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

Should you visit Aswan or Soweto?

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

Should I visit Aswan or Soweto? 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 Soweto?

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.

Soweto

The name Soweto is an acronym for South Western Townships, first used in 1963 to describe the groups of townships to the south west of Johannesburg. It is a city of contrasts, featuring anything from tin shanties to luxurious mansions, and is probably best known for being the home of two Nobel Prize winners.

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 Cape Town, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cape Town.


Which place is cheaper, Soweto 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 Soweto is $61. 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 Soweto in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Aswan $6.75
    Soweto $31
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Aswan $14
    Soweto $62
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Soweto

Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Soweto? 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 Soweto


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Aswan $4.34
    Soweto $12

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

Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Soweto?

Prices for flights to both Soweto 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
    Soweto $20

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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Aswan $6.11
    Soweto $16
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 Soweto

For Soweto, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Johannesburg: Soweto Half-Day Tour: $59
  • Johannesburg: Soweto Tour with Lunch: $69
  • Johannesburg: Soweto Night Tour: $95

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Aswan $1.24
    Soweto $8.10


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Soweto, we can see that Soweto is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Soweto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Soweto 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 Soweto Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Aswan or Soweto?

Soweto has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Soweto, 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.