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

Should you visit Cairo or Seoul?

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 Seoul 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 Seoul?

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.

Seoul

With a population of more than 11 million, Seoul is easily the largest city in South Korea. It is also the financial, political, and cultural capital of the country and has much to offer open minded travelers. It is often overlooked by travelers who instead head to Tokyo or Shanghai, but Seoul has a wide range of cultural experiences, food options, and historical sights. Seoul is a city of contrasts with ancient traditions, flashy technology, religious temples and a modern youth culture. It is also more affordable than many of the other Asian metropolis' to which it is often compared. If you're looking for an interesting and different experience that is a little off the tourist trail, Seoul can definitely offer that opportunity.

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


Which place is cheaper, Seoul 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 $20, while the average daily cost in Seoul is $130. 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 Seoul in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cairo $9.14
    Seoul $55
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cairo $18
    Seoul $110
Compare Hotels in Cairo and Seoul

Looking for a hotel in Cairo or Seoul? 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 Seoul


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 Seoul Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cairo $2.92
    Seoul $16
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:

  • Private Airport transfer to Cairo or Giza: $6.50
  • Private One-Way or Return Airport Transfer Service: $8.15
  • Private Arrival or Departure Cairo Airport Transfer: $9.50
  • 1 or 2-Hour Felucca Ride on the Nile with Transfers: $9.70
  • Private Transfer from Cairo Airport to Your Hotel: $10
  • Private Transfer from Cairo Airport to Hotels in Cairo: $10
  • Private Airport Transfer to Cairo and Giza Hotels: $10
  • Private Transfer: Cairo Airport Arrival to any hotel in Cairo or Giza: $10
  • Cairo Airport Private Arrival Transfer to Anywhere in Cairo: $10
  • Private Cairo Airport Transfers & Limousine to Anywhere in Cairo or vice versa: $10
  • Private arrival transfer to Giza and Cairo hotels from Cairo airport: $11
  • Private Transfer from Cairo Airport: $12

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seoul

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Seoul:


  • Subway Card
    $3.65
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $5.11
  • Metro Ride
    $0.99
  • Seoul City Pass Plus
    $7.30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:

  • Gimpo Airport (GMP)to Seoul downtown Private Transfer: $200
  • Everland Transfer + Admission ticket with Meal Coupon: $75
  • Everland theme park : private transfer(up to 12passengers): $348
  • From Half-Day MBC Dae Jang Geum Park Transfer: $50
  • Incheon Airport Private Transfer between Seoul City: $55
  • Incheon Airport transfer directly to Seoul city: $109
  • Incheon International Airport (ICN): Private Seoul Transfer: $98
  • Premium Seoul Airport Transfer: Affordable & Convenience: $111
  • Private Airport Transfer * Incheon Airport <-> Seoul (1-5 people): $96
  • Private Airport Transfer : Incheon airport to/from Seoul(~7 pax): $98
  • Private Airport Transfer From Incheon Airport To Seoul(up to 12): $190
  • Private Airport Transfer from Incheon Airport to Seoul: $87

Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or Seoul?

Prices for flights to both Seoul 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 $8.02
    Seoul $52
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.

  • Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show and Private Transfer: $6.46
  • Cairo Nile dinner cruise night show with belly dancer: $8.00
  • 2 Hour Cairo Dinner Cruise on Nile river with live band: $8.80
  • Dinner Cruise on the Nile River with Buffet belly dancer performance: $9.20
  • night-tour Nile dinner cruise with open buffet and belly dancer: $9.60
  • Cairo Dinner Cruise on River Nile with Belly Dancing Show: $10
  • Dinner Cruise on the Nile with Show from Cairo and Giza: $10
  • Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise with entertainment shows include pickup : $11
  • Dinner Cruise on the Nile River with Entertainment: $11
  • Cairo dinner Cruise with Belly dancer show: $11
  • Local Dinner Cruise with Belly Dance Show in Cairo : $11
  • Book Online Dinner Cruise on the Nile: $11

Typical Food Prices in Seoul

Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:


