Which place is cheaper, Riga or Cairo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cairo or Riga?
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 Riga 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 Riga?
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.
Riga
Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCairo $17Riga $112
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairo is $17, while the average daily cost in Riga is $112. 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 Riga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCairo $9.36Riga $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCairo $19Riga $114
Compare Hotels in Cairo and Riga
Looking for a hotel in Cairo or Riga? 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 Riga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cairo $2.99Riga $16
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:
- Private Departure Transfer from Cairo or Giza Hotels to Cairo Airport: $5.00
- Private transfer from Cairo Airport to the hotel in Cairo or Giza: $9.00
- Private transfer from Cairo Airport to Novotel Cairo El Borg: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Osiris Hotel to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private transfer from Cairo Airport to Radisson Blu Hotel, Cairo Heliopolis: $9.60
- Private transfer from Cairo Airport to Cairo Pyramids Hotel: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Marriott Mena House, Cairo to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Novotel Cairo El Borg to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Pickup transfer from Radisson Blu Hotel, Cairo Heliopolis to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Cairo Pyramids Hotel to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Windsor Hotel Cairo to Cairo airport: $9.60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
- From Cesis and Sigulda Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $149
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn: $341
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn with Sightseeing: $457
- From Private Transfer to Vilnius with Sightseeing: $425
- From Transfer to Tallinn with Turaida Museum Reserve: $229
- From Vilnius: One-Way Private Transfer to Riga: $181
- Paintball Adventure: Expert Guide & Transfers Included!: $80
- Private Transfer From Riga City Center To Riga Airport: $43
- Private Transfer from Riga Airport (RIX) to Riga Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer from Riga Airport to Hotel with English speaking driver: $53
- Private Transfer from Riga City Center to Riga Airport RIX: $31
- Private Transfer from Riga City to Riga Airport RIX by Car or Van: $69
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or Riga?
Prices for flights to both Riga 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 $4.75Riga $36
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 Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
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Fast Food Lunch$6.25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
- Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $42
- Unique Food Tour: $52
- Medieval Guided Tour & Three-Course Dinner Experience: $96
- Medieval Dinner on the 12th Century at Rozengrals: $118
- Private Cooking Master Class In The Latvian Family : $130
- Cooking Experience with Chef: Learn & Dine: $139
- Latvian Food: Cooking Masterclass with a Chef: $151
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cairo $5.75Riga $23
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:
- Cheapest Tour to Wonders Pyramids of Giza and Great Sphinx : $4.00
- Dahshur Pyramids Entry Tickets: $4.27
- Baron Palace Entry Tickets : $4.60
- The Baron Empain Palace Entry Ticket: $4.60
- Cairo Shopping tour Private Papyrus Perfume, Bazar Cotton Shop : $4.70
- New Grand Egyptian Museum Tour with optional the pyramids tour..: $5.00
- All Inclusive Tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, and Saqqara: $5.00
- Baron Empain Palace Entry Tickets: $5.16
- Entry Ticket to the Prince Mohamed Ali Palace : $5.39
- Skip The Line with Memphis Museum Entry Ticket: $6.53
- Cairo Shopping Tour.: $7.00
- El Sultan Hassan Mosque Entry Ticket: $7.02
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.20
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.38
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.39
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $6.93
- Riga Old Town Legends Audio Tour on Your Phone (ENG): $7.39
- Entrance Ticket - House of the Black Heads: $7.46
- Complete Self-guided Audio Tour on your Phone: $8.42
- Riga Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Boat tour in Canal and Daugava: $9.59
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Riga Nightlife Ticket: $11
- Canal Boat Sightseeing Tour: $13
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCairo $1.17Riga $21
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $15
- Riga Pub Crawl Nightlife Experience: $17
- Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $37
- Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $37
- Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $53
- Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl: $54
- Latvian Wine Tasting & Monk Show: $75
- Old Town Sightseeing & Latvian Wine Tasting with Show: $96
- Riga Wine Tasting Session: $102
- Riga Pub Crawl & Party Bus Tour: $521
- Yacht Tour with Medieval Banquet and Wine Tasting: $3,308
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairo and Riga, we can see that Riga 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 Riga 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 Riga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Riga 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 Riga Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cairo or Riga?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Riga. When comparing the sizes of Cairo and Riga, 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 Riga?
Riga 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 Riga in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Cairo and Riga. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cairo year-round. Furthermore, many visitors come to Riga in the summer for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Cairo is much warmer than Riga. Typically, the summer temperatures in Cairo in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Riga averages at about 17°C (63°F).
In July, Cairo usually receives less rain than Riga. Cairo gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Riga receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyCairo 28°C (82°F)Riga 17°C (63°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Riga in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Cairo as well as Riga. Cairo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, most visitors come to Riga for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In October, Cairo is generally much warmer than Riga. Daily temperatures in Cairo average around 23°C (73°F), and Riga fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).
Cairo usually gets less rain in October than Riga. Cairo gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Riga receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberCairo 23°C (73°F)Riga 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Riga in the Winter?
Both Riga and Cairo are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cairo throughout the year. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Riga because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
The weather in Riga can be very cold. Cairo is much warmer than Riga in the winter. The daily temperature in Cairo averages around 14°C (57°F) in January, and Riga fluctuates around -5°C (23°F).
In January, Cairo usually receives less rain than Riga. Cairo gets 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Riga receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryCairo 14°C (57°F)Riga -5°C (23°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Riga in the Spring?
Both Riga and Cairo during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Cairo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, the activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to Riga this time of year.
In the spring, Cairo is much warmer than Riga. Typically, the spring temperatures in Cairo in April average around 21°C (70°F), and Riga averages at about 5°C (42°F).
Cairo usually gets less rain in April than Riga. Cairo gets 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Riga receives 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilCairo 21°C (70°F)Riga 5°C (42°F)
Typical Weather for Riga and Cairo
| Cairo | Riga | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 14°C (57°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) | -5°C (23°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 14°C (57°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | -4°C (24°F) | 25 mm (1 in) |
| Mar | 17°C (63°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | -0°C (31°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) |
| Apr | 21°C (70°F) | 7 mm (0.3 in) | 5°C (42°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| May | 25°C (77°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 16°C (62°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 26°C (79°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Oct | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 49 mm (1.9 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.