A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Aswan vs. Darjiling for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Aswan or Darjiling?

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

Should I visit Aswan or Darjiling? 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 Darjiling?

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.

Darjiling

What began as a cluster of villages grew to prominence in the 19th Century when the British first established a hill station here and eventually realized that the climate was well-suited for tea plantations. Darjeeling (or Darjiling) has since become known for its teas in addition to cultural diversity, stunning views, and trekking opportunities.

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.


Which place is cheaper, Darjiling or Aswan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Aswan Prices
    Egypt Prices
    Darjiling Prices
    India Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Aswan $30
    Darjiling $40

The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $30, while the average daily cost in Darjiling is $40. 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 Darjiling in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Aswan $9.89
    Darjiling $12
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Aswan $20
    Darjiling $24
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Darjiling

Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Darjiling? 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 Darjiling


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 Darjiling Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Aswan $5.43
    Darjiling $6.63

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:

  • Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada – Travel in Comfort: $275
  • Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada in AC Cars Local Driver: $230
  • Private Transfer From Aswan Airport or Hotel to Hurghada by Car: $200
  • Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $187
  • Marvel 3-Days Unique Guided Tours Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers: $167
  • Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $160
  • Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $160
  • Private Aswan to Luxor Transfer with Custom Temple Stops: $150
  • Aswan to Hurghada Private Door to Door Transfer: $140
  • Private Transfer from Aswan to Marsa Alam: $130
  • Edfu and Kom Ombo Day Tour with Luxor Transfer: $115
  • Private Transfer Aswan to Luxor: $105

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darjiling

Also for Darjiling, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer Darjeeling Hotels To Bagdogra Airport IXB Drop: $65
  • Rafting Journey at the Down on Teesta River's White Water with Private Transfer: $182

Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Darjiling?

Prices for flights to both Darjiling 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 $15
    Darjiling $21

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
  • Dinner on board a cruise on the Nile: $59
  • Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise with Entertainment: $65
  • Private Evening Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $75

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Aswan $9.30
    Darjiling $11
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
    $1.20

Tours and Activities in Aswan

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

  • 2 Day Aswan Tour+Hotel Includ:Abu Simbel, Philae& Nubian Village: $190
  • 2 Hours Private Sound and Light Show Tour in Philae Temple: $85
  • 2 Hours Tour in Philae Temple: $19
  • 2 Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: $270
  • 2-Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor – Including Abu Simbel: $250
  • 3 Days and 2 Nights Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: $299
  • 3 Hour Private Tour, Ancient Wonders in Philae Temple Tour: $55
  • 3 Hours Private Tour in Nubian Village from Aswan: $33
  • 3 or 2 or 1 Nights Mighty Nile Felucca Adventure: $25
  • 3-Day Guided tour to Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor from Cairo: $285
  • 4 Day 3 Nights Nile Cruise From Aswan to Luxor: $1,273
  • 4 Days Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor including Abu Simbel and Hot Air Balloon: $284

Tours and Activities in Darjiling

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Darjiling.

  • Discover the Spiritual Trails of Darjeeling (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $12
  • Heritage & Cultural Walk of Darjeeling (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $12
  • Gangtok Food Crawl (2 Hours Guided Local Food Tasting Tour): $22
  • Tiger Hill Darjeeling Nature Walk (3 Hours Guided Trekking Experience): $22
  • Colonial Heritage Walking Tour in Darjeeling: $27
  • Mirik Lake Day Tour From Darjeeling: $33
  • Darjeeling Tea Garden Tour: $49
  • Darjeeling City Tour with Uber: $58
  • Best of Darjeeling (Guided Halfday Sightseeing Tour by Car): $73
  • Best of Gangtok (Guided Halfday Sightseeing Tour by Car): $74
  • Mirik Lake Day tour: $85
  • Private Calcutta Tour With Guide and Authentic Bengali lunch: $89

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Aswan $1.06
    Darjiling $7.77


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Darjiling, we can see that Darjiling 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 Darjiling 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 Darjiling would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Darjiling 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 Darjiling Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Aswan or Darjiling?

Aswan has a larger population, and is about 95% larger than the population of Darjiling. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Darjiling, 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.