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

Should you visit Cairo or San Juan?

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 San Juan 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 San Juan?

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.

San Juan

If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.

As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.

As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.

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


Which place is cheaper, San Juan 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 San Juan is $192. 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 San Juan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cairo $9.27
    San Juan $124
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cairo $19
    San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Cairo and San Juan

Looking for a hotel in Cairo or San Juan? 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 San Juan


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 San Juan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cairo $2.96
    San Juan $14
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:

  • From Private Day Trip to Luxor w/ Transfer & Flights: $659
  • 3 Private Full-Day Tours to Cairo Top Attractions+One Airport Transfer: $300
  • Cairo - Sharm El Sheikh: One-Way or Return Private Transfer: $290
  • Full-Day Private Trip to Fayoum from Cairo, with Transfer: $286
  • 2 Days and 2 Evenings Private Tour in Cairo include airport transfer and M&A: $280
  • 2 Days Private Guided Tours of Cairo and Giza with Free Cairo Airport Transfers: $280
  • From One-Way Private Transfer To Luxor: $275
  • 2-Day-One night Camping Tour in The Bahariya Oasis with Private Transfer: $274
  • Private Pickup Transfers From Cairo To Dahab: $260
  • Cairo : Marvel the Camping in the White & Black Deserts & Cairo Private Transfer: $250
  • Private 3 Days in Giza Cairo and Alexandria including Free airport transfers: $250
  • Cairo To El Gouna Private Transfer: $248

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan

Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $210
  • Old Walking Tour with Shopping and Hotel Transfer: $70
  • Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
  • Oneway Transfer- San Juan(SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Río Grande: $68
  • Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
  • Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $105
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 14Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $124
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Mercedes ECO Van, Select Zone: $87

Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or San Juan?

Prices for flights to both San Juan 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
    San Juan $36
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

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan

For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
  • Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
  • City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
  • Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cairo $5.69
    San Juan $49
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:

  • ( Stopover Tour Of Cairo ) Private All Inc.Pyramids,Camel Ride,Museum& Lunch: $180
  • 2 Days 1 Nights Tour package to Saint-Catherine from Cairo : $300
  • 2-Day Ancient Egypt Tour with Pyramids and Museums: $219
  • 2-Day Private Tour of Cairo with Accommodation and Entrance Fees: $165
  • 2-Days Tour at Cairo & Giza: $86
  • 2-Days Tours at Cairo & Giza : $143
  • 3-Day Cairo Top Attractions Exploration Tour: $180
  • 3-Day Private Tour in Cairo : $196
  • 3-Days Tour at Cairo (Customized Package): $229
  • 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
  • All Inclusive day tour to Giza pyramids, Egyptian museum and Felucca : $88

Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan

For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Horseback Riding Tour
    $40
  • Full Day Snorkeling Trip
    $100
  • 1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson
    $75

Tours and Activities in San Juan

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.

  • Self-Guided Audio Tour of Historic Buildings: $5.99
  • Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
  • Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide: $14
  • Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $20
  • Old Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $25
  • Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Certified Guide: $30
  • Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
  • History, Legends, & Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $30
  • Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
  • Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
  • Legacy Tour at Casa BarcadÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
  • Ron del Barrilito Skip-the-Line Heritage Tour Ticket: $46

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cairo $1.16
    San Juan $12

Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:

  • Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairo and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cairo or San Juan?

Cairo has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Cairo and San Juan, 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 San Juan?

Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.

Should I visit Cairo or San Juan in the Summer?

Both San Juan and Cairo during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Cairo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan year-round.

Cairo usually gets less rain in July than San Juan. Cairo gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

In San Juan, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Cairo. In the summer, Cairo often gets more sunshine than San Juan. Cairo gets 350 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 287 hours of full sun.

Cairo is around the same temperature as San Juan in the summer. The daily temperature in Cairo averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Cairo 28°C (82°F) 
    San Juan 28°C (83°F)

Should I visit Cairo or San Juan in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Cairo and San Juan. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cairo year-round. San Juan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

San Juan receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Cairo usually receives less rain than San Juan. Cairo gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Juan this time of the year. In Cairo, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cairo usually receives more sunshine than San Juan during autumn. Cairo gets 290 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In the autumn, Cairo is cooler than San Juan. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Cairo in October average around 23°C (73°F), and San Juan averages at about 28°C (82°F).


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Cairo 23°C (73°F) 
    San Juan 28°C (82°F)

Should I visit Cairo or San Juan in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Cairo as well as San Juan. Cairo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan throughout the year.

Cairo usually gets less rain in January than San Juan. Cairo gets 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Juan. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cairo this time of the year. In the winter, Cairo often gets less sunshine than San Juan. Cairo gets 221 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 240 hours of full sun.

In January, Cairo is generally much colder than San Juan. Daily temperatures in Cairo average around 14°C (57°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Cairo 14°C (57°F) 
    San Juan 25°C (77°F)

Should I visit Cairo or San Juan in the Spring?

Both San Juan and Cairo are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cairo throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In April, Cairo usually receives less rain than San Juan. Cairo gets 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.

It's quite sunny in San Juan. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cairo. Cairo usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as San Juan during spring. Cairo gets 276 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.

Cairo is cooler than San Juan in the spring. The daily temperature in Cairo averages around 21°C (70°F) in April, and San Juan fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Cairo 21°C (70°F) 
    San Juan 26°C (79°F)

Typical Weather for San Juan and Cairo

Cairo San Juan
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 14°C (57°F) 15 mm (0.6 in) 25°C (77°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Feb 14°C (57°F) 4 mm (0.2 in) 25°C (77°F) 41 mm (1.6 in)
Mar 17°C (63°F) 8 mm (0.3 in) 26°C (78°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Apr 21°C (70°F) 7 mm (0.3 in) 26°C (79°F) 69 mm (2.7 in)
May 25°C (77°F) 0 mm (0 in) 27°C (81°F) 120 mm (4.7 in)
Jun 27°C (81°F) 0 mm (0 in) 28°C (82°F) 82 mm (3.2 in)
Jul 28°C (82°F) 1 mm (0 in) 28°C (83°F) 95 mm (3.7 in)
Aug 28°C (82°F) 0 mm (0 in) 28°C (83°F) 130 mm (5.1 in)
Sep 26°C (79°F) 5 mm (0.2 in) 28°C (83°F) 130 mm (5.1 in)
Oct 23°C (73°F) 5 mm (0.2 in) 28°C (82°F) 135 mm (5.3 in)
Nov 19°C (66°F) 1 mm (0 in) 27°C (80°F) 132 mm (5.2 in)
Dec 15°C (59°F) 3 mm (0.1 in) 26°C (78°F) 92 mm (3.6 in)