A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Aswan vs. Rome for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Aswan or Rome?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Aswan or Rome? 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 Rome?

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.

Rome

Rome is the capital and largest city in Italy. It is also a common entry point for most visitors flying into the country. Rome has been a center of power, culture, and religion for the last millenium, making it one of the most famous and popular destinations in not only Europe, but the world. The influence of the Roman Empire can be seen across continents.

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 Luxury Tours to Italy, and The Best Budget Tours to Italy.


Which place is cheaper, Rome or Aswan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $16, while the average daily cost in Rome is $182. 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 Rome in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Aswan $6.75
    Rome $95
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Aswan $14
    Rome $190
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Rome

Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Rome? 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.

Hotels in Aswan


Hotels in Rome


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 Rome Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Aswan $4.34
    Rome $23

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

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rome

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rome:


  • Metro Ride (for Two)
    $2.14
  • Train to the Airport
    $16
  • Taxi to Airport
    $48
  • Bicycle Rental (Full Day)
    $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rome

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rome:

  • Shuttle Bus Transfer to or from Ciampino Airport: $6.42
  • Bus Transfer Between Airport and Rome Termini Station: $6.42
  • Shuttle Bus Transfer to or from Fiumicino Airport: $7.49
  • Transfer Ciampino Airport - Rome center: $7.64
  • Transfer Fiumicino Airport - Rome center: $7.64
  • Transfer Rome center - Ciampino Airport: $7.64
  • Fiumicino Airport from/to Vaticano Transfer: $8.73
  • Bus Transfer from Rome to Milan or Vice Versa: $11
  • Transfer from Termini Station to the Maximo Shopping Center: $15
  • Civitavecchia Port to/from Vatican City Bus Transfer: $16
  • Transfer between Fiumicino Airport and Rome Termini: $17
  • Ciampino Airport Rome (CIA) to Rome - Arrival Private Transfer: $26

Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Rome?

Prices for flights to both Rome 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 day
    Aswan $5.73
    Rome $51

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

Typical Food Prices in Rome

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rome:


  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    $15
  • 4 Ice Cream Sandwiches
    $3.20
  • Cafe e doce
    $4.29
  • Pizza (Fast Food)
    $2.84
  • Sitdown Lunch (for Two)
    $34
  • Cheese and bread
    $11
  • Espresso
    $2.14
  • Dinner
    $62

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rome

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rome.

  • Award-Winning Roman Food Tours: $16
  • Tipsy Food Crawl Walking Tour with Dinner: $31
  • Vatican and Trionfale Farmers Market Food tour and Wine tasting : $32
  • Food Tour of the Vatican with Farmers Market and Wine Tasting: $32
  • Rome Food Tour with Wine Tasting and Farmers Market in Prati Area: $32
  • Guided Food Tour with Food and Drink Tastings: $33
  • Roman Master Chef Cooking Class with Wine: $36
  • Roman Dinner & History Tour: An Epic Journey Through Time: $37
  • Painting & Pizza Party with Unlimited Wine: $40
  • Campo dei Fiori & Jewish Ghetto area Street Food Tour: $42
  • Rome Food Tour : Street Food Testings with Local Guide: $43
  • Wine Tasting and Food Tour at Vatican and Trionfale Farmers: $43

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Aswan $6.11
    Rome $39
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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Rome

Here are a few typical costs in Rome for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Rome Museum Vaticano (for 2)
    $74
  • Coliseum Tickets (for Two)
    $35
  • Roma Pass
    $32
  • Hop on Hop Off Bus (All Day)
    $21
  • Segway Tour
    $80

Tours and Activities in Rome

Here are a few actual costs in Rome for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Bergamo Old Town: Discovery Walk & Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
  • Cambridge: Discovery Walk & Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
  • Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.26
  • Piazza del Popolo and Historical Sights Walking Tour in Rome: $3.27
  • Shared 4 Hours Guided tour of the House of the Emperor Hadrian: $5.11
  • From 1-Way Bus Ticket to Naples or Vice Versa: $5.31
  • Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Rome: $5.33
  • Bergamo Old Town: City Exploration Game and Tour: $5.35
  • Twilight Treasures: An Evening Tour Through Rome's Rich History: $5.44
  • Civitavecchia's Stories and Secrets: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.50
  • What Emperor Hadrian Lost: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Ancient Rome: $5.99
  • St. Peter's Basilica Rome Audio Tour Experience: $5.99

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Aswan $1.24
    Rome $19

Typical Alcohol Prices in Rome

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Rome:


  • Bottle of Wine
    $6.96
  • Pint of Beer
    $6.79
  • Beer
    $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Rome

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rome:

  • Trionfale and Prati Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $31
  • Trionfale Farmers Market and Vatican Quarter Food and Wine Tour: $32
  • Vatican Food and Wine Tasting Tour next to the Sistine Chapel: $32
  • Cabaret & Burlesque Show: $32
  • Vatican Quarter and Trionfale Farmers Market Food and Wine Tour: $43
  • Bar Crawl with Local Guide & Drinks: $52
  • Tipsy Tour: Fun Bar Crawl In Rome With Local Guide : $53
  • Wine Tour in Historic Center of Rome: $55
  • Frascati Wine Tasting Experience & Vineyards Tour : $61
  • Pasta Making Class & Wine Tasting in a Trasteve Villa: $68
  • E-Bike Night Tour with Food and Wine Tasting: $68
  • Private Wine Tasting in Trastevere: $71


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Rome, we can see that Rome 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 Rome 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 Rome would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rome 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 Rome Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Aswan or Rome?

Rome has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Rome, 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.