Should you visit Cairo or London?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Cairo and London 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.
London
The capital of the United Kingdom is a thriving multicultural metropolis. Steeped in iconic landmarks, world-class museums and royal parks, London is energetic, majestic, ambitious and one of the world's greatest cities. London is a cultural and fashion capital, a great place to go out, an amazing place to eat and one of those cities that is constantly changing with new and exciting things sprouting up almost every day. History and tradition greet you at every turn in the UK's capital. London is also a city with an edgy underbelly, delighting in neon pink dive bars, cheeky graffiti and mind-blowing street food. When you need a break from the action, pop into a pub or relax in one of the city's many parks. Blow through the city on a double-decker bus, and take a pinch-me-I'm-in-London walk through the West End. As one of the most visited cities in the world, London is busy, vibrant and very tourist friendly. The only problem with London is that it's very expensive; it can eat away at your budget if you aren't careful. Luckily, there are also tons of free or cheap things to do in London that can fill your time.
Which city is cheaper, London or Cairo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairo is $35, while the average daily cost in London is $181. 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 London in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Cairo is $36. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $226 in London For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Cairo is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $6.20 per person, per day, on local transportation in Cairo.
London'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 $26 per person, per day on transportation in London.
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
Typical Local Transportation prices in London
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in London:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in London
Also for London, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Accommodation to London St. Pancras Station - Departure Private Transfer:
$62
-
Airport and venues transfer 3:
$1,173
-
All London Airports Round-trip & Return Private Transfer to Southeast London:
$217
-
All London Airports Round-trip & Return Private Transfer to Southwest London:
$217
-
All London Airports Roundtrip - PrivateTransfer to London Hotel Including Return Trip:
$112
-
Arrival Private Transfers from Airport LCY to London City in Luxury Van:
$109
-
Arrival Private Transfers from London Airport LCY to London in Business Car:
$89
-
Arrival transfer from Heathrow to London Hotel:
$53
-
Arrival, Departure or Round Trip Private Transfer: Central London to Southampton Cruise Port:
$250
-
Arrive & Depart in Style - Luxury Private Transfer - Southampton to London:
$381
-
Bath Day Trip From London With Private Transfer in Range Rover:
$1,134
-
Central London To Gatwick Airport (LGW) Private Car Transfer:
$70
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or London?
Prices for flights to both London 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 in Cairo costs travelers about $9.86 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 in London costs travelers about $36 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
Cairo $9.86
London $36
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
-
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:
$25
-
Dinner on the River Nile with Pick-up:
$25
-
Special Bedouin Dinner+ watching oriental show:
$26
-
Cairo Food Tour:
$27
Typical Food prices in London
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to London:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in London
For London, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Traveling Spoon Nepalese Momos Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Private Cooking Class with a London Cookbook Author:
$87
-
BYOB Pizza Workshop Supper Club:
$91
-
Private Cooking Class in Central London with a Food Expert:
$150
-
South London Food Tour With A Local: Borough Market, Southbank & London Bridge:
$150
-
Borough Market Visit & Cooking Class in Central London with a Food Professional:
$164
-
3.5-Hour Shoreditch Street Food Tour:
$261
-
Private Food Tour, Cooking Class and Market Visit in London with a Food Expert:
$315
Entertainment
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.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in London can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $33 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
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:
-
(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
Typical Entertainment prices in London
For London, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in London
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for London.
-
Haunted Exploration Game and Tour:
$5.63
-
Royal Canadian Regiment Museum: Historic Wolseley Barracks Tour:
$5.64
-
Self-Guided Tour with Over 100 Sights:
$5.64
-
Shakespeare's Italy Virtual Experience:
$6.90
-
Queen and Freddie Mercury Exploration Game and Tour:
$7.88
-
59-Minutes British Museum Audio-guided Tour:
$8.71
-
59-Minutes National Gallery Audio-guided Tour:
$9.95
-
12 Angry Guests: The Online Jury Experience:
$11
-
The Clink Prison Museum Admission Tickets:
$11
-
Virtual Guided Tour of London's Off the Beaten Track Areas:
$14
-
Guided Tour of Handel House:
$14
-
Tiger King: The Murder Mystery Experience:
$15
Alcohol
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.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In London, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $15.
Sample the Local Flavors in London
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in London:
-
The Original Shoreditch Pub Crawl:
$27
-
Camden Pub Crawl with Drinks:
$27
-
Sipsmith Distillery Tour and Complimentary Tasting:
$35
-
Private:Brewery, Winery, and Cider & Spirit Tastings Tour in SW Ontario:
$101
-
Gin Palace Crawl with Distillery Tour & Tastings:
$107
-
English Sparkling Wine Tours from London:
$392
-
Private London Pub History and Brewery (Full Day Tour):
$621
-
Private visit to Bombay Sapphire Distillery and Stonehenge:
$851
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairo and London, we can see that London 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 London 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 London would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in London than you might in Cairo.
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