Which place is cheaper, Istanbul or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Aswan or Istanbul?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Istanbul? 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 Istanbul?
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.
Istanbul
Istanbul is strategically located on the Bosphorus and is split between Europe and Asia. It truly is a city where east meets west. Istanbul is the cultural and financial hub of Turkey, and also the most populous city. The sites are countless and there's something for everybody, whether you're interested in art, music, food, or adventure. You can pass many days exploring both the residential and commercial pockets of this city. Much of the appeal is hidden away along back alleys or within corner shops.
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 Budget Tours to Turkey, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $16Istanbul $126
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $16, while the average daily cost in Istanbul is $126. 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 Istanbul in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $6.75Istanbul $47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $14Istanbul $94
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Istanbul
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Istanbul? 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 Istanbul Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $4.34Istanbul $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Private Transfer from Aswan Airport to Aswan: $5.00
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $6.40
- Private Transfer from Aswan Hotels to Aswan Airport: $8.00
- Station Aswan Transfer To hotel: $8.00
- Private Airport Arrival/Departure One Way Transfer: $10
- Airport Arrival/Departure One Way Private Transfer: $10
- Private Aswan Airport Arrival/Departure One Way Transfer: $10
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $10
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $10
- Private Transfer from Aswan Airport to Anywhere in Aswan: $10
- Private transfer from/to Aswan train station: $10
- Aswan airport transfer : $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Istanbul are as follows:
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Ferry$0.09
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Local Bus$0.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Istanbul IST Airport Economy Minivan Transfer: $11
- Princes' Islands Tour with Lunch and Transfers: $13
- Private Transfer from Istanbul Hotels to Istanbul Cruise Port: $19
- Istanbul City to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW)-Departure Private Transfer: $20
- Airport - Otel Transfer and City Tours: $20
- Private One-Way New Istanbul Airport Transfer To/From Istanbul: $21
- Istanbul Airport (SAW) to Istanbul - Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Istanbul Ataturk Airport (ISL) to Istanbul hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $22
- Istanbul Airport Private Transfers: $22
- Princes' Islands Cruise w/Music, Lunch & Transfer: $22
- Princes' Islands Cruise with Lunch and Transfer Full-Day Tour: $23
- Istanbul New Airport (IST) to City Center - Arrival Private Transfer: $24
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Istanbul?
Prices for flights to both Istanbul 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 $5.73Istanbul $31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.
- Dinner at Soleih restaurant by vehicle: $33
- Nubian Dinner in Nubian Village Of Aswan: $40
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan : $90
- Dinner In Nile Cruise in Aswan: $150
Typical Food Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Istanbul are as follows:
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Juice$0.06
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Turkish Delight$0.02
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Dessert$0.26
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Pastries$0.05
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Night Show from Istanbul: $16
- Dinner Cruise and Entertainment with Private Table: $17
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Tour With Turkish Night Show: $21
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise , Unlimited Drinks, & Show: $21
- Bosphorus Luxury Catamaran Cruise with Dinner Show: $25
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Turkish Night Show: $26
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table: $26
- Bosphorus Boat Cruise with Dinner & Entertainment: $27
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Unlimited Drinks and Shows: $28
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: $28
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Turkish Night Show: $28
- 3 Hour Ottoman Dinner Cruise in Istanbul : $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $6.11Istanbul $79
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:
- Temple Of Kalabsha Entry Tickets: $3.80
- Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan Entry Ticket: $6.28
- Philae Temple Entry Ticket: $11
- Aswan High Dam Entry Tickets Included Pickup And Drop Off: $13
- Day Trip to Nubian Village with Camel Tour: $15
- Unfinished Obelisk Entry Tickets Included Pickup And Drop Off: $16
- Philae temple entry ticket: $16
- City Tour in Aswan by Bicycle : $16
- Private Day Tour to Phalie Temple, High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk: $17
- Unfinished Obelisk Entry Tickets Included Pickup And Drop Off: $18
- Kom Ombo Entry Tickets Included Pickup And Drop Off From Aswan: $19
- 2 Hours Tour in Philae Temple: $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Istanbul are as follows:
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Bosphurus Boat (for 2)$0.62
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Yerebatan Cistern for Two$0.62
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Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts for Two$0.31
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Hagia Sofia entrance$0.93
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.19
- Hagia Sophia Exclusive Digital Audio Guided Tour: $5.32
- City Tour with Audio Guide in your smartphone: $5.32
- Highlights Self Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.32
- Istanbul Sites: Peel back the layers of Turkish history a self-guided audio tour: $5.40
- Self Guided City Audio Tour of Istanbul: $5.44
- Kadikoy's history, theatres and sweet shops: a self-guided audio tour: $5.99
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.38
- Istanbul Outdoor Escape Game: The Royal Adventure: $7.06
- Istanbul in a day: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in English: $7.77
- Istanbul Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- App self-guided tours Istanbul with multilingual audioguide: $9.58
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.24Istanbul $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Pub Crawl Big Nightout . Rooftop parties,party Bus & Nightlife: $22
- Istanbul 7-Hour Pub Crawl: Big Night Out: $27
- Party Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $29
- Wine Tasting Experience in Istanbul : $45
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $84
- 2-Day Wine Tasting Tour along the Thracian Wine Route: $180
- Istanbul Private Wine Tasting Tour Through 3 City Wineries : $245
- Istanbul Private and Guided, Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $430
- Luxury Wine Tasting on a Private Yacht: $840
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Istanbul, we can see that Istanbul 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 Istanbul is in Europe, 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 Istanbul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Istanbul 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 Istanbul Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Istanbul?
Istanbul has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Istanbul, 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.