Which place is cheaper, Luxor 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 Luxor?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Luxor? 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 Luxor?
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.
Luxor
Egypt is surely on the top of every history lover's bucket list. Nowhere is the history more engrossing than in Luxor. From amazing monuments dating back to ancient Thebes to rows of temples up the Nile, this remarkable city is full the stories of past greatness.
The East Bank – or the central part of Luxor Township – is the hotbed for tourism. This is where most of the hotels and resorts are, while the West Bank is home to the ancient ruins and archaeological wonders you'll want to explore.
Before traveling to Egypt, be sure to check on the current affairs and political climate. It could have a major effect on the amount of tourists visiting, and, if conditions are too dangerous, you may want to reschedule. Also note, ladies, to avoid any issues, dress modestly. This is a very conservative region of the world. The less skin showing, the better.
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 Egypt, and The Best River Cruises in Egypt.
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Aswan Prices
Egypt PricesLuxor Prices
Egypt Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $30Luxor $31
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $30, while the average daily cost in Luxor is $31. 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 Luxor in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $9.89Luxor $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $20Luxor $22
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Luxor
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Luxor? 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 Luxor Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $5.43Luxor $5.37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- A transfer to Luxor from Aswan by car: $75
- Abu Simbel Shared Transfer: $37
- Arrival Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels or Nile Cruise: $26
- Aswan Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $28
- Aswan Airport Private Departure Transfer: $28
- Aswan Airport Private Transfer: $24
- Aswan Airport Transfer: $24
- Aswan Airport Transfer to Nile Cruise or Hotel: $30
- Aswan Airport Transfers inside city & to Luxor, Hurghada- One Way: $18
- Aswan City Tour With Private Transfer and Live Guide: $45
- Aswan Port Private Arrival Transfer: $24
- Aswan Sound and Light Show at Philae Temple with Transfer: $53
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Luxor
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Luxor:
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Taxi Ride$0.40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Luxor
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Luxor:
- Private Luxor Transfer: Luxor Station to Hotel with Local Driver: $5.00
- Private transfer from/to Luxor train station: $5.00
- Luxury VIP Luxor Airport Transfer to Hotels&Cruises |Meet & Greet: $5.00
- Cheap trip : Private transfer from luxor railway station to your hotel: $5.13
- Private Transfer from & to Luxor Airport from Any Hotel in Luxor: $6.00
- Luxor Private Transfer Hotel to Airport or vice versa: $6.00
- Luxor Airport Private Departure Transfer: $6.00
- Luxor Private Transfer Hotel to Airport and Vice Versa: $6.06
- Luxor Airport or vice versa private transfer: $6.07
- Luxor Airport Private Arrival Transfer to Hotels and Nile Cruises: $6.48
- Luxor Private Transfer from Hotel to Airport or Vice Versa: $6.50
- Seamless Transfers Between Luxor Airport & Your Hotel: $6.65
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Luxor?
Prices for flights to both Luxor 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 $15Luxor $16
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Luxor
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Luxor.
- Experience Egyptian cooking at Luxor Farm: $10
- Luxury Nile Sunset Felucca Sail | Private Dinner - Hotel Transfer: $15
- Luxor West Bank By Night and Alabaster Museum Tour with Dinner: $30
- Riding a felucca at Sunset and Dinner an Egyptian House in Luxor: $40
- 3 Hours Culinary Journey with Family Food Tour in Luxor: $40
- Sunset Dinner at a Traditional Egyptian House of Luxor: $45
- 3-Hour Culinary Journey with Family Food Tour in Luxor: $50
- Private Luxor Temple Night Tour with Felucca Sunset & Dinner: $55
- Open-Air Farm Luxor Lunch or Dinner Experience in a Green: $60
- Felucca at Sunset and Dinner at an Egyptian House in Luxor: $60
- Karnak Sound And Light Show With Dinner, Felucca : $64
- Private Luxor Temple Night Tour with Romantic Nile-View Dinner: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $9.30Luxor $9.89
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$1.20
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- Shared Half-Day tour of The Nubian Village: $10
- Day Trip to Nubian Village with Camel Tour: $15
- 2 Hours Tour in Philae Temple: $19
- Felucca Nile Cruise in Aswan: $20
- Private 6 Hours Tour In Aswan: $24
- Aswan City Tour By Horse And Carriage: $25
- 3 or 2 or 1 Nights Mighty Nile Felucca Adventure: $25
- Private Guided Tour to Aswan High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk: $25
- Full Day Tour to Abu Simbel Temples from Aswan: $25
- Private Aswan Cultural Tour to the Nubian Village by Motorboat: $25
- Philae Temple Guided Half-Day Group Tour: $25
- Explore Philae Temple and High-Dam on Half-day Tour: $26
Typical Entertainment Prices in Luxor
Here are a few typical costs in Luxor for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Boat Ride (for 2)$0.54
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Temple Karnak for Two$2.60
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Camel Ride for Two$1.20
Tours and Activities in Luxor
Here are a few actual costs in Luxor for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Dahabiya Nile Cruise between Luxor and Aswan: $5.00
- Private Tour Shopping in Luxor City: $6.00
- Luxor Day Tour: Explore Valley of Kings,Queens, Hatshepsut Temple: $8.00
- Luxor Half Day Tour : Karnak & Luxor Temples: $8.00
- Luxor Half Day tour: valley of the kings and Hatshepsut & Memnon: $8.00
- Historic Corniche Walking Experience with Refreshment: $8.00
- Private Tour: Medinet Habu,Valley of the Queens & Deir el-Medina: $8.49
- Half Day Luxor Tour Valley of Kings& Medinat Habu& Hatshepsu: $8.90
- Private Half Day Luxor Tour Valley of Kings & Queens, Hatshepsut: $8.90
- Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show Experience in Luxor: $9.00
- Half Day Tour: Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple & Mamnon: $9.00
- VIP Private Nile Motorboat Experience in Luxor: $9.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.06Luxor $2.96
When comparing the travel costs between Aswan and Luxor, we can see that Luxor is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Aswan Expensive? and Is Luxor Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Luxor?
Luxor has a larger population, and is about 75% larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Luxor, 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.