Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena or Cairo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Cairo or Santa Elena?
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 Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena?
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.
Santa Elena
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
-
Cairo Prices
Egypt PricesSanta Elena Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCairo $33Santa Elena $109
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairo is $33, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $109. 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 Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCairo $11Santa Elena $55
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCairo $22Santa Elena $110
Compare Hotels in Cairo and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in Cairo or Santa Elena? 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.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cairo $3.80Santa Elena $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
-
Metro Ride$0.08
-
Taxi Ride$0.32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
- From Guided 4 Day Cairo & Red Sea Tour with Transfer: $1,440
- Private Day Trip to Luxor with Transfers and Flights: $791
- Cairo To Marsa Alam Private Transfer: $511
- From One-Way Private Transfer To Luxor: $489
- 3 Private Full-Day Tours to Cairo Top Attractions+One Airport Transfer: $300
- 1 Day Aswan Abu Simple Tour with Transfer Included: $300
- Private One-Way Transfer to/from Hurghada: $292
- Private One-Way Transfer to/from Sharm El-Sheikh: $292
- Private Transfer from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh : $290
- Private Transfer Cairo to Hurghada: $290
- Private Transfer From Cairo to Hurghada By Car: $280
- 2 Days Private Guided Tours of Cairo and Giza with Free Cairo Airport Transfers: $280
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $197
- MiniVan Departure Transfer Monteverde to San Jose Airport SJO: $215
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $233
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to your Destination: $240
- Private Transfer Liberia Airport to Saint Helena Monte Verde: $210
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena 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 dayCairo $18Santa Elena $41
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.
- Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer show on Nile river: $5.00
- Great tour toThe Grand Museum of Giza and Nile River DinnerCruise: $5.00
- Quad Bike ATV ,Camel Ride ,Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show: $7.00
- Cairo Food Tour with Nile Felucca Ride : $7.00
- Private Nile Cruise with Dinner and Folk Show from Cairo: $7.50
- Night Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer and folklore show: $8.00
- night-tour Nile dinner cruise with open buffet and belly dancer: $8.00
- Local Oriental Food Tour from Cairo or Giza hotels: $9.00
- Cairo Dinner Cruise show with belly dancer show on Nile river: $9.00
- Cairo Food Tour in local places & Egyptian Mint Tea: $9.00
- food tour private tour from cairo or giza hotel: $9.00
- Giza pyramids,Sphinx,ATV bike,Camel ride,Dinner cruise& shopping: $9.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Elena
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Monteverde Cooking Class: $60
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cairo $9.09Santa Elena $30
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$6.47
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Private Tour in Cairo and Giza: $90
- 2 Days in Cairo & Giza Private Tour : $80
- 2-Day Ancient Egypt Tour with Pyramids and Museums: $253
- 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 Days Private Tour in Giza, Cairo, and Alexandria: $70
- 8-Hour Private Tour Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum and local Bazaars: $14
- Alexandria Private Day Tour From Cairo: $95
- Alexandria day tour : $75
- 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: $39
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Admission Ticket to Las Pumas Rescue Center : $20
- Curicancha Birdwatching Tour: $22
- Cloud Forest hanging bridges with a local naturalist tour guide: $22
- Night Walk Tour in Monteverde: $24
- Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica: $26
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $26
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $27
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $27
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $28
- Adventure Day - Outdoor Fun for Family & Friends Package: $29
- Selvatura Park: Herpetarium Tour in Monteverde: $29
- Cloud Forest Small Group Tour: $30
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCairo $1.48Santa Elena $6.21
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: $70
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairo and Santa Elena, we can see that Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena is in Central America, 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 Santa Elena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Cairo or Santa Elena?
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 Santa Elena in the Summer?
Both Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena year-round.
Santa Elena gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Cairo usually gets less rain in July than Santa Elena. Cairo gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
It's quite sunny in Cairo. In the summer, Cairo often gets more sunshine than Santa Elena. Cairo gets 350 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 164 hours of full sun.
In July, Cairo is generally around the same temperature as Santa Elena. Daily temperatures in Cairo average around 28°C (82°F), and Santa Elena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyCairo 28°C (82°F)Santa Elena 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Santa Elena in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Cairo and Santa Elena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cairo year-round. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
The hurricane season in Santa Elena is June to October. Santa Elena receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Cairo usually receives less rain than Santa Elena. Cairo gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
In Cairo, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cairo usually receives more sunshine than Santa Elena during autumn. Cairo gets 290 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Cairo is cooler than Santa Elena in the autumn. The daily temperature in Cairo averages around 23°C (73°F) in October, and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberCairo 23°C (73°F)Santa Elena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Santa Elena in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Cairo as well as Santa Elena. Cairo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.
Also, February to May in Santa Elena is the dry season. Cairo usually gets more rain in January than Santa Elena. Cairo gets 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cairo this time of the year. In the winter, Cairo often gets less sunshine than Santa Elena. Cairo gets 221 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 264 hours of full sun.
In the winter, Cairo is much colder than Santa Elena. Typically, the winter temperatures in Cairo in January average around 14°C (57°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 27°C (81°F).
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryCairo 14°C (57°F)Santa Elena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Cairo or Santa Elena in the Spring?
Both Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The dry season in Santa Elena is February to May. June to October is the hurricane season in Santa Elena. In April, Cairo usually receives less rain than Santa Elena. Cairo gets 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
It's quite sunny in Santa Elena. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cairo. Cairo usually receives more sunshine than Santa Elena during spring. Cairo gets 276 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Cairo is generally cooler than Santa Elena. Daily temperatures in Cairo average around 21°C (70°F), and Santa Elena fluctuates around 29°C (85°F).
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilCairo 21°C (70°F)Santa Elena 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Santa Elena and Cairo
| Cairo | Santa Elena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 14°C (57°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 14°C (57°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 17°C (63°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 21°C (70°F) | 7 mm (0.3 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 25°C (77°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 26°C (79°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.