Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Egypt, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt, The Best 2-Week Tours in Egypt, and The Best River Cruises in Egypt.
-
Aswan Prices
Egypt PricesCairo Prices
Egypt Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $29Cairo $30
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $29, while the average daily cost in Cairo 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 Aswan and Cairo in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $9.47Cairo $10
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $19Cairo $20
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.
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 $5.20Cairo $3.46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- A transfer to Luxor from Aswan by car: $75
- Abu Simbel Shared Day Trip from Aswan with Round-Trip Transfers: $30
- Abu Simbel Shared Transfer: $37
- Abu Simbel from Aswan in Egypt - Private Tour (guide and transfers Included): $150
- Aswan Airport Arrival Private Transfer – Up to 8 Passengers: $24
- Aswan Airport Private Departure Transfer: $28
- Aswan Airport Transfer: $24
- Aswan Airport private arrival transfer: $19
- Aswan Private Transfer To Luxor city: $130
- Aswan Station Private Transfer – Arrival or Departure: $24
- Aswan airport transfer: $21
- Aswan to Luxor Private Transfer: $65
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
-
Metro Ride$0.08
-
Taxi Ride$0.29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
- Private arrival transfer to Giza and Cairo hotels from Cairo airport: $6.72
- VIP Meet and assist with transfer from Cairo and SPX Airport: $7.00
- Private Airport or City Transfer to Cairo and Giza hotels: $8.75
- Private Arrival Transfer From Cairo Airport: $8.80
- Cairo CAI Airport Private Transfer to/from Cairo/El Omraniya: $8.82
- Cairo Airport (CAI) Private Transfer From or To All Cairo Hotells: $9.13
- Cairo Airport Transfer Service with Private Driver: $10
- Private Transfer from Cairo Airport to Hotel Vise Versa: $10
- Private Transfer To/From Cairo Airport: $10
- Private Departure Transfer from Cairo City to Cairo Airport: $12
- VIP Private Cairo Airport Transfer To Or From Cairo , Giza Hotels: $12
- Pickup transfer from Radisson Blu Hotel, Cairo Heliopolis to Cairo airport: $12
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 dayAswan $14Cairo $16
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
- Night Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $42
- Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise with Entertainment: $64
- Private Evening Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $75
Typical Food Prices in Cairo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:
-
Juice$0.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.
- Giza Pyramids,Sphinx,Camel Ride,ATV Bike,Shopping, Dinner cruise: $5.00
- Explore Giza Pyramids with Camel, ATV, Dinner Cruise, & Shopping: $5.00
- Giza Pyramids,Sphinx,Camel Ride,ATV Bike,Shopping, Dinner cruise: $5.40
- Night Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer and folklore show: $7.00
- 2 Hour Cairo Dinner Cruise on Nile river with live band: $7.00
- Quad Bike ATV ,Camel Ride ,Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show: $7.00
- Cairo Dinner Nile Cruise with Belly Dancer Show on Nile River: $7.00
- Private Nile Cruise with Dinner and Folk Show from Cairo: $7.50
- 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
- night-tour Nile dinner cruise with open buffet and belly dancer: $8.00
- Cairo Food Tour – Discover Hidden Downtown Gems: $8.00
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $8.91Cairo $8.29
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$1.15
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- Private Shopping tour in Aswan Bazzars: $8.00
- Adventure Felucca Ride in Aswan ( Private boat ): $17
- 2 Hours Tour in Philae Temple: $19
- Aswan Engineering Marvels Private High Dam & Obelisk Tour: $20
- Felucca Nile Cruise in Aswan: $20
- Private Tour Sail on the Nile Aswan Felucca Ride: $25
- Aswan Highlights Tour Philae Temple High Dam Unfinished Obelisk: $25
- Full Day Tour to Abu Simbel Temples from Aswan: $25
- Aswan City Tour By Horse And Carriage: $25
- Shared Half-Day Tour to the Nubian Village: $25
- 3 or 2 or 1 Nights Mighty Nile Felucca Adventure: $25
- Nubian Village Tour: $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$0.77
-
Egyptian Museum Entry for Two$5.90
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Private VIP Giza Tour+ New Musuem + Market: $3.59
- Day tour to Giza pyramids & sphinx, saqqara and Memphis: $4.00
- Full-Day Giza Pyramids,Sphinx, Saqqara&Memphis All-Inclusive Tour: $4.00
- Best-Selling Giza Pyramids Tour: Camel Ride, Lunch &Private Guide: $4.00
- Private Tour in Pyramids of Giza with Lunch and Camel Ride: $4.50
- Shopping tour In Governmental Bazaars include guide's advisor: $5.00
- Giza Pyramids and Sphinx Half-Day Private Tour: $5.00
- Explore Giza Pyramids on a Private ATV or Camel Tour: $5.00
- Cairo Shopping Tours to Old Markets and Local Souqs: $5.00
- Private Giza Pyramids, Sphinx Full Tour inside pyramids & tomb: $5.00
- Ancient Egypt Journey: Giza, Saqqara & Dahshur Private Experience: $5.00
- Ultimate Giza Pyramids Tour, Camel Ride, Lunch & Inside Pyramids: $5.00
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.02Cairo $1.35
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 Autumn Downtown Food & Bar Crawl with Drinks: $109
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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Aswan Expensive? and Is Cairo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Cairo?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Aswan 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.
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.