Which place is cheaper, Pompeii or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Aswan or Pompeii?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Pompeii? 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 Pompeii?
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.
Pompeii
Pompeii was once a 160-acre Roman port city, called home by more than 20,000 residents. In 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted and after burying the entire city 16 feet deep in ash, the debris destroyed everything in its path, killing thousands of people and affecting more than 200 square miles around the area.
However, the phenomenon is that the ash preserved everything as it was in that time and to this day, you can visit and observe life as it was nearly two thousand years ago, as figures of people running from the explosion have been burned permanently into history.
The best time to visit Pompeii is during spring, after the rains of March and before the scorching heat of June and July. On the downside, this is the beginning of the busy season for tourists, so while you'll enjoy pleasant weather, you won't be likely to avoid crowds. Conversely, November starts the low-season for travel, so you can easily skip the crowds, though you may have to compromise on weather, as the rains return this time of year. Rain and crowds won't be an issue if you visit during winter, but be warned, temperatures drop down to the 50's during the day, accompanied by winds.
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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy, and The Best Walking Tours in Italy.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $16Pompeii $161
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $16, while the average daily cost in Pompeii is $161. 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 Pompeii in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $6.75Pompeii $75
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $14Pompeii $150
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Pompeii
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Pompeii? 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 Pompeii Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $4.34Pompeii $57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- VIP Aswan Airport Transfer to Luxury Retreats: $35
- Transfer to Luxor from Aswan and visit Kom Ombo and Edfu Temples: $64
- Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $79
- Transfer from Aswan Train Station to your hotel or the opposite : $30
- Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels or Nile Cruise in Aswan: $8.00
- Sunset Departure Evening Aswan Airport Transfer: $32
- Station Aswan Transfer To hotel: $8.00
- Shared Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels : $20
- Private transfer from aswan to luxor with visits: $93
- Private transfer from anywhere Aswan to Aswan Airport: $13
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $10
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $6.40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pompeii
Also for Pompeii, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Pompeii to Naples or viceversa: $66
- Small Group Pompeii Wine Tasting with Lunch & Transfer Included : $97
- Transfers from Naples to Sorrento Positano Amalfi Ravello Maiori: $97
- Private transfer Ravello to Naples: $121
- Transfer Ravello to Naples: $121
- Private transfer from Ravello to Naples: $121
- Organic Wine Tasting & Lunch on Vesuvius with Transfer from Pompeii: $132
- Transfers Ravello - Naples: $207
- Transfer Private from Ravello to Naples: $239
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Pompeii?
Prices for flights to both Pompeii 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 $5.73Pompeii $38
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 Pompeii
For Pompeii, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traditional Neapolitan Dinner in Pompei - Villa Franca - Family Restourant: $38
- Cooking Class with Italian Mamma in Pompeii: $65
- Lunch or dinner and cooking demo at a local home in Pompei: $93
- Pompei tour with a 2000 years roman dinner: $112
- Small Group Market tour and Cooking class in Pompei: $142
- Private Pizza & Tiramisu Class at a Cesarina's home with tasting in Pompei: $158
- Private Cooking Class with Lunch or Dinner in Pompei: $158
- Private market tour and cooking class with lunch or dinner in Pompei: $206
- guided tour of the ruins and cooking class fresh pasta : $272
- Cooking class: Pasta Experience in Pompei, Italy: $300
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $6.11Pompeii $82
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:
- Abu Simbel Private Tour from Aswan : $110
- Abu Simbel Temples Full Day Tour From Aswan With Entry Tickets : $99
- Aswan : Full Day Private Guided Tour to the Legend of Abu Simbel Temples: $125
- Full Day Tour to Luxor from Aswan by Car: $200
- Philae Temple Night Experience (Sound and Light show). : $65
- Philae Temple and Aswan High Dam Tour: $44
- Private Abu Simbel Temple tour : $123
- Private Day Tour to Luxor from Aswan: $65
- Private Luxor Day Tour from Aswan: $140
- Sharing Tour To Abu Simbel From Aswan with Tour Guide : $50
- 1 Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: $128
- 2 Days Luxor Private Guided Tour From Aswan: $110
Tours and Activities in Pompeii
For Pompeii, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- The Rise, Fall, and Rediscovery of A Self-Guided Tour: $20
- Pompeii Express 1 hour Guided Tour: $21
- Pompeii Ticket with Optional Guided Tour: $31
- PompeiI VIP: Guided Tour with your Archaeologist in a Small Group : $32
- Entrance ticket to the Valle dell'Orso Water Park: $33
- Pompeii for kids or adults skip the line small group walking tour 2 hours: $33
- Pompeii Skip the Line ticket + Audioguide: $35
- Pompeii Archeological Site Fast Track Entry Ticket : $36
- Pompeii tour with archaeologist: $38
- Pompeii Tour with experienced guide: $38
- guided tour of the archaeological excavations of Pompeii: $38
- Semi-Private Tour of Pompeii Ruins: $41
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.24Pompeii $7.84
Sample the Local Flavors in Pompeii
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Pompeii:
- Wine Tasting Tour on the Slopes of Vesuvius: $46
- Wine Tasting on Mt. Vesuvius: $55
- Seafood Lunch with Wine Tasting & Tour on a golf cart: $87
- Guided Tour of Pompeii Ruins with Lunch and Wine Tasting: $98
- Private Wine Tour and Tasting in Pompeii with a Local: $124
- Pompeii Guided Tour & Horse Riding on Vesuvius with Wine Tasting: $191
- Pompeii, Herculaneum and scenic drive of the Mt. Vesuvius with wine tasting: $207
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Pompeii, we can see that Pompeii 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 Pompeii 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 Pompeii would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pompeii 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 Pompeii Expensive?.
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.