Which place is cheaper, Edinburgh or Cairo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cairo or Edinburgh?
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 Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh?
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.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the moderately sized capital of Scotland. It is a medieval city that has managed to perfect the combination of Georgian architecture and medieval relics with a cosmopolitan population and avant-garde atmosphere. The city's population is quite young, in large part because of the University of Edinburgh. This youthful vibe gives this city a lot of vitality. There's a thriving nightlife, many restaurants, theatres, galleries and museums.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, and The Best 10-Day Tours from London.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCairo $17Edinburgh $177
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairo is $17, while the average daily cost in Edinburgh is $177. 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 Edinburgh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCairo $9.36Edinburgh $92
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCairo $19Edinburgh $184
Compare Hotels in Cairo and Edinburgh
Looking for a hotel in Cairo or Edinburgh? 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: Cairo Hotel Prices and Edinburgh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cairo $2.99Edinburgh $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
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Metro Ride$0.08
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Taxi Ride$0.32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
- transfer from Cairo airport to the hotel in Cairo or Giza: $20
- private transfer from or to cairo international Airport: $15
- one transfer from airport to Cairo Giza hotels or hotels to Cairo airport: $22
- VIP Meet and Assist at Cairo Airport with Private Hotel Transfer: $35
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cairo APT-HTL (CAI): $33
- Transfer your private departure from your hotel to Cairo Airport: $20
- Transfer to Cairo & Giza Hotels From Cairo Airport: $35
- Transfer from Hurghada to Luxor (sharing ): $109
- Transfer from Cairo to Alexandria ( Private ): $55
- Transfer from Cairo to Ain El Sokhna : $70
- Transfer from Cairo or Giza Hotels to Cairo Airport: $11
- Transfer from Cairo Airport to the Hotels in Cairo or Giza : $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Edinburgh:
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Local Bus$4.48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Edinburgh
Also for Edinburgh, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer to/from Edinburgh City, St'Andrews etc.: $111
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Business Car: $129
- Airport Transfer: Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Luxury Van: $153
- Airport Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Business Car: $129
- Airport Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Luxury Car: $163
- Airport Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Luxury Van: $153
- Arrival Transfer Edinburgh Airport EDI to Edinburgh by Minivan: $95
- Central Edinburgh Hotels to Edinburgh Airport Transfers 1-3: $252
- Departure Transfer: Edinburgh to Airport EDI by Business Car: $129
- Edinburgh Accommodation to Edinburgh Airport Departure Transfer: $59
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Edinburgh Luxury Taxi Transfer: $152
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Glasgow - Arrival Private Transfer: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or Edinburgh?
Prices for flights to both Edinburgh 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
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Food Meals for one dayCairo $4.75Edinburgh $49
Typical Food Prices in Cairo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:
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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, Belly Dancer Show With Pickup Service: $8.78
- Dinner Cruise on the Nile River: $12
- Cairo Night Dinner With Belly Dancer Show With Pickup & Drop Off: $13
- Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show and Private Transfer: $15
- Super Safari Quad Bike Jeep Safari Buggy and Dinner in Hurghada: $18
- Cairo Food Tour with Nile Felucca Ride : $18
- VIP tour Giza pyramids ,Sphinx, Quad bike ,Camel, Dinner cruise : $19
- Private Expert tour Giza Pyramids ,Sphinx ,Nile Dinner Cruise & Belly Dancer: $19
- Giza Pyramids, Camel Ride, Quad Bike, Night and Dinner Cruise on Nile: $19
- All inclusive Tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & ATV &Dinner cruise : $20
- Private Cairo Food Tour : $20
- Food Tour in Local Cairo Life with Egyptian tea: $23
Typical Food Prices in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$11
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Dinner at Filling Station$12
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Lunch for Two$19
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Sandwich$2.30
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Cheese & bread$9.01
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Thai Restaurant Dinner (for 2)$31
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2 Coffees and Scones$7.23
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Turkish Delight$1.74
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Soup at the Pub$7.35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $31
- Scottish Dinner and Folk Music Experience: $87
- Edinburgh Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $90
- 'Scotland meets Sardinia' - 8-course Dinner in Leith, Edinburgh: $110
- 3-Hour Guided Secret Food Tour: $114
- Edinburgh Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $120
- The 10 Tastings of Edinburgh Private Food Tour: $148
- Edinburgh Food Tour with a Local Foodie Custom & Private: $167
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cairo $5.75Edinburgh $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo
Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Camel Market for Two$0.84
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Egyptian Museum Entry for Two$6.49
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Days 1 Nights Tour package to Saint-Catherine from Cairo : $300
- 2 Days in Cairo & Giza Private Tour : $80
- 2-Day Tour Ancient Egypt and Old Cairo Highlights Tour: $290
- 2-Days Tour at Cairo & Giza: $86
- 2-Days Tours at Cairo & Giza : $143
- 3-Day Cairo Top Attractions Exploration Tour: $180
- 3-Day Tour at Cairo & Giza : $200
- 3-Days Tour at Cairo (Customized Package): $229
- 3-Days Tour in Siwa Oasis from Cairo : $217
- 8-Hour Private Tour Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum and local Bazaars: $26
- All Inclusive 2-Day Private Tour to All Pyramids and Cairo and 2 evenings: $299
