour to the Egyptian Museum and tour to the famous old arts of Egypt: $9.00
  • Private Tour to old Islamic Cairo and the old famous arts: $9.00
  • Cairo Half day tours to Giza Pyramids and Sphinx: $10
  • Private Cairo shopping tour to real papyrus museum Lotus oil factory jewelries: $10
  • Private Guided Shopping Tour in Cairo: $10
  • 1-Hour ATV Experience in Cairo, Egypt: $10

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Aswan $1.92
    Cairo $1.81

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: $60

How are these travel costs calculated?

When comparing the travel costs between Aswan and Cairo, we can see that Cairo is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

Which is Bigger, Aswan or Cairo?

Cairo is bigger, and its population is about 32.1 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the population of Aswan vs. 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 and the activities 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.
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Aswan vs. Cairo Travel Comparison

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