Which place is cheaper, Istanbul or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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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 2-Week Tours in Turkey, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Turkey.
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Aswan Prices
Egypt PricesIstanbul Prices
Turkey Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $27Istanbul $149
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $27, while the average daily cost in Istanbul is $149. 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 $8.97Istanbul $69
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $18Istanbul $138
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 $4.92Istanbul $32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels or Nile Cruise in Aswan: $8.00
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $8.00
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $10
- Private Airport Arrival/Departure One Way Transfer: $11
- Shared Transfer: Aswan Airport to Hotels: $15
- Private Transfer From Aswan Airport Transfer To Hotel: $15
- Private Transfer from Aswan Airport to Anywhere in Aswan: $15
- Private Transfer Service From Aswan Airport to anywhere in Aswan: $16
- Aswan Airport VIP Transfer – Private,Comfortable &On-Time Service: $18
- Private Transfer from / to aswan airport: $19
- Aswan airport transfer: $21
- Private transfer from/to Aswan train station: $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Istanbul
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Istanbul are as follows:
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Metro Cards$4.29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Istanbul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Istanbul:
- Sapanca & Masukiye Day Tour from Istanbul with Lunch & Transfer: $12
- Full Day Sapanja Mashokiya & Mahmudia Tour with lunch +Transfer: $23
- istanbul airport transfer: $23
- Princes Islands Tour with Hotel Transfer & Lunch: $23
- Private Istanbul Airport Transfer IST and SAW: $23
- Istanbul IST Airport Transfer to or from Old City & Taksim Hotels: $25
- Guided Half Day Afternoon Istanbul Bosphorus Tour With Transfer: $29
- Private Istanbul Cruise Port(Galataport) Transfer hotel-airport: $30
- Private Transfer: Istanbul Airports & Cruise Port to/from Hotels: $30
- Istanbul Airport Private Departure Transfer: $31
- Istanbul Airport Private Transfer: $32
- Istanbul Airport & Hotel Transfers: $32
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 $13Istanbul $55
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
- Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $51
- Private Evening Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Istanbul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Istanbul.
- Istanbul Food Tour 30 Tasting Stops with Audio Maps Written Guide: $8.00
- Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Optional 4 Course Dinner: $25
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Night Show: $28
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Turkish Show Private Table: $29
- Dinner and Turkish Night Show in Bosphorus Strait: $29
- Budget Evening Cruise: Dinner, Live Shows & Party: $29
- Bosphorus Night Cruise Dinner and Dance Show,Transfer included: $30
- Bosphorus Turkish Night Show and Dinner Cruise with Private Table: $30
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Show with Private Table: $30
- Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: Turkish Night Show Experience: $30
- Istanbul Night Life : Bosphorus Dinner Cruise - Unlimited Drinks: $30
- Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Night Show: $31
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $8.44Istanbul $36
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$1.09
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- Podcast Tour Aswan Drowned Histories and Living Shores: $5.47
- Private Shopping tour in Aswan Bazzars: $8.00
- Private shopping tour in Aswan bazzars: $8.00
- Adventure Felucca Ride in Aswan ( Private boat ): $17
- Felucca Nile Cruise in Aswan: $20
- Aswan Tour, Philae Temple and High Dam: $21
- Authentic Nubian Village Tour with a Female Local Guide: $23
- Aswan to Abu Simbel Temple (Day Tour): $25
- Shared Half-Day Tour to the Nubian Village: $25
- 3 or 2 or 1 Nights Mighty Nile Felucca Adventure: $25
- Aswan Highlights Tour Philae Temple High Dam Unfinished Obelisk: $25
- Private Tour Sail on the Nile Aswan Felucca Ride: $25
Tours and Activities in Istanbul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Istanbul are as follows:
- Daily Bursa and Uludag Tour from Istanbul with lunch: $3.00
- Istanbul Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.02
- Istanbul Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise from Europe: $5.89
- Istanbul Audio Guided Walking Tour 3h and 22 audio reviews: $6.30
- Istanbul Üsküdar: Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $6.79
- Istanbul Fatih: Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $6.79
- Self-Guided Podcast Tour Exploring Two Empires: $6.84
- Istanbul Sites: Peel back the layers of Turkish history a self-guided audio tour: $6.99
- Istanbul Bosphorus Tour With Whirling Dervish Show: $7.17
- 2-Hour Scenic Bosphorus Cruise in Istanbul Throughout the Day: $7.53
- Bosphorus Cruise 2-3 Hour Cruises with Optional Asia Stop & Meal: $7.99
- Istanbul Bosphorus Sunset and Day Time Sightseeing Cruise: $7.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $0.96Istanbul $9.85
Sample the Local Flavors in Istanbul
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Istanbul:
- Istanbul Pub Crawl: Bars, Dancefloors, & Beyond: $16
- Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience: $28
- Pub Crawl Original Istanbul Pub Crawl with Party Bus: $30
- Istanbul Wine Tasting at Home with Local Family: $78
- Taksim Pera Wine Tasting 3 Hour Guided Tour: $130
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.