A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cairo vs. Cologne for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cairo or Cologne?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Cairo and Cologne can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Cairo or Cologne?

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.

Cologne

Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, The Best Luxury Tours to Germany, and The Best Budget Tours to Germany.


Which place is cheaper, Cologne or Cairo?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cairo is $17, while the average daily cost in Cologne is $172. 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 Cairo and Cologne in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cairo $9.27
    Cologne $97
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cairo $19
    Cologne $194
Compare Hotels in Cairo and Cologne

Looking for a hotel in Cairo or Cologne? 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.

Hotels in Cairo


Hotels in Cologne


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: Cairo Hotel Prices and Cologne Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cairo $2.96
    Cologne $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:


  • Metro Ride
    $0.08
  • Taxi Ride
    $0.31

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:

  • 2-Days Trip in Cairo & Giza (Including Free Transfer from the Airport): $143
  • Cairo Airport Arrival Transfer: $20
  • Cairo Airport Transfer to Hotel: $20
  • Private Tour Giza Pyramids,Sphinx With Camel Ride,Lunch and Hotels Transfers: $27
  • Private airport Transfer: $15
  • Private transfer from Sonesta Hotel, Tower& Casino Cairo to Cairo airport: $9.60
  • Transfer from Anywhere in Cairo to Cairo International Airport: $25
  • Transfers From Cairo Airport: $10
  •  Private Transfer from/to Cairo International Airport: $26
  • 01 way Private Transfer from your Hotel in Cairo to Cairo Airport: $10
  • 01 way Transfer from Cairo airport to your Hotel in Giza: $10
  • 01 way Transfer from hotel in Cairo to Alexandria: $35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:

  • Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
  • Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
  • Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
  • Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
  • Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
  • Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83

Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or Cologne?

Prices for flights to both Cologne 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Cairo $4.70
    Cologne $54
Typical Food Prices in Cairo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:


  • Juice
    $0.04

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.

  • Cairo Dinner Cruise With Belly Dancer Show: $10
  • Giza Dinner Cruise With Belly Dancer Show: $10
  • Cairo Dinner Cruise, Belly Dancer Show With Pickup Service: $11
  • Dinner Cruise on the Nile River: $13
  • Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show and Private Transfer: $16
  • 2-Hour Nile River Night Dinner Cruise from Cairo: $16
  • Super Safari Quad Bike Jeep Safari Buggy and Dinner in Hurghada: $18
  • Private Expert tour Giza Pyramids ,Sphinx ,Nile Dinner Cruise & Belly Dancer: $19
  • food tour private tour from cairo or giza hotel: $19
  • Dinner Cruise Cairo With Belly Dancer Show in The Nile River: $20
  • Giza Pyramids, Camel Ride, ATV, shopping Tour and Dinner cruise: $20
  • Giza pyramids and Nile dinner cruise private tour from Cairo Giza hotels: $22

Typical Food Prices in Cologne

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:


  • Dinner
    $15
  • Donner Kebab
    $4.29

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.

  • Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
  • Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
  • Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
  • 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $484

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cairo $5.69
    Cologne $22
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo

Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Entry to Camel Market for Two
    $0.84
  • Egyptian Museum Entry for Two
    $6.43

Tours and Activities in Cairo

Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Dahshur Pyramids Entry Tickets: $4.28
  • El Sultan Hassan Mosque Entry Ticket : $4.56
  • The Baron Empain Palace Entry Ticket: $4.60
  • New Grand Egyptian Museum Tour with optional the pyramids tour..: $5.00
  • 3-Hour Private Tour of Papyrus and Perfumes in Ancient Egypt: $5.00
  • Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hasan Entry Ticket: $5.07
  • Wonder Tour To Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure Pyramids and Great Sphinx : $5.56
  • Cairo Museum of Islamic Arts Entry Ticket: $7.00
  • Baron Palace Skip the line Access Entry Tickets: $7.00
  • El Sultan Hassan Mosque Entry Ticket: $7.00
  • Museum of Islamic Art Entry Ticket : $7.23
  • Cairo Half day tours to Giza Pyramids and Sphinx: $8.00

Tours and Activities in Cologne

Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Cologne Walking Tour: The essential and unmissable one: $3.22
  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
  • Original funky-fun Free Tour of Cologne: $3.23
  • Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
  • Smartphone Scavenger Hunt Sightseeing Tour: $5.92
  • City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
  • Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
  • Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
  • Horrors of World War II Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.52
  • Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
  • Cologne Self Guided Walking Tour Discovering the Horrors of WWII: $7.63
  • Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cairo $1.16
    Cologne $24

Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:

  • Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
  • Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
  • Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
  • Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
  • Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
  • South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
  • Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
  • Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $30
  • Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
  • The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
  • The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
  • Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairo and Cologne, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cairo is in Africa and Cologne is in Europe, 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 Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne than you might in Cairo.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cairo Expensive? and Is Cologne Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cairo or Cologne?

