Which place is cheaper, Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Kathmandu? 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 Kathmandu?
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.
Kathmandu
Kathmandu is the capital and largest city in the country of Nepal. Its metropolitan area forms one large urban area that includes the area of Patan to the south. As of 2011 there were 2.5 million residents in the Kathmandu metropolis and over 3 million in the entire metropolitan area. Kathmandu is likely to be your entry point into Nepal and is a great place to pick up supplies and arrange the details for any treks you hope to do. Many travelers rush through Kathmandu, turned off by the pollution and crowds, but to skip Kathmandu is to miss a major cultural, financial, and influential part of what defines the country of Nepal. The city itself is quite fun to explore if you allow it enough time and an open mind.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal.
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Aswan Prices
Egypt PricesKathmandu Prices
Nepal Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $29Kathmandu $54
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $29, while the average daily cost in Kathmandu is $54. 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 Kathmandu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $9.47Kathmandu $34
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $19Kathmandu $68
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Kathmandu
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Kathmandu? 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 Kathmandu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $5.20Kathmandu $5.98
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 Airport Arrival/Departure One Way Transfer: $11
- Private Transfer Service From Hotel To Aswan Airport: $14
- Private Transfer From Aswan Airport Transfer To Hotel: $15
- Private Transfer from Aswan Airport to Anywhere in Aswan: $15
- Shared Transfer: Aswan Airport to Hotels: $15
- Private Transfer Service From Aswan Airport to anywhere in Aswan: $16
- Aswan Airport private arrival transfer: $19
- Aswan airport transfer: $21
- Private transfer from/to Aswan train station: $21
- Private Transfer from Aswan Hotels to Aswan Airport: $22
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kathmandu
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Kathmandu:
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Taxi Ride$1.29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:
- Kathmandu Airport Departure Transfer – Easy, Safe & Hassle-Free: $9.00
- Kathmandu - Arrival transfer from airport to hotel: $12
- Private Airport Transfer to Kathmandu Hotels: $12
- Kathmandu Airport Private Transfer: Arrival or Departure Service: $15
- Airport Transfers in Kathmandu – Pickup OR Drop-Off Service: $15
- Kathmandu Airport Private Transfers: $16
- Kathmandu Airport Private Transfer: $16
- Kathmandu Airport Transfer Service: $18
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu Domestic Airport to Hotel Vehicle: $20
- Deluxe Toyota Coaster Mini Bus Transfer From Kathmandu to Pokhara or V. V.: $22
- Rent a Private Car with Driver for Kathmandu City Transfer: $25
- Kathmandu to Pokhara or Pokhara to Kathmandu Private Transfer: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Kathmandu?
Prices for flights to both Kathmandu 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 $14Kathmandu $13
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 Kathmandu
Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Dessert$1.16
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Dinner for Two$2.59
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kathmandu.
- Saturday Hidden Kathmandu Walk and Food Tour: $10
- Authentic Private Nepali Cooking Class in Kathmandu: $23
- Momo, Dhalbhat & Thukpa Cooking Class, Nepal: $25
- Local Women Lead Nepali Cooking & Momo-Making Class: $25
- Best Nepali Cooking Class in Thamel with Local Market Trip: $30
- Local Women Lead Nepali Cooking Class: $30
- Secret Food Tour - Food Bites and Sights Kathmandu 14+ Tastings: $35
- Momo Cooking Class -The Art Of Making MoMo with Home Chef: $35
- Everest Eats Kathmandu Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $39
- Exotic Food Tour Newari Flavors and Evening Trails 15 Tastings: $40
- Walking Street Food Tour in Kathmandu: $48
- Cooking Class with Vyas: $49
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $8.91Kathmandu $6.92
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$1.15
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 Kathmandu
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Monkey Temple for Two$1.29
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Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two$3.23
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Swayambhunath Stupa$1.29
Tours and Activities in Kathmandu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:
- Full Day Top 4 UNESCO Tour with Lunch - Private/Group: $7.60
- Full Day 7 UNESCO Tour with Lunch - Private/Group: $7.60
- Nagarkot Sunrise & Hike to Changu Narayan Day Tour from Kathmandu: $8.00
- Kathmandu Sightseeing | UNESCO World Heritage sites Private/Group: $8.00
- Private UNESCO World Heritage Tour | Top 4 UNESCO Site: $9.00
- Patan & Bhaktapur Heritage Tour with Lunch.: $9.00
- Kathmandu to Chitwan Tourist Bus Tickets: $9.50
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites Private & Small Group Tour: $10
- Chitwan to Bandipur Tourist Bus Luxury Sofa Seater: $10
- Chitwan to Kathmandu Tourist Bus Tickets: $10
- Kathmandu to Pokhara Tourist Sofa Bus: $11
- Chitwan to Kathmandu Tourist Bus Luxury Sofa: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.02Kathmandu $4.93
Sample the Local Flavors in Kathmandu
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kathmandu:
- Kathmandu Nightlife and Pub Crawl Tour: $50
- Bar Tour & Pub Crawl -Sip, Stroll, Repeat Thamel's Night: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Kathmandu, we can see that Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Kathmandu?
Kathmandu has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Kathmandu, 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.