Should you visit Cappadocia or Dahab?
Should I visit Cappadocia or Dahab? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
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.
Dahab
Dahab is a small town on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is located about 85 kilometers north of Sharm el-Sheikh and sits on the Gulf of Aqaba. It's a popular destination with divers and backpackers alike, and offers some of the best snorkeling and diving that you'll find in the Red Sea. It's a great alternative to the resort driven Sharm el-Sheikh, and is popular with independent travelers who are looking for affordable accommodation. There are some upmarket options however, predominantly in the Laguna area, but budget facilities are not hard to find.
Which city is cheaper, Dahab or Cappadocia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cappadocia is $35, while the average daily cost in Dahab is $16. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Cappadocia and Dahab in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $24 in Cappadocia For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Travelers usually pay around $17 for a double occupancy room in Dahab If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Cappadocia costs travelers about $14 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
On average, meal and food prices in Dahab cost around $4.85 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $1.94.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cappadocia $14
Dahab $4.85
Typical Food prices in Cappadocia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cappadocia:
Typical Food prices