Cairo has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Cologne. When comparing the sizes of Cairo and Cologne, 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.


When is the best time to visit Cairo or Cologne?

Cologne has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Cairo experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Cairo or Cologne in the Summer?

Both Cologne and Cairo are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cairo throughout the year. Also, many visitors come to Cologne in the summer for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Cairo is generally a little warmer than Cologne. Daily temperatures in Cairo average around 28°C (82°F), and Cologne fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cairo. Cairo usually receives more sunshine than Cologne during summer. Cairo gets 350 hours of sunny skies, while Cologne receives 184 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Cairo usually receives less rain than Cologne. Cairo gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Cairo 28°C (82°F) 
    Cologne 19°C (66°F)

Should I visit Cairo or Cologne in the Autumn?

Both Cologne and Cairo during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Cairo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, most visitors come to Cologne for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.

Cairo is much warmer than Cologne in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cairo averages around 23°C (73°F) in October, and Cologne fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

It's quite sunny in Cairo. In the autumn, Cairo often gets more sunshine than Cologne. Cairo gets 290 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cologne receives 104 hours of full sun.

Cairo usually gets less rain in October than Cologne. Cairo gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Cairo 23°C (73°F) 
    Cologne 12°C (54°F)

Should I visit Cairo or Cologne in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Cairo and Cologne. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cairo year-round. Furthermore, the winter months attract visitors to Cologne because of the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

The weather in Cologne can be very cold. In the winter, Cairo is much warmer than Cologne. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cairo in January average around 14°C (57°F), and Cologne averages at about 3°C (37°F).

In Cairo, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cairo usually receives more sunshine than Cologne during winter. Cairo gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Cologne receives 43 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Cairo usually receives less rain than Cologne. Cairo gets 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Cairo 14°C (57°F) 
    Cologne 3°C (37°F)

Should I visit Cairo or Cologne in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Cairo as well as Cologne. Cairo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, the activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to Cologne this time of year.

In April, Cairo is generally much warmer than Cologne. Daily temperatures in Cairo average around 21°C (70°F), and Cologne fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cairo this time of the year. In the spring, Cairo often gets more sunshine than Cologne. Cairo gets 276 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cologne receives 152 hours of full sun.

Cairo usually gets less rain in April than Cologne. Cairo gets 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Cologne receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Cairo 21°C (70°F) 
    Cologne 10°C (50°F)

Typical Weather for Cologne and Cairo

Cairo Cologne
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 14°C (57°F) 15 mm (0.6 in) 3°C (37°F) 61 mm (2.4 in)
Feb 14°C (57°F) 4 mm (0.2 in) 4°C (39°F) 48 mm (1.9 in)
Mar 17°C (63°F) 8 mm (0.3 in) 7°C (44°F) 63 mm (2.5 in)
Apr 21°C (70°F) 7 mm (0.3 in) 10°C (50°F) 55 mm (2.2 in)
May 25°C (77°F) 0 mm (0 in) 14°C (58°F) 68 mm (2.7 in)
Jun 27°C (81°F) 0 mm (0 in) 17°C (63°F) 76 mm (3 in)
Jul 28°C (82°F) 1 mm (0 in) 19°C (66°F) 80 mm (3.1 in)
Aug 28°C (82°F) 0 mm (0 in) 19°C (66°F) 73 mm (2.9 in)
Sep 26°C (79°F) 5 mm (0.2 in) 16°C (61°F) 62 mm (2.5 in)
Oct 23°C (73°F) 5 mm (0.2 in) 12°C (54°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Nov 19°C (66°F) 1 mm (0 in) 7°C (45°F) 65 mm (2.6 in)
Dec 15°C (59°F) 3 mm (0.1 in) 4°C (39°F) 71 mm (2.8 in)