Which place is cheaper, Chennai or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Aswan or Chennai?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Chennai? 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 Chennai?
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.
Chennai
Formerly known as Madras from its colonial history, Chennai today is one of India's largest cities and capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the Bay of Bengal in southeastern India with an extensive stretch of sandy beaches, plenty of dining and shopping, a number of historic temples, monuments, and churches, plus amusement parks and more.
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 Adventure Tours to India, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in India.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $16Chennai $29
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $16, while the average daily cost in Chennai 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 Aswan and Chennai in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $6.75Chennai $15
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $14Chennai $30
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Chennai
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Chennai? 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 Chennai Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $4.34Chennai $2.61
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Private Transfer Round Trip To Abu Simbel From Aswan: $300
- 3-Days Travel Into The History to Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers: $299
- Private Transfer from Aswan to temple of Abu Simbel: $230
- Hurghada: Private Transfer To/From Aswan: $200
- Private Transfer To/From Hurghada: $200
- VIP Aswan to Hurghada Transfer: Luxury and Comfort: $190
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $170
- Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada : $170
- Private Transfer From Aswan Airport or Hotel to Hurghada: $160
- Private Transfer Aswan To Marsa-alam: $150
- Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $140
- Transfer from Aswan To Luxor: $114
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chennai
Also for Chennai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Chennai Airport to Hotel Transfer: $13
- Chennai Airport Transfers : Budget Sedan and SUV Cabs: $15
- Departure transfer: Chennai hotels to Chennai International Airport: $19
- Chennai - Private Departure Transfer from Hotel to Airport : $19
- Departure Transfer from Chennai Hotels to Chennai airport: $20
- Chennai - Private Arrival Transfer - From Airport to Hotel: $20
- Affordable Chennai Airport Transfer: $24
- Chennai International Airport to Hotel-Private Arrival transfer: $25
- Bangalore - private departure transfer from Hotel to Airport : $35
- Private Transfer from Chennai (MAA) Airport to Chennai City: $37
- Private Transfer from Chennai City to Chennai (MAA) Airport: $37
- Private Arrival Transfer: Chennai International Airport to Hotel: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Chennai?
Prices for flights to both Chennai 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
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Food Meals for one dayAswan $5.73Chennai $6.40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.
- Private Aswan Nubian Cooking Class and Market Tour: $30
- Dinner at Soleih restaurant by vehicle: $33
- Dinner on board a cruise on the Nile: $59
- Private 3-Hour Nubian Party with Dinner and Pickup in Aswan: $77
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan : $90
- Dinner In Nile Cruise in Aswan: $150
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chennai
For Chennai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 2 Hour Street Food Tour in Sowcarpet Chennai : $37
- Private In-Home Vegetarian Cooking Class and Meal in Chennai: $46
- Private Vegetarian South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai : $48
- South Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Passionate Baker: $48
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class in Chennai with Menna: $54
- South Indian Vegetarian Cooking Class Near the Chennai airport: $62
- Traditional Tamil Brahmin Vegetarian Cooking Lesson with a Local in Her Home: $74
- Private Authentic Indian Cooking Class in Chennai with a Local: $76
- Private 3-Hour Cooking Lesson and Meal in Chennai: $100
- Authentic South Indian Cooking Class and Vegetarian Meal with a Local in Chennai: $122
- Food Trail In Sowcarpet With Transport And Dinner - Chennai: $216
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $6.11Chennai $2.77
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$1.26
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- 3 Hour Private Tour, Ancient Wonders in Philae Temple Tour : $55
- Abu Simbel Private Tour from Aswan : $110
- Abu Simbel Temples Full Day Tour From Aswan With Entry Tickets : $99
- Day Tour To Luxor From Aswan by Car: $60
- Exploration of Philae Temple and High Dam in Aswan Private Tour: $45
- Full-Day Private Tour of Aswan, Philae Temple and Obelisk: $95
- Guided Tour of Philae Temple in Aswan Egypt: $22
- Nubian Village Tour - Animalia : $84
- Nubian Village Tour in Aswan: $36
- Philae Temple Night Experience (Sound and Light show). : $65
- Private Day Tour to Luxor from Aswan: $65
- Private Luxor Day Tour from Aswan: $140
Tours and Activities in Chennai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chennai.
- Chennai Heritage Trails (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Explore Chennai in Nightlights (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Spiritual Trails of Chennai (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Walking Tour Chennai: $14
- Chennai Night Walk Tour ( 2 hours guided walking tour): $16
- Chennai Walking Tour ( 2 hours guided tour): $16
- Magical Chennai Markets Tour (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $17
- Chennai Walk of Divinity (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $17
- 2 Hour Street Food Walking Tour: $22
- Chennai Cultural Walking Tour: $26
- Night Walking Tour of Chennai: $26
- Chennai Food Tasting Trails (2 Hour Guided Tour Experience): $26
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.24Chennai $3.08
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Chennai, we can see that Chennai is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Aswan is in Africa and Chennai is in Asia, 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 Chennai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chennai 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 Aswan Expensive? and Is Chennai Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Chennai?
Chennai has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Chennai, 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.