- All Inclusive Full-Day Tour to Pyramids, Museum, mosque and Felucca: $79
Typical Entertainment Prices in Edinburgh
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Edinburgh's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Show Tickets$40
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Movie Tickets for Two$15
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Donation for Storytellers$7.47
Tours and Activities in Edinburgh
For Edinburgh, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.20
- Escape Game and Tour: $3.73
- Old Town's Highlights Walking Tour: $4.36
- Audio Tour Royal Mile: del Castillo hasta "The Tron Kirk": $5.32
- Edinbourgh, Royal mile: walking tour with audio guide: $5.33
- Edinburgh Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & City Tour: $5.54
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.38
- Audio Tour through History of Crime: $7.00
- Edinburgh Royal mile: Self-guided walking tour: $7.20
- Must-See In App Audio Tour: $7.61
- Harry Potter’s A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Edinburgh Royal Mile (New Self Guided Tour) : $7.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCairo $1.17Edinburgh $19
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairo
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cairo:
- Pub Crawl and Speakeasy Bar Tour with 2 Free Drinks: $59
Typical Alcohol Prices in Edinburgh
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Edinburgh from other travelers:
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Beer & Wine$18
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Half Pint at Tollbooth Tavern$2.06
Sample the Local Flavors in Edinburgh
Also in Edinburgh, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl with Free Shots & Discounts: $11
- Edinburgh Bar Crawl: 5+ Venues, Free Shots, Free Club Entry: $19
- Pub Crawl in Edinburgh: $19
- Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour with "Real-Actors": $25
- Guided Gin Tasting at 56 North Distillery: $28
- Pub Crawl 7 Bars with 6 Shots: $31
- Pickering's Gin Jolly Distillery Tasting Tour: $31
- Lind & Lime Gin Distillery Tour & Tasting: $31
- Visit a Working South Loch Gin Distillery: $32
- The Original Edinburgh Pub Crawl: $32
- Port of Leith Distillery Tour & Tasting: $32
- Haggis paired with whisky & gins in 56 North distillery!: $33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairo and Edinburgh, we can see that Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cairo or Edinburgh?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Edinburgh. When comparing the sizes of Cairo and Edinburgh, 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 Edinburgh?
Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Cairo as well as Edinburgh. Cairo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Edinburgh this time of year.
In the summer, Cairo is much warmer than Edinburgh. Typically, the summer temperatures in Cairo in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Edinburgh averages at about 14°C (58°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cairo this time of the year. In the summer, Cairo often gets more sunshine than Edinburgh. Cairo gets 350 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Edinburgh receives 163 hours of full sun.
Cairo usually gets less rain in July than Edinburgh. Cairo gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyCairo 28°C (82°F)Edinburgh 14°C (58°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Edinburgh in the Autumn?
Both Edinburgh and Cairo are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cairo throughout the year. Also, many travelers come to Edinburgh for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Cairo is generally much warmer than Edinburgh. Daily temperatures in Cairo average around 23°C (73°F), and Edinburgh fluctuates around 10°C (49°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cairo. Cairo usually receives more sunshine than Edinburgh during autumn. Cairo gets 290 hours of sunny skies, while Edinburgh receives 90 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Cairo usually receives less rain than Edinburgh. Cairo gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberCairo 23°C (73°F)Edinburgh 10°C (49°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Edinburgh in the Winter?
Both Edinburgh and Cairo during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Cairo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, many visitors come to Edinburgh in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
Edinburgh can get quite cold in the winter. Cairo is much warmer than Edinburgh in the winter. The daily temperature in Cairo averages around 14°C (57°F) in January, and Edinburgh fluctuates around 3°C (38°F).
It's quite sunny in Cairo. In the winter, Cairo often gets more sunshine than Edinburgh. Cairo gets 221 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Edinburgh receives 48 hours of full sun.
Cairo usually gets less rain in January than Edinburgh. Cairo gets 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryCairo 14°C (57°F)Edinburgh 3°C (38°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Edinburgh in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Cairo and Edinburgh. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cairo year-round. Furthermore, most visitors come to Edinburgh for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months.
In the spring, Cairo is much warmer than Edinburgh. Typically, the spring temperatures in Cairo in April average around 21°C (70°F), and Edinburgh averages at about 7°C (45°F).
In Cairo, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cairo usually receives more sunshine than Edinburgh during spring. Cairo gets 276 hours of sunny skies, while Edinburgh receives 132 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Cairo usually receives less rain than Edinburgh. Cairo gets 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Edinburgh receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilCairo 21°C (70°F)Edinburgh 7°C (45°F)
Typical Weather for Edinburgh and Cairo
| Cairo | Edinburgh | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 14°C (57°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) | 3°C (38°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Feb | 14°C (57°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 3°C (38°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 17°C (63°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Apr | 21°C (70°F) | 7 mm (0.3 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 25°C (77°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Sep | 26°C (79°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Oct | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 10°C (49°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 5°C (42°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Dec | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
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.