Which place is cheaper, Messina or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Aswan or Messina?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Messina? 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 Messina?
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.
Messina
Messina is a city in the northwest area of Sicily. There are only five kilometers across the Straits of Messina to the Calabria region of mainland Italy. You can reach Messina by boats which travel every hour from the town of Villa San Giovanni in mainland Italy. There are also a couple of hydrofoils that make the trip every day from Reggio di Calabria. During the summer season don't be surprised to see cruise ships arriving with crowds of tourists. They are usually docked right downtown and are therefore hard to miss. Messina is also connected to mainland Italy by train, which are transported across the Straits of Messina by ferry.
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 Food and Culinary Tours in Italy, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $16Messina $127
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $16, while the average daily cost in Messina is $127. 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 Messina in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $6.75Messina $70
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $14Messina $140
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Messina
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Messina? 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 Messina Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $4.34Messina $24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Private Aswan Airport Transfer To Hotel : $10
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $78
- Private transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $28
- 3-Days Travel Into The History to Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers: $299
- Abu Simbel from Aswan in Egypt - Private Tour (guide and transfers Included): $209
- Aswan Airport Arrival Transfer: $16
- Aswan Airport Private Departure Transfer: $19
- Aswan Airport Private Transfer: $24
- Aswan Airport Private Transfer: $6.00
- Aswan Airport Transfer: $24
- Aswan Airport Transfer: $20
- Aswan Airport Transfer to Hotels : $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Messina
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Messina:
- From Private Air-Conditioned Transfer to Taormina: $99
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Messina?
Prices for flights to both Messina 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 dayAswan $5.73Messina $40
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
- Nubian lunch Or Dinner at Nubian village : $75
- Private 3-Hour Nubian Party with Dinner and Pickup in Aswan: $77
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan : $90
- Dinner In Nile Cruise in Aswan: $150
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Messina
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Messina.
- Private Home Cooking Demo with a Four-Course Meal: $112
- Cesarine: Dining & Cooking Demo at Local's Home in Messina: $115
- Market Tour & Lunch/Dinner at a Cesarina's Home: $149
- Messina Private Home Cooking Class: $155
- Home Cooking Class & Meal with a Local in Messina: $158
- Market Tour, Private Home Cooking Class and Dinner: $202
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $6.11Messina $23
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$1.26
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- The High Dam In Aswan Entry Ticket: $2.53
- Unfinished Obelisk Entry Ticket: $5.60
- Philae Temple Entry Ticket: $11
- Aswan High Dam Entry Tickets Included Pickup And Drop Off: $13
- Philae Temple Complex Skip the Line Entry Ticket: $13
- Temple Of Kalabsha Entry Tickets Included Pickup And Drop Off: $14
- Day Trip to Nubian Village with Camel Tour: $15
- 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: $17
- Kom Ombo Entry Tickets Included Pickup And Drop Off From Aswan: $19
Tours and Activities in Messina
Here are a few actual costs in Messina for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Alfotour 2/3 hour tour with swimming stop: $32
- 2,5-Hour Messina Walking Tour: $46
- Guided City Highlights Walking Tour: $47
- The Godfather Movie Tour from Messina: $84
- Messina Taormina: cultural heritage experience: $85
- Messina and Taormina City Tour from Messina - Private tour: $87
- Taormina Shore Excursion from Messina - Shared tour: $87
- Taormina and Castelmola Tour from Messina: $98
- 3-Hour Messina Segway PT Authorized Tour: $118
- Full Day Taormina and Castelmola Tour with Messina Shore Excursion: $120
- Etna Alcantara tour: the majestic lava landscape : $126
- Taormina and Castelmola: Private tour: $149
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.24Messina $19
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Messina, we can see that Messina 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 Messina 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 Messina would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Messina 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 Messina Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Messina?
Messina has a larger population, and is about 4% larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Messina, 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.