  • Rice with Kimchi & Bacon
    $4.38
  • Waffle
    $0.73
  • Dippin' Dots
    $1.46
  • Chicken Fried Rice
    $4.02
  • Chicken Stick
    $1.46
  • Drinking Yoghurt & Mi Chew
    $1.39
  • Lunch Buffet
    $4.38
  • Donut
    $0.73
  • Mushroom Burger
    $3.80
  • Green Tea Ice Cream
    $2.41
  • Udon & Sushi
    $5.11
  • Fresh Burger
    $3.50
  • Soba Noodles Lunch
    $3.29
  • Bibimbap Lunch
    $3.65
  • Fried Rice
    $4.02
  • Vietnamese Dinner
    $6.94
  • Breakfast and Coffee for 2
    $6.94
  • Donut
    $1.83

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seoul

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seoul.

  • Mangwon Market Food Tour with a Professional Chef: $29
  • 4 Hours UNESCO Palace and Street Food Tour in Seoul: $42
  • Oriental Medicine&Optional Temple Vegan Cooking Class: $43
  • Korean Grandma Cooking Class l Gimbap & Kimchi Pancake l Seoul: $45
  • Namdaemun Market: the Largest Traditional Market Food Tour: $46
  • Namdaemun Market Street Food Tour: $47
  • Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals; Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $48
  • Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals;Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $53
  • Gwangjang Market Netflix Food Tour: $54
  • Guided City Wall Sunset Hike with Korean Dinner: $57
  • Vegan Korean Food Cooking Class: $62
  • Celebrate Like a Local-KR New Year & Cooking in Hanok: $65

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cairo $5.61
    Seoul $27
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
    $0.82
  • Egyptian Museum Entry for Two
    $6.34

Tours and Activities in Cairo

Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Half Day Private Guided Shopping Tour in Cairo: $4.00
  • Dahshur Pyramids Entry Tickets: $4.47
  • El Sultan Hassan Mosque Entry Ticket : $4.56
  • Baron Palace Entry Tickets : $4.60
  • The Baron Empain Palace Entry Ticket: $4.60
  • Cheapest Tour to Wonders Pyramids of Giza and Great Sphinx : $5.00
  • Full Day Tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, and Saqqara: $5.00
  • Best cairo tours visit to Giza Pyramids and Sphinx: $5.00
  • Private Day Tour Egyptian Museum and Giza Pyramids: $5.00
  • Giza Pyramids and Sphinx Day Tour : $5.00
  • Private Tour in Iconic Giza Pyramids From Cairo: $5.00
  • Private Day tour to Giza pyramids and Sphinx : $5.00

Typical Entertainment Prices in Seoul

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Seoul are as follows:


  • Palace Tickets
    $5.84
  • Movie Ticket
    $5.84
  • Kimchi Museum
    $2.19

Tours and Activities in Seoul

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:

  • Gyeongbokgung Imaginary Experience: $3.26
  • Alternative A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
  • Zombie Royals Quest Experience in Seoul: $7.17
  • Seoul Changdeokgung Palace Hanbok Experience Hanboknam (내국인불가): $7.20
  • Gyeongbokgung Palace Hanbok Rental Experience Hanboknam (내국인불가): $7.30
  • Dynamic Maze Discount Ticket Insa-dong(내국인불가): $10
  • [Seoul] Football Faentasium Admission Ticket (내국인 불가): $10
  • Skip the Line: Figure Museum W Ticket (내국인 불가): $11
  • Airport Bus 6103 Airport Limousine Bus Discount Ticket: $15
  • Seoul : Yare Yare Ojosama - Butler/Maid Cafe Experience: $19
  • N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket: $19
  • Jisan Forest Winter Ski Day Tour: $19

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cairo $1.15
    Seoul $12

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: $56

Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul

Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Seoul Pub Crawl by Absolute: $20
  • The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $21
  • Gangnam Pub Crawl with 3 Shots and Korean Tapas: $22
  • Seoul Pub Crawl in Gangnam with Free Shots and Korean Tapas: $22
  • Pub Crawl: $25
  • The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $25
  • Soju Tasting at Distillery - Story of Three Pigs: $42
  • Learn and Craft Makgeolli in a Traditional Brewery: $80
  • DMZ and Makgeolli Brewery Tour with Tasting and Brewing Class: $81
  • DMZ and Wild Berry Winery and Rice Wine Brewery Tour with Tasting: $84


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


Which is Bigger, Cairo or Seoul?

Seoul has a larger population, and is about 34% larger than the population of Cairo. When comparing the sizes of Cairo and Seoul, 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 Seoul?

Seoul 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 Seoul in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Cairo and Seoul. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cairo year-round. Also, most visitors come to Seoul for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

In the summer, Cairo is around the same temperature as Seoul. Typically, the summer temperatures in Cairo in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Seoul averages at about 26°C (78°F).

In Cairo, it's very sunny this time of the year. Cairo usually receives more sunshine than Seoul during summer. Cairo gets 350 hours of sunny skies, while Seoul receives 121 hours of full sun in the summer.

Seoul receives a lot of rain in the summer. In July, Cairo usually receives less rain than Seoul. Cairo gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 369 mm (14.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Cairo 28°C (82°F) 
    Seoul 26°C (78°F)

Should I visit Cairo or Seoul in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Cairo as well as Seoul. Cairo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Seoul because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene.

In October, Cairo is generally much warmer than Seoul. Daily temperatures in Cairo average around 23°C (73°F), and Seoul fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Seoul. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cairo this time of the year. In the autumn, Cairo often gets more sunshine than Seoul. Cairo gets 290 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Seoul receives 204 hours of full sun.

Cairo usually gets less rain in October than Seoul. Cairo gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Cairo 23°C (73°F) 
    Seoul 15°C (59°F)

Should I visit Cairo or Seoul in the Winter?

Both Seoul 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 museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Seoul this time of year.

It's quite cold in Seoul in the winter. Cairo is much warmer than Seoul in the winter. The daily temperature in Cairo averages around 14°C (57°F) in January, and Seoul fluctuates around -3°C (27°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cairo. Cairo usually receives more sunshine than Seoul during winter. Cairo gets 221 hours of sunny skies, while Seoul receives 163 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Cairo usually receives less rain than Seoul. Cairo gets 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 23 mm (0.9 in) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Cairo 14°C (57°F) 
    Seoul -3°C (27°F)

Should I visit Cairo or Seoul in the Spring?

Both Seoul 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. Furthermore, many travelers come to Seoul for the activities around the city.

In the spring, Cairo is much warmer than Seoul. Typically, the spring temperatures in Cairo in April average around 21°C (70°F), and Seoul averages at about 13°C (55°F).

In Seoul, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Cairo. In the spring, Cairo often gets more sunshine than Seoul. Cairo gets 276 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Seoul receives 205 hours of full sun.

Cairo usually gets less rain in April than Seoul. Cairo gets 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Seoul receives 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Cairo 21°C (70°F) 
    Seoul 13°C (55°F)

Typical Weather for Seoul and Cairo

Cairo Seoul
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 14°C (57°F) 15 mm (0.6 in) -3°C (27°F) 23 mm (0.9 in)
Feb 14°C (57°F) 4 mm (0.2 in) -0°C (32°F) 25 mm (1 in)
Mar 17°C (63°F) 8 mm (0.3 in) 6°C (42°F) 47 mm (1.9 in)
Apr 21°C (70°F) 7 mm (0.3 in) 13°C (55°F) 94 mm (3.7 in)
May 25°C (77°F) 0 mm (0 in) 18°C (65°F) 92 mm (3.6 in)
Jun 27°C (81°F) 0 mm (0 in) 23°C (73°F) 134 mm (5.3 in)
Jul 28°C (82°F) 1 mm (0 in) 26°C (78°F) 369 mm (14.5 in)
Aug 28°C (82°F) 0 mm (0 in) 26°C (80°F) 294 mm (11.6 in)
Sep 26°C (79°F) 5 mm (0.2 in) 22°C (71°F) 169 mm (6.7 in)
Oct 23°C (73°F) 5 mm (0.2 in) 15°C (59°F) 49 mm (1.9 in)
Nov 19°C (66°F) 1 mm (0 in) 8°C (46°F) 53 mm (2.1 in)
Dec 15°C (59°F) 3 mm (0.1 in) 0°C (33°F) 22 mm (0.9 in)