Which place is cheaper, Varanasi 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 Varanasi?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Aswan or Varanasi? 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 Varanasi?
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.
Varanasi
Known to be one of India's holiest cities, many come to Varanasi on a spiritual pilgrimage looking to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges River. Dating back to the 11th Century BC, it is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Centuries old temples make up the backdrop, as many come and come again to perform their holy rights at the edge of the historic river.
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 Bicycle Tours in India, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in India.
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Aswan Prices
Egypt PricesVaranasi Prices
India Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAswan $27Varanasi $31
The average daily cost (per person) in Aswan is $27, while the average daily cost in Varanasi is $31. 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 Varanasi in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAswan $8.97Varanasi $14
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAswan $18Varanasi $28
Compare Hotels in Aswan and Varanasi
Looking for a hotel in Aswan or Varanasi? 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 Varanasi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Aswan $4.92Varanasi $4.35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- VIP Private Transfer Aswan to Hurghada: $220
- Transfer from Aswan to Marsa alam: $215
- Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels or Nile Cruise in Aswan: $8.00
- Shared Transfer: Aswan Airport to Hotels: $15
- Round-Trip Transfer from Aswan to Abu Simbel: $125
- Private transfer from aswan to luxor with visits: $93
- Private transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $90
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $10
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $8.00
- Private transfer from Aswan Airport to Aswan Hotels: $74
- Private transfer - Aswan to Abu Simbel and return: $80
- Private VIP Aswan Airport Transfer to Hotel or Nile Cruise: $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Varanasi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Varanasi:
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Tuk Tuk Through Town$0.84
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Rickshaw Ride$0.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Varanasi
Also for Varanasi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: Varanasi Station to Hotel: $10
- Varanasi Airport to Varanasi Hotels drop: Private Transfers: $11
- Varanasi Hotels to Varanasi Airport drop: Private Transfers: $11
- Varanasi Airport to Varanasi Hotels drop: Private Transfers: $11
- Varanasi Airport : Transfer to Hotel / To Airport: $13
- Varanasi Airport : Transfer To Hotel / To Airport: $21
- 3-hours Temple hopping with transfers: $35
- Airport Pickup/Drop Transfer Service: $53
- Smooth transfer from Varanasi Airport to Hotel: $60
- Private transfer from Varanasi to Allahabad: $67
- Sarnath Tour with Guide & Car Including Hotel transfers: $70
- Sunrise Boat Tour and Heritage Walk with transfers: $72
Is it cheaper to fly into Aswan or Varanasi?
Prices for flights to both Varanasi 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 $13Varanasi $11
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
- Night Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $42
- Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $51
- Private Evening Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $75
Typical Food Prices in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner In Town$3.63
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Food Tour: Highlights Tour with Tasting &Sunset in Varanasi: $14
- Cooking Class with Sona: $29
- Night Boat Ride, Aarti Ceremony and Dinner: $29
- Ganga Aarti with Street Food Tour of Varanasi: $40
- Half-Day Varanasi Village Tour with Cooking Class & Local Dining: $40
- Varanasi Cooking Classes with Shobha: $40
- Traditional Indian Cooking Class with Dinner: $42
- Private Street Food Tour with 8+ Tastings & Pickup: $44
- Private Food Tour with Ganga Aarti Ceremony: $44
- Varanasi Cooking Classes with Indu and Shobha: $50
- Dashashwamedh Ganga Arati from balcony with Street Food Tour: $50
- Indian Cooking Class with Hotel Pickup: $52
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Aswan $8.44Varanasi $9.24
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$1.09
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- 1 Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: $206
- 2 Days Private Tour in Aswan and Abu Simbel: $85
- 2 Hours Private Sound and Light Show Tour in Philae Temple: $85
- 2-Day Luxor Small-Group Tour from Aswan with Felucca Ride: $120
- 2-Day Tour Package in Aswan with a Guide: $219
- 3 Hour Private Tour, Ancient Wonders in Philae Temple Tour: $55
- 3 Hours Private Tour in Nubian Village from Aswan: $33
- 3 or 2 or 1 Nights Mighty Nile Felucca Adventure: $25
- 3-Day Guided tour to Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor from Cairo: $285
- 3-Day Tour Aswan, Abu Simbel , Luxor & Train ticket, Opt. Balloon: $280
- 4 Days Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor including Abu Simbel and Hot Air Balloon: $229
- 4-Day Nile Cruise sails Aswan to Luxor&Abu Simbel.Hot air Balloon: $229
Typical Entertainment Prices in Varanasi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Varanasi's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Boat Ride$0.74
Tours and Activities in Varanasi
For Varanasi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Sunrise Boat Tour: $3.17
- Self Guided Walking Tour of Varanasi Key Attractions: $5.47
- Photo tour in holy Varanasi: $7.40
- Spiritual Tour in Varanasi with a local- Experience true essence of spirituality: $11
- Cultural & Spiritual Trails of Old Town Varanasi Guided Walking Tour: $11
- Temple Walk Tour Varanasi: $11
- Spiritual and Heritage Walking Tour in Varanasi: $11
- Private Customizable Walking Tour with Local Guide: $11
- Mysticism of Varanasi with Ganga Aarti (2 Hours Walking Tour): $12
- Cycle of Life, Death & Rebirth (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $12
- Exploring Varanasi Markets: Guided Tour with Local Guide: $12
- Varanasi Spiritual Trails: Guided Tour by Foot with a Local: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAswan $0.96Varanasi $6.91
When comparing the travel costs between Aswan and Varanasi, we can see that Varanasi is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Aswan is in Africa and Varanasi is in Asia, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Aswan Expensive? and Is Varanasi Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Aswan or Varanasi?
Varanasi has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Aswan and Varanasi, 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.