Should you visit Cappadocia or Cairo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cappadocia or Cairo? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Cappadocia or Cairo?
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is in Central Anatolia, between the mountains Erciyes, Melendiz and Hasan. It is famous for its underground cities, fairy chimneys, and caves. The landscape of the area is some of the most unique you'll ever see. The fairy chimneys are bizarrely shaped rock outcroppings that have evolved from the unique geography in the area. There are hiking trails through the series of valleys that make up the area. It's a great place to explore for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Istanbul, The Best 2-Week Tours from Istanbul, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.
Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Cappadocia?
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 Cappadocia is $132, while the average daily cost in Cairo is $30. 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 Cappadocia and Cairo in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Cappadocia or Cairo? 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:
Cappadocia Hotel Prices and
Cairo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cappadocia
Also for Cappadocia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Cappadocia 2-Hours Sunset ATV Quad Tour w/ Hotel Transfer:
$50
-
Cappadocia 2-Hours Sunset ATV Quad Tour w/Free Hotel Transfer:
$41
-
Cappadocia ATV Safari Sunrise Sunset Daytime Hotel Transfer:
$25
-
Cappadocia ATV Tour with Hotel Transfer:
$9.50
-
Cappadocia ATV tour with transfer and guide:
$13
-
Cappadocia Airport Private Transfer:
$142
-
Cappadocia Airport Private Transfer NAV:
$71
-
Cappadocia Airport Transfer:
$118
-
Cappadocia Airport Transfer Private Service NAV ASR:
$17
-
Cappadocia Airport Transfer to/from Kayseri/Nevşehir (ASR or NAV):
$14
-
Cappadocia Balloon Watching & Sunrise Hike - Hotel transfer!:
$106
-
Cappadocia Flying Dress Photo Shoot with Transfer:
$218
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:
-
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
-
1 Day Aswan Abu Simple Tour with Transfer Included:
$300
-
3-Days Private Guided Tour Package Covering all Cairo,Lunch and Airport Transfer:
$300
-
3 Private Full-Day Tours to Cairo Top Attractions+One Airport Transfer:
$300
-
Private Pickup Transfers From Cairo To Luxor By Bus:
$295
-
Private One-Way Transfer to/from Hurghada:
$292
-
Private One-Way Transfer to/from Sharm El-Sheikh:
$292
-
Private Transfer Cairo to Hurghada:
$290
-
Private Transfer from Cairo City Hotels to Ain Sokhna Cruise Port:
$283
Is it cheaper to fly into Cappadocia or Cairo?
Prices for flights to both Cairo and Cappadocia 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
Cappadocia $60
Cairo $16
Typical Food Prices in Cappadocia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cappadocia:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night Show with Dinner and Drinks:
$39
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night With Unlimited Drinks And Dinner:
$50
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night wTransfer,Dinner &Unlimited Drinks:
$59
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night Show with Dinner:
$60
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night Show, Dinner & Unlimited Drinks & Pickup:
$64
-
Turkish Night Show In Cappadocia (with Dinner):
$64
-
Turkish Night at Cave Restaurant with Dinner and Unlimited Drinks:
$65
-
Turkish Nights in Cappadocia Dinner & Cultural Show in a Cave:
$65
-
Romantic Cappadocia Private Sunset Dinner With Wild Food:
$68
-
Turkish Night Show: Unlimited Alcohol, Dinner and Transfer:
$70
-
Cappadocia Turkish Night Show with Dinner and Unlimited Drinks:
$72
-
Turkish Night Show With Dinner in a Cave Restaurant:
$77
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:
$4.00
-
Quad Bike ATV ,Camel Ride ,Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show:
$6.30
-
Cairo dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer show on Nile river:
$6.30
-
Cairo Food Tour – Discover Hidden Downtown Gems:
$7.20
-
Cairo Dinner Cruise in Nile River With Belly Dancer & Tanora show:
$7.20
-
night-tour Nile dinner cruise with open buffet and belly dancer:
$7.20
-
Giza Pyramids,Sphinx,Camel Ride,ATV Bike,Shopping, Dinner cruise:
$8.00
-
Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise Belly Dancer Tanora Show Dinner Buffet:
$8.10
-
Giza pyramids, Sphinx, ATV bike,Camel ride,Dinner cruise&shopping:
$8.10
-
Private Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Quad Bike, Camel Ride, Nile Dinner Cruise:
$8.10
-
Cairo Food Tour in local places & Egyptian Mint Tea:
$8.10
-
Cairo Dinner Cruise show with belly dancer show on Nile river:
$8.10
Entertainment
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Underground City Entrance for Two
$0.65
-
Hot Air Balloon Ride for Two
$13
-
Horseback Riding for Two
$2.50
-
Cappadocia Driving Tour
$2.67
-
Goreme Museum Entrance Fee
$0.33
-
Whirling Dervishes Show
$2.18
-
Turkish Bath
$1.53
-
Hot air ballooning
$8.83
-
Goreme open air museum
$0.44
-
Bellydancing Show
$2.84
Tours and Activities in Cappadocia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cappadocia.
