Should you visit Athens or Cairo?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Athens and Cairo. 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. So, let's dig into it.
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.
Cairo
Cairo is the chaotic capital city of Egypt. With a population of more than 16 million, it is one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East. As a traveler, you're likely to arrive and leave from here and you'll get your first orientation to the area during the chaotic and congestion filled taxi ride from the airport.
Which city is cheaper, Cairo or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €103, while the average daily cost in Cairo is €35. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Athens and Cairo in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Athens, €102 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Athens, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €51, such as in a hostel.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Cairo is €36. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
In Athens travelers spend around €30 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
Food in Cairo costs travelers about €9.87 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Athens €30
Cairo €9.87
Typical Food prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
-
Ice cream
€3.00
-
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:
-
Online 1hr Cooking Class: Santorini Tomato Fritters:
$6.22
-
Flavors and Memories Self-Guided Mobile Food Tour:
$9.21
-
Hard Rock Cafe Dinner Menu with Priority Seating:
$23
-
Greek Meatballs Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Withlocals the 10 Tastings: Athens Private Food Tour with a Local:
$42
-
Online Cooking Class: Greek mini cheese pies:
$45
-
Favorite Food Tour - 10 Tastings w/ a Local:
$47
-
Athens Food Tour and Lunch:
$52
-
3.5-Hour Traditional Greek Cooking Class:
$54
-
1.5-Hour Greek Cooking Class in Downtown Athens:
$54
-
3-Hour Private Food Tour with Tastings:
$55
-
Taste of Athens 3-Hour Walking Food Tour:
$56
Typical Food prices in Cairo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.
-
From Dinner & Show at a Nile cruiser:
$12
-
Dinner Cruise into the History:
$13
-
Delicious food tour in Cairo:
$15
-
From Dinner Cruise on the Nile River:
$16
-
Enjoy a dinner on the boat in the River Nile.:
$19
-
Enjoy a dinner on the boat in the River Nile:
$19
-
Cairo 2-Hour Nile River Cruise with Dinner and Pickup:
$20
-
Cairo dinner cruise includes dinner belly dancing show pickup & all transfers:
$21
-
Dinner on a boat in Luxor Nile Cruise with oriental dance:
$21
-
Dinner on the river nile and party:
$23
-
Nile Cruise Dinner at the Nile with Oriental Show:
$24
-
Dinner on the River Nile with Pick-up:
$25
Local Transportation
Athens's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend €22 per person, per day on transportation in Athens.
The cost of a taxi ride in Cairo is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €6.21 per person, per day, on local transportation in Cairo.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
ATHENS AIRPORT to ATHENS or vice versa PRIVATE LUXURY TRANSFERS:
$62
-
Airport Transfer:
$77
-
Airport Transfer/ Athens Greece:
$59
-
Airport pick up taxi and minivans transfers ,tours and trips:
$60
-
Airport transfer:
$156
-
Ancient Olympia Taxi Transfer from Athens:
$539
-
Arrival Private Transfer Luxury Van Athens Rafina Port to Athens City:
$100
-
Athens & Sounio Taxi Multiple Destination Transfer:
$311
-
Athens 6-Hour Guided Tour with Transfers:
$184
-
Athens Airport Departure Private Transfer. Depart in Style!:
$62
-
Athens Airport Departure Transfer (Athens Hotels to Athens Airport):
$66
-
Athens Airport Departure Transfer: Athens Hotels to Athens Airport Shuttle Bus:
$34
Typical Local Transportation prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
-
Metro Ride
€0.22
-
Taxi Ride
€0.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
-
One Way Transfer from Cairo to Safaga - 25 Seater:
$754
-
One Way Transfer from Cairo to Makadi Bay - 25 Seater:
$644
-
Private transfer: Cairo to Borg El Arab International Airport (HBE):
$622
-
One Way Transfer from Cairo to Safaga - 15 Seater:
$585
-
One Way Transfer from Cairo to Hurghada – 25 Seater:
$555
-
One Way Transfer from Cairo to Safaga - Premium:
$535
-
4 Day Nile Cruise with Train Transfer from Cairo:
$514
-
One Way Transfer from Cairo to Makadi Bay - 15 Seater:
$439
-
5 days guided trip in Giza and Cairo , all airport transfer in Egypt:
$432
-
Day Trip to Cairo from Luxor by flight with sightseeing lunch airport transfers:
$424
-
Day trip to Luxor from Cairo by plane with sightseeing lunch airport transfers:
$424
-
One Way Transfer from Cairo to Makadi Bay - Premium:
$407
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Cairo?
Prices for flights to both Cairo 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Athens can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around €28 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Entertainment and activities in Cairo typically cost an average of €12 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
-
Athens virtual History, Philosophy and Democracy Tour:
$6.22
-
Skip the Line: Frissiras Museum Entrance Ticket:
$7.46
-
Skip the Line: War Museum of Athens Entrance Ticket:
$7.46
-
Private Tour with a Local Guide:
$8.07
-
Skip the Line: Temple of Olympian Zeus Entrance Ticket:
$8.09
-
The Acropolis Museum Ticket & Access to Ancient Excavation:
$8.24
-
Skip the Line: Roman Agora of Athens Entrance Ticket:
$8.71
-
Athens Museum of Cycladic Art Admission Ticket:
$8.71
-
Cats of Self-Guided Mobile Tour in Plaka:
$9.21
-
Hellenic Motor Museum Entrance Ticket:
$9.22
-
Temple of Olympian Zeus Skip-the-Line and Audio Tour:
$9.22
-
Skip the Line: Admission Ticket for Acropolis Museum:
$9.33
Typical Entertainment prices in Cairo
Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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(Memphis Sakkara, Dahshur Pyramids, Imhotep Museum) Private Tour - From Cairo:
$90
-
01 Day Cairo tour Islamic and Coptic Cairo:
$143
-
01 Day Tour To Giza Pyramids Egyptian Museum And Bazaar:
$217
-
01 Day Tour to Alexandria from Cairo:
$246
-
01 Day Tour to Pyramids Of Giza Memphis And Sakkara:
$86
-
01 Day Tour to the Giza Pyramids & Great Sphinx:
$69
-
03 Days Budget tours Cairo Giza Alexandria:
$290
-
04 Days Egypt Royal Tour in Cairo:
$674
-
05 Days Egypt Budget Tour Cairo & Alexandria:
$860
-
06 Days Egypt Classic Tour Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh:
$1,543
-
06 Nights cruise on The Oberoi Philae (Aswan to Luxor):
$5,965
-
07 Days Egypt Classic Tour Cairo, Luxor, Alexandria:
$1,486
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Athens, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €18.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Cairo may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €2.44 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
-
Wine Tasting:
$35
-
Athens Walking Tour with Food and Wine Tasting:
$37
-
The Greek Wine Tasting Beginner's Class:
$46
-
1-Hour Wine Tasting:
$46
-
Athens Old City: Wine Tasting Experience:
$52
-
Greek Wine Tasting Experience:
$56
-
Greek Wine Tasting Experience:
$58
-
Private Wine Tasting Experience in Athens:
$63
-
Local Greek Wine Tasting and Meze:
$68
-
Wine Tour and Tasting in a 19th-Century Tower:
$78
-
Food and Wine Tasting Tour at Night:
$80
-
From Wine Tasting Tour to a Greek Winery:
$83
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Cairo, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Cairo 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 Cairo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cairo 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 Cairo.
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