Which place is cheaper, Aswan or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Athens or Aswan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Athens and Aswan. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Athens or Aswan?
Athens
Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best 10-Day Tours in Egypt, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens €127Aswan €15
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €127, while the average daily cost in Aswan is €15. 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 Athens and Aswan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAthens €63Aswan €6.32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens €126Aswan €13
Compare Hotels in Athens and Aswan
Looking for a hotel in Athens or Aswan? 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: Athens Hotel Prices and Aswan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Athens €27Aswan €4.06
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
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Airport Bus for Two€6.40
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Metro€1.50
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Metro€2.00
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Metro from Airport to City Center€8.00
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Taxi from Airport€35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bus Transfer to/from Argos: $14
- One way Private Transfer Athens City Center to / from Piraeus Port: $20
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port and Hotels to Athens: $22
- Athens Hotels To Piraeus Port-Hotels Luxury Transfer Services: $22
- Private transfer between Athens hotels and Piraeus Port: $22
- From Athens Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Rafina Port: $24
- Athens Private Transfer: Piraeus Cruise Port to Central Athens : $24
- Private Transfer from Athens City to Piraeus Port: $26
- Piraeus Port: Private One-Way Transfer to Athens City Center: $26
- Athens City to Athens Airport Easy Van and Minibus Transfer: $28
- Athens Airport to Athens City Easy Van and Minibus Transfer: $28
- AIRPORT TRANSFER in Athens : $28
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Aswan?
Prices for flights to both Aswan and Athens 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 dayAthens €37Aswan €5.37
Typical Food Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
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Ice cream€3.00
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Souvlaki€2.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens
For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $24
- Street Food Tour Market & City Centre: $42
- Foodies’ Favorite Food tour: $46
- Greek Street Food Tour: $51
- Athens Street Food Tour: Explore City's Iconic Eateries: $52
- Middle-eastern Cuisine Cooking Class with Meal: $52
- Street Food Tour with Local Guide and 7 Tastings: $57
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $60
- Alternative, truly authentic food tour in secret Athens: $63
- Greek Traditional Vegan Cooking Class with Meal: $63
- Greek Traditional Vegan Cooking Classes in Athina: $64
- Light Lunch Tasting & Cooking Demo: $67
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.Athens €36Aswan €5.72
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Meouzo Online City Tour: $3.20
- Self-guided First Discovery Walk and Reading Tour: $3.21
- Exclusive Self-Guided Audio Tour into Byzantine Gems: $4.60
- A Neoclassical Capital: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.50
- 360 Virtual tour of Ancient Athens: $6.00
- Herakleidon Museum of Ancient Greek Technology: Entry Ticket: $6.42
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Athens: $6.53
- Ancient Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $6.95
- The Best of Piraeus: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $6.99
- Ancient Agora of Athens Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Greece: Tourist eSIM Data Plan: $7.18
- South Slope of the Acropolis audiovisual self-guided tour: $7.48
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€1.19
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens €23Aswan €1.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- Liquer tasting in Polykala's Distillery Show Room in Athens: $17
- Greek Wine Tasting: $23
- Premium Wine Tastings: $35
- Greek Wine Tasting Experience with a Sommelier: $43
- Athens Wine Tasting: $44
- Old Town Athens Wine Tasting: $52
- Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $52
- 2 Hours Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $53
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting : $53
- Greek food and wine tasting: $53
- Rare Greek Wine Tasting w/Sommelier by the Acropolis: $59
- Wine Tasting and Storytelling in a Historical Square in Athina: $60
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Aswan, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Aswan is in Africa, 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 Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens 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 Athens Expensive? and Is Aswan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Athens or Aswan?
Athens has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Aswan, 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.