-
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Tour in Cappadocia - Göreme Experience:
$3.53
-
Cappadocia Green Tour Lunch + Guide + Museum Tickets /Small Group:
$3.53
-
Cappadocia Horseback Riding Tour with Hotel Pickup & Helmet:
$3.53
-
Skip the Line: Guray Museum Admission Ticket:
$4.72
-
Private Cappadocia Tour with Guide & Driver:
$5.00
-
Sunset or Daytime ATV Adventure Tour:
$5.28
-
Cappadocia Artisan & Local Craft Experience:
$9.00
-
Private Pottery Workshop Experience and Guiding:
$9.43
-
Cappadocia Top Sights Tour Skip the Line Guided Experience:
$11
-
Sunset Horseback Riding Tour in Cappadocia:
$13
-
Horseback Riding Experience in Beautiful Valleys of Cappadocia:
$13
-
Cappadocia Sunset Horseback Ride Two Hour Fairy Chimneys Tour:
$13
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:
-
"Private Half-Day Tour to the Giza Pyramids Saqqara and Memphis:
$25
-
"The Great Pyramids & Grand Museum: Luxury Private Day Tour":
$60
-
(Egypt jewel) Day Tour To Giza Pyramids, Museum, Mosque &Felucca:
$55
-
01 Day Tour to Alexandria from Cairo:
$246
-
01 Day Tour to Pyramids , Museum and Khan Elkhalili:
$217
-
1 Day Private Tour from Hurghada to Cairo:
$218
-
1 Day Private Tour to Alexandria from Cairo:
$100
-
1 Day tour to Alexandria from Cairo:
$30
-
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
Alcohol
Sample the Local Flavors in Cappadocia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cappadocia:
-
Signature Local Wine Tasting in Cappadocia:
$11
-
Guided Bar Crawl with Hotel Pickup and Snack:
$33
-
Cappadocia Wine Tasting Experience:
$41
-
Cappadocia Vineyard Experience and Wine Tasting:
$54
-
Combo Tour with Wine Tasting and Adventure Tours:
$59
-
Cappadocia Wine Tasting Experience:
$60
-
Cappadocia - Avanos Clay Workshop and Wine Tour:
$64
-
Cappadocia Fairy Chimneys Guided Tour with Local Wine Tasting:
$88
-
SKIP-THE-LINE: Cappadocia Tour w/wine tasting and clay shaping:
$90
-
Cappadocia Private Wine Tasting Tour:
$130
-
Cappadocia Private Tour-Mixed Tour+Home-made Wine Tasting:
$219
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 Cappadocia and Cairo, we can see that Cappadocia is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cappadocia is in Europe and Cairo is in Africa, 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 Cappadocia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cappadocia 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 Cappadocia Expensive? and Is Cairo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cappadocia or Cairo?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 1220 times larger than the population of Cappadocia. When comparing the sizes of Cappadocia and Cairo, 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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