Should you visit Cairo or Madrid?
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 Madrid 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 Madrid?
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.
Madrid
Madrid, the capital of Spain, overs visitors countless opportunities to experience Spain's culture, art, cuisine, and nightlife. It is the largest city in Spain, and as such has much to explore. The city is situated on the Iberian Peninsula on the Spanish central Castillian plateau. If you're flying into Spain, you'll likely fly into the Madrid airport as it's one of the largest airports in Europe. Madrid is well connected to the rest of Spain with planes, trains and buses, making it a popular place to visit for many travelers doing a European tour.
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 Barcelona, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid.
Which place is cheaper, Madrid or Cairo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairo is $31, while the average daily cost in Madrid is $187. 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 Madrid in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Cairo or Madrid? 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
Madrid Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
-
Metro Ride
$0.08
-
Taxi Ride
$0.29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
-
Cairo To Marsa Alam Private Transfer:
$511
-
From One-Way Private A/C Transfer To Luxor City.:
$489
-
1 Day Aswan Abu Simple Tour with Transfer Included:
$300
-
Private One-Way Transfer to/from Hurghada:
$292
-
Private Transfer Cairo to Hurghada:
$290
-
From Private Day Trip to Luxor w/ Transfer:
$278
-
Private Transfer Cairo To Soma Bay:
$268
-
Cairo To Marsa Alam Private Transfer:
$267
-
Private Transfer Cairo To Sahl Hasheesh:
$264
-
One Way Private Transfer from Cairo to Luxor:
$256
-
Private Transfer from El Cairo (CAI) Airport to El Alamein:
$253
-
3-Days Private Guided Tour Package Covering all Cairo,Lunch and Airport Transfer:
$240
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid
Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Adolfo Suárez Madrid- Barajas Airport private transfer, Pick up.:
$96
-
Arrival Private Transfer Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid City by Van:
$90
-
Arrival Private Transfer by Business Car from MAD Airport to Madrid:
$67
-
Arrival Transfer from Bologna Airport BLQ to Bologna City by Van:
$101
-
Arrival Transfer from Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Private Car:
$86
-
Arrival Transfer from Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid in Private Van:
$94
-
Arrival Transfer from Madrid MAD Airport to Madrid by Luxury Car:
$102
-
Arrival Transfer: Madrid Airport MAD to Madrid by Business Car:
$84
-
Departure Private Transfer Madrid to MAD Airport in a Minibus:
$174
-
Departure Private Transfer from Madrid to MAD Airport by Van:
$87
-
Departure Transfer from Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Private Van:
$94
-
Departure Transfer: Madrid to Madrid Airport MAD in Luxury Van:
$89
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or Madrid?
Prices for flights to both Madrid 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 $16
Madrid $68
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.
-
Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer show on Nile river:
$5.00
-
Night Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer and folklore show:
$7.00
-
Quad Bike ATV ,Camel Ride ,Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show:
$7.00
-
2 Hour Cairo Dinner Cruise on Nile river with live band:
$7.00
-
Private Nile Cruise with Dinner and Folk Show from Cairo:
$7.50
-
night-tour Nile dinner cruise with open buffet and belly dancer:
$8.00
-
Romantic Nile Dinner Cruise Experience:
$8.00
-
5 Star Dinner Nile Cruise in Cairo Night Tour:
$8.00
-
food tour private tour from cairo or giza hotel:
$8.00
-
Cairo Dinner Cruise show with belly dancer show on Nile river:
$8.00
-
Cairo Dinner Cruise in Nile River With Belly Dancer & Tanora show:
$8.00
-
2-hours night dinner cruise show : Eat , Dance and Sing:
$8.00
Typical Food Prices in Madrid
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:
-
Coffee
$2.32
-
Ice Cream
$3.47
-
Kebabs (for 2)
$18
-
Croissant
$1.74
-
Lunch at Airport (for 2)
$18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid
For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Zarzuela Opera and Dinner at La Castafiore Restaurant in Madrid:
$65
-
Small-Group Food Tour with Local Tapas & Spanish Wine:
$69
-
Small-Group Food Tour with Tapas, Wine & Vermouth:
$74
-
Spanish Tapas Experience and Sangría Showcooking in Madrid:
$76
-
10 Tapas Cooking Class Experience in Madrid with Sangria:
$87
-
Guided Food Tour of Tapas, Ham, Olive Oil & Vermouth:
$89
-
Madrid Tapas & Wine Tasting Food Tour – Small Group Local Bars:
$91
-
Madrid Ultimate Spanish Cuisine Food Tour:
$93
-
Madrid Spanish Omelet Cooking Class and Bottomless Wine brunch:
$94
-
The Best Flamenco in Madrid Show with Dinner and Drink:
$97
-
Madrid Food Tour in a Neighborhood Market with Churros:
$105
-
Tapas & Paella Cooking Class in Madrid with a Professional Chef:
$105
Entertainment
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:
-
(Egypt jewel) Day Tour To Giza Pyramids, Museum, Mosque &Felucca:
$55
-
01 Day Cairo tour Islamic and Coptic Cairo:
$143
-
01 Day Tour to Alexandria from Cairo:
$246
-
1 Day Private Tour in Cairo and Giza:
$90
-
1 Day Private Tour to Alexandria from Cairo:
$100
-
1 Day tour to Alexandria from Cairo:
$30
-
1 Day tour to Giza pyramids Memphis city Dahshur and Saqqara pyramids:
$15
-
1 Hour ATV Quad Bike Private Tour Around Giza Pyramids:
$30
-
1 Hour ATV Quad Bike Private Tour around Giza Pyramids:
$38
-
1 Hour Adventure In The Nile River By Nile Taxi In Cairo:
$60
-
1 Hour Adventure In The Nile River By Nile Taxi In Cairo:
$60
-
1 Hour adventure in the Nile River By Nile Taxi In Cairo:
$60
Tours and Activities in Madrid
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.
-
Madrid Walking Tour from Puerta del Sol to Retiro Park:
$3.52
-
Walking Tour of Madrid Modern:
$3.52
-
Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Madrid:
$3.52
-
Tuk Tuk Tour of the Best of Madrid (booking only):
$3.52
-
Madrid - Medieval to Modern Walking Tour (English):
$3.53
-
Madrid City Highlights Walking Tour:
$4.70
-
A Self-Guided Tour of El Retiro Park’s Rise, Ruin and Redemption:
$5.00
-
Where Cervantes Feuded: A Self-Guided Madrid Tour:
$5.00
-
Madrid Historical Self-Guided Walking City Tour & Scavenger Hunt:
$5.29
-
Madrid Old Town Self Guided Tour with Mobile App:
$5.99
-
Madrid Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$6.00
-
Multicultural A Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$7.33
Alcohol
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:
$69
Typical Alcohol Prices in Madrid
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:
-
Beer
$5.79
-
Drinks and Tapas (for 2)
$15
Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:
-
Visit to the Winery with Wine Tasting and Appetizers in Navarra:
$12
-
Madrid Pub Crawl: VIP Entry & Shots, Games (Kapital, Fitz, Shoko):
$14
-
Pub Crawl Madrid-The Original since 2005-Shots-Fun-Clubs-Dance:
$29
-
Wine Tour with tasting in the Natural Park of La Mata:
$38
-
Wine Tasting in Madrid Experience:
$54
-
Madrid Tapas and Wine Tour with a Local Guide:
$73
-
Rooftop Bar Crawl Madrid Experience:
$76
-
New Year Eve Madrid Pub Crawl:
$81
-
Spanish Wine Tasting :
$90
-
Spanish Wine Tasting and Tapas Tour:
$100
-
Wine Tasting and Flamenco Master Class in Madrid:
$101
-
Madrid Tapas & Wine Tour with Rooftop Views and Local Guide:
$115
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairo and Madrid, we can see that Madrid 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 Madrid 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 Madrid would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Madrid 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 Madrid Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cairo or Madrid?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Madrid. When comparing the sizes of Cairo and Madrid, 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.
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