Should you visit Beirut or Alexandria?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Beirut and Alexandria. 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.
Beirut
Some travelers are seeking the hustle, bustle and posh atmosphere that only comes from a big city. Those travelers should have Beirut, Lebanon at the top of their list. The capital city is jam packed with 2.1 million people that are constantly on the go. As the commercial and financial hub of Lebanon, this city is fast-paced, fashion conscious and always ready for a night on the town.
Alexandria
There are few cities in the world with a history as rich, deep, tragic and fascinating than Alexandria, Egypt. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Egypt's second largest city has seen the most extreme ups and extreme downs. The city watched the beautiful and iconic Alexandria Lighthouse crumble to the ground after several natural disasters. The Alexandria Library housed their most sacred and historical documents only to be burned to the ground. These structures may be physically gone, but the history remains. Alexandria is a city with an ancient allure that draws in visitors from all over the world. Alexandria is a survivor city ready for a comeback.
Which city is cheaper, Alexandria or Beirut?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Beirut is $107, while the average daily cost in Alexandria is $40. 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 Beirut and Alexandria in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Beirut, $120 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Beirut, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $60, such as in a hostel.
Alexandria's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $38. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $19.
Food
The average traveler spends about $34 per day in Beirut for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
The price of a meal in Alexandria can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $16 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $6.40 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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Food
Meals for one day
Beirut $34
Alexandria $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beirut
For Beirut, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Traveling Spoon Lebanese Mezze Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Seafood dinner with a sea view in Beirut:
$58
-
Private, Traditional Lebanese Cooking Class with a Contemporary Twist:
$72
-
Authentic Lebanese Cooking Lesson and Meal with Tania's Family in Beirut:
$90
-
Private Lebanese Cooking Class in Beirut with Amal and Hotel Transfers:
$113
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alexandria
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alexandria.
-
Private Full-Day Food Tour of Alexandria with Hotel Pick Up:
$32
-
Alexandria Food Tour:
$36
-
Amazing Alexandria Food Tour:
$55
-
Alexandria Food Tour:
$60
-
Sound&light show,Giza pyramids-Dinner on the Nile:
$94
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Beirut than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $21 on transportation in Beirut on average per day.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $6.02 per day to get around in Alexandria.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beirut
Also for Beirut, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Airport Arrival Transfer to Your Beirut Hotel:
$15
-
Airport Departure Transfer From Your Beirut Hotel:
$15
-
BEY Airport to Hotel: Skip-the-Line Private Arrival Transfer:
$13
-
Beirut Arrival Airport Transfer:
$11
-
Beirut airport transfer:
$23
-
Beirut to Damascus Taxi Transfer ( Syrian Border ):
$50
-
Departure Transfer:From Hotel To Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY):
$11
-
Private Airport Transfer in Beirut:
$10
-
Private Arrival Transfer: Beirut International Airport to Hotel:
$18
-
Private Arrival Transfer: From Airport to your hotel in Beirut:
$20
-
Private Departure Transfer: From your hotel in Beirut to Airport:
$18
-
Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Beirut International Airport:
$15
Typical Local Transportation prices in Alexandria
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Alexandria:
-
Taxi to Train Station
$0.25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alexandria
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Alexandria:
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Private transfer from HBE airport to Alexandria Hotel:
$20
-
Private Transfer from Borg El Arab Airport to Alexandria Hotels:
$20
-
Private Transfer from Alexandria to Cairo in Egypt:
$128
-
Private Transfer from Alexandria to Cairo Airport:
$96
-
Private Transfer From Alexandria City To Cairo Airport:
$96
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Alexandria to Borg El Arab Airport (HBE):
$20
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Cairo International Airport-Standard:
$183
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Cairo International Airport-25 Seater:
$381
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Cairo International Airport-15 Seater:
$258
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Cairo International Airport –Premium:
$226
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Borg El Arab Airport – Premium:
$66
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Borg El Arab Airport – 15 Seater:
$87
Is it cheaper to fly into Beirut or Alexandria?
Prices for flights to both Alexandria and Beirut 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 expenses in Beirut, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $12 per day, per person.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $8.45 per person, per day in Alexandria. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Beirut
For Beirut, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
One Hour Self-guided Audio Tour of the Green Line by VoiceMap:
$5.13
-
Beirut 3 museums + mini walking tour:
$30
-
City Sightseeing Beirut Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour:
$30
-
Beirut Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$31
-
Jeita Grotto, Harissa and Byblos with a Group Tour from Beirut:
$35
-
Small-Group Adventure Tour to Jeita Grotto,Harissa&Byblos Day Trip from Beirut:
$38
-
Small-Group Adventure Tour to Sidon Tyre Maghdouche - Day Trip from Beirut:
$39
-
Small Daily Tours in Beirut City:
$40
-
Small-Group Beirut Historical Tour:
$40
-
Beirut Small Group Historical Tour:
$40
-
Beirut Full Day Walking Tour:
$40
-
Small-Group Guided tour of Beirut:
$40
Tours and Activities in Alexandria
Here are a few actual costs in Alexandria for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
10 Day Motorcycle Adventure Tour Across Egypt:
$3,000
-
10- hours trip to Alexandria from Cairo day tour:
$110
-
2 Day Cairo Tour From Alexandria Port:
$308
-
2 Day Tour in Cairo:
$300
-
3-Day Private Guided Tour of Cairo and Giza and Alexandria:
$373
-
3-Days Egypt Tours:
$375
-
3-Days Tour Cairo Giza Alexandria:
$375
-
3-Days Tour around Cairo Giza Alexandria:
$375
-
3-Days Tour around Cairo and Alexandria:
$375
-
3-Days Tour to Egypt:
$375
-
Alexandria Day Tour:
$104
-
Alexandria Day Tour:
$120
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Beirut spend on average $11 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Alexandria may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $3.26 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Beirut
Also in Beirut, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Lebanon Wine Tasting Tour:
$52
-
Full-Day Private Wine Tour in Bekaa Valley with Tasting:
$60
-
Budget Wine Tasting Tour at the Bekaa Valley Wineries:
$60
-
Private Wine Tasting Tour:
$65
-
Private Wine Tasting Day Tour from Beirut:
$75
-
Full-Day Private Wine Tasting Tour at Chateau Musar and Ixsir:
$75
-
Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour in The Bekaa Valley:
$75
-
Full-Day Private Wine Tasting Tour:
$82
-
Full-Day Private Wine Tasting Trip to Chateau Musar and Ixsir from Beirut:
$85
-
Full-Day Private Wine Tasting Tour:
$85
-
Wine Tasting and Culture:
$85
-
Half-Day Private Tour to Baalbek With Wine Tasting and Lunch Included:
$100
Sample the Local Flavors in Alexandria
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Alexandria:
-
Alexandria Bar Hunt: Ye Olde Pub Crawl through Old Town:
$12
-
Haunted Old Town Alexandria Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$26
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Beirut and Alexandria, we can see that Beirut is more expensive. And not only is Alexandria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Beirut is in Middle East and Alexandria 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 Alexandria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alexandria 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 Beirut would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Beirut than you might in Alexandria.
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