Which place is cheaper, Taormina or Aswan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Aswan or Taormina?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Taormina? 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 Taormina?
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.
Taormina
A quaint hillside town on the eastern side of Sicily, Taormina is arguably one of the most popular tourist resorts on the island. It's peak season is the months of July and August when Italian and European tourists alike flock to the beaches. During this time it can be crowded and hot, but if you visit during the spring or fall months you might find the crowds slightly less and the weather more comfortable. The town is popular with package tours, which stay at the beach resorts around Giardini Naxos to the south or Letojanni to the north.
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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $16Taormina $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $16, while the average daily cost in Taormina is $116. 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 Taormina in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $6.75Taormina $75
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $14Taormina $150
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Taormina
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Taormina? 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 Taormina Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $4.34Taormina $4.59
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Private Transfer Round Trip To Abu Simbel From Aswan: $300
- 3-Days Travel Into The History to Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers: $299
- Private Transfer from Aswan to temple of Abu Simbel: $230
- Abu Simbel from Aswan in Egypt - Private Tour (guide and transfers Included): $209
- Hurghada: Private Transfer To/From Aswan: $200
- Private Transfer To/From Hurghada: $200
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $170
- Private Transfer Aswan To Marsa-alam: $150
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $136
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Abu Simbel: $105
- Full Day Tour to Luxor from Aswan with Transfers and Guide: $100
- Private Trip To Kom Ombo And Edfu Temple With Transfer From Aswan: $100
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taormina
Also for Taormina, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sicily Catania Airport: Bus Transfer to and from Taormina: $7.49
- Roundtrip Transfer from Messina: $41
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Taormina?
Prices for flights to both Taormina 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 $5.73Taormina $35
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $6.11Taormina $12
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$1.26
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 Taormina
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Taormina.
- From Catania: Guided Tour of Mount Etna and Taormina: $57
- From Catania: Guided Tour of Taormina and Castelmola: $106
- Tour di Taormina, Savoca e Forza D' Agro': $139
- Tour Messina Taormina Castelmola: $150
- Taormina private tour: $160
- Sicily: Best of Taormina and Castelmola Private Tour: $213
- Taormina. Highlights Tour with Isolabella and Castelmola: $267
- Taormina & Castelmola: Shore tour from Messina cruise port: $428
- Taormina Walking Tour & Ancient theather Private or shared: $588
- 5 Hours Private Tour of Taormina from Messina: $606
- Tour da Messina a Taormina, Castelmola, Isola Bella: $695
- From Catania or Agrigento and Piazza Armerina Tour: $743
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $1.24Taormina $9.18
Sample the Local Flavors in Taormina
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Taormina:
- Mt Etna Private guided walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $181
- Catania: Mt. Etna Private Tour with Food and Wine Tasting: $299
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aswan and Taormina, we can see that Taormina 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 Taormina 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 Taormina would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taormina 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 Taormina Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Taormina?
Aswan has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Taormina. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Taormina, 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.