Should you visit Cairo or Alexandria?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Cairo and Alexandria can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
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.
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 The Alexandria Library housed their most sacred and historical documents only to be burned to the ground.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 Cairo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairo is $40, 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 Cairo and Alexandria in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Cairo is $42. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
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
Food in Cairo costs travelers about $11 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.
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
Cairo $11
Alexandria $16
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.
-
Delicious food tour in Cairo:
$15
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Enjoy a dinner on the boat in the River Nile.:
$19
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Enjoy a dinner on the boat in the River Nile:
$19
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Cairo 2-Hour Nile River Cruise with Dinner and Pickup:
$20
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Cairo dinner cruise includes dinner belly dancing show pickup & all transfers:
$21
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Dinner on a boat in Luxor Nile Cruise with oriental dance:
$21
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Dinner on the river nile and party:
$23
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Nile Cruise Dinner at the Nile with Oriental Show:
$24
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Dinner on the river nile:
$25
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Dinner on the River Nile with Pick-up:
$25
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Special Bedouin Dinner+ watching oriental show:
$26
-
Cairo Food Tour:
$27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alexandria
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Alexandria.
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Private Full-Day Food Tour of Alexandria with Hotel Pick Up:
$32
-
Alexandria Food Tour:
$36
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Amazing Alexandria Food Tour:
$55
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Alexandria Food Tour:
$60
-
Sound&light show,Giza pyramids-Dinner on the Nile:
$94
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Cairo is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $7.22 per person, per day, on local transportation in Cairo.
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.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
-
Metro Ride
$0.25
-
Taxi Ride
$0.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
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2 Cairo and giza day tours with round transfer from airport:
$131
-
2 Days Tours package Include airport transfers (Cairo & Alexandria):
$182
-
2 Private days in Giza and Cairo including 2 airport Transfers:
$130
-
2 Private days in Giza and Cairo including Free Transfer from Airport:
$101
-
2 Private days in Giza and Cairo including Free airport Transfers:
$190
-
2 day tours in Cairo with round airport transfer:
$132
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2 days tour in cairo and Giza and transfer from cairo airport to hotel Free:
$115
-
2 days tours in Cairo with round transfer from airport:
$140
-
2-Day Ancient Egypt and Old Cairo Highlights Tour with Free Airport Transfers:
$263
-
3 Days White & Black Deserts Safari Trip & Cairo Transfer Round Trip:
$280
-
3 Days White & Black Deserts Safari Trip & Cairo Transfer Round Trip:
$280
-
3-Day Private Tour: Giza, Cairo, and Alexandria with Airport Transfer:
$320
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:
-
Alexandria AIRPORT ARRIVAL TRANSFER:
$36
-
Alexandria Airport Departure Transfer:
$45
-
Alexandria Airport Departure Transfer:
$33
-
Alexandria Airport Departure Transfer:
$36
-
Borg El Arab Arrival & Departure Transfers:
$40
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Alexandria Port - Standard:
$41
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Alexandria Port – 15 Seater:
$57
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Alexandria Port – 25 Seater:
$117
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Alexandria Port – Premium:
$37
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Borg El Arab Airport - Standard:
$53
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Borg El Arab Airport – 15 Seater:
$87
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One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Borg El Arab Airport – Premium:
$66
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or Alexandria?
Prices for flights to both Alexandria and Cairo 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
Entertainment and activities in Cairo typically cost an average of $14 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
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.
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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Giza Pyramids and Solar Boat Museum Half Day Private Tour:
$7.48
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Cairo City Tour:
$8.58
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Private Tour of the Pyramids:
$9.71
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Pyramids Day Tour:
$10
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Day_tour :Pyramids of Giza & Great Sphinx:
$11
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Virtual Tour of Giza Pyramids and Egyptian Museum:
$12
-
Egypt Virtual Tour of Tomb of King Tut:
$12
-
Private Day Tour at Pyramids, Sakkara And Dahshur:
$13
-
Giza Pyramids & Sphinx with Camel Ride Private Tour:
$13
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Papyrus Manufacturing Tour and learn Papyrus making in Egypt:
$13
-
Papyrus Manufacturing Tour and learn Papyrus making in Egypt:
$13
-
Papyrus Manufacturing Tour and Papyrus Making Demonstration:
$13
Tours and Activities in Alexandria
Here are a few actual costs in Alexandria for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Online Virtual Tour Of Alexandria and Mt. Vernon:
$19
-
Alexandria Walking Tour-Walk Like Egyptian:
$23
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half day tour to Montazah Palace and gardens:
$25
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half day tour to The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Library of Alexandria):
$27
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Private Day Tour to Alexandria From Alexandria:
$30
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Alexandria Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$31
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Tour in Alex:
$32
-
Alexandria Day Tour:
$38
-
Tour to The Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria:
$40
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Private Day Tour to Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, Monatazah Palace In Alexandria:
$50
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Alexandria private excursion tour from Cairo:
$50
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Visit Mount Vernon by Bike: Self-guided Ride with Optional Boat Cruise Return:
$50
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Cairo may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $2.84 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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 Alexandria
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Alexandria:
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Alexandria Bar Hunt: Ye Olde Pub Crawl through Old Town:
$12
-
Haunted Old Town Alexandria Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$26
When comparing the travel costs between Cairo and Alexandria, we can see that Cairo 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. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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