Which place is cheaper, Siem Reap 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 Siem Reap?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Siem Reap? 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 Siem Reap?
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.
Siem Reap
Located in northern Cambodia, Siem Reap is the closest town to Cambodia's famous Angkor Wat. It is a comfortable and laid back town and most visitors use it as a base to explore the country's most visited destination. Although Siem Reap was once a quaint village, it has continued to grow and change to meet the needs of the many tourists who visit every year. Siem Reap has become a very touristy town with easy access to restaurants, hotels, and shops. It also has a large expatriate community and the western influences are unavoidable. Although prices remain quite low, they are higher than you might find elsewhere in Cambodia.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Phnom Penh, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Siem Reap.
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Aswan Prices
Egypt PricesSiem Reap Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $28Siem Reap $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $28, while the average daily cost in Siem Reap is $94. 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 Siem Reap in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $9.45Siem Reap $52
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $19Siem Reap $104
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Siem Reap
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Siem Reap? 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 Siem Reap Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $5.18Siem Reap $8.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Abu Simbel Shared Transfer: $37
- Aswan Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $28
- Aswan Airport Private Transfer: $24
- Aswan Airport Transfer: $16
- Aswan Airport Transfer to Nile Cruise or Hotel: $30
- Aswan Airport Transfers inside city & to Luxor, Hurghada- One Way: $18
- Aswan Airport private arrival transfer: $19
- Aswan Port Private Arrival Transfer: $24
- Aswan Port Private Departure Transfer: $24
- Aswan Private Transfer To Luxor city: $130
- Aswan Sound and Light Show at Philae Temple with Transfer: $53
- Aswan to Hurghada Private Door to Door Transfer: $140
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Siem Reap
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Siem Reap:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$13
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Bike Rentals$1.94
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Siem Reap
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Siem Reap:
- Angkor International Airport (SAI) Private/Shared Transfers: $9.00
- Share One-Way Arrival/Departure Transfer: $10
- Angkor Airport (SAI) Private or Shared Transfers :Siem Reap: $10
- Siem Reap International Airport Transfer (SIA): $12
- Angkor Airport (SAI) Private or Shared Transfers: $14
- Siem Reap Airport (SAI): Transfer to/from Siem Reap Hotel: $15
- Airport (SAI) Pickup/Transfer Private Car: $18
- Kompong Phluk Floating Village with Transfers: $20
- Private Transfers Siem Reap City to Airport: $20
- Angkor National Museum Ticket with Transfer: $24
- Siem Reap Airport Transfer to/from Siem Reap by Private Car: $25
- Siem Reap Angkor International Airport private transfer: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Siem Reap?
Prices for flights to both Siem Reap 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 $14Siem Reap $28
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
- Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise with Entertainment: $66
- Private Evening Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $75
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan: $90
Typical Food Prices in Siem Reap
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Siem Reap:
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Breakfast for Two$5.61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Siem Reap
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Siem Reap.
- A Spectacular Show with Optional Dinner: $18
- Apsara Dance Show with Dinner by Tuk-Tuk Roundtrip Transfer: $19
- Apsara Performance with Dinner include Pick up & Drop off: $22
- Apsara Performance Including Buffet Dinner & Hotel Pick up: $22
- Buffet Dinner Apsara Show with hotel transfers: $22
- Apsara Dance Show and Dinner with Hotel Pickup: $22
- Apsara Show Including Dinner & Hotel Pickup: $23
- Dinner and Traditional Show with Hotel Transfer: $24
- Apsara Dance Show with Buffet Dinner & Tuk-Tuk...: $26
- A Night To Remember: Apsara Dance Show with Buffet Dinner: $27
- Dinner Show Apsara Dance, Pickup round trip included: $27
- Apsara Theatre Performance include Dinner & hotel pick up: $29
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $8.88Siem Reap $30
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:
- Shared Half-Day tour of The Nubian Village: $10
- Day Trip to Nubian Village with Camel Tour: $15
- Private Tour in Aswan : Felucca and Nubian village: $18
- 2 Hours Tour in Philae Temple: $19
- Philae Temple and Aswan High-Dam Half-day tour: $20
- Felucca Nile Cruise in Aswan: $20
- Private 6 Hours Tour In Aswan: $24
- Philae Temple Guided Half-Day Group Tour: $25
- Full Day Tour to Abu Simbel Temples from Aswan: $25
- 3 or 2 or 1 Nights Mighty Nile Felucca Adventure: $25
- Nubian Village Tour: $25
- Aswan City Tour By Horse And Carriage: $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Siem Reap
Here are a few typical costs in Siem Reap for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Angkor Tour Guide$8.27
Tours and Activities in Siem Reap
Here are a few actual costs in Siem Reap for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- FREE Market & Local Temple Tour: $1.00
- Satcha: Workshop Tour Guide incl. Free Soft Drink: $5.50
- City Walking Tour: $6.00
- Siem Reap Motorbike Rental - Temple and City Tours own drive: $9.00
- Angkor Wat: Full-Day Guided Sunset Tour: $10
- Siem Reap Lotus Silk Farm Tour with Pick Up downtown: $10
- Small-Group Full Day Angkor wat Guide tour with Sun set: $11
- Angkor Wat Sunrise for Group or Private Tours: $12
- Angkor Wat 1 Day with Sunrise Combined tour with (Tuk Tuk): $12
- Sunrise at Angkor Wat and Small Tour with Tours Guide: $12
- Angkor Wat Sunrise and Full-Day Sightseeing Tour: $13
- Angkor Wat: Small-Group Sunrise Tour: $13
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.01Siem Reap $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Siem Reap
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Siem Reap:
- Mad Monkey Siem Reap Pub Crawl: $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Siem Reap, we can see that Siem Reap 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 Siem Reap 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 Siem Reap would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Siem Reap 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 Siem Reap Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Siem Reap?
Aswan has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Siem Reap. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Siem Reap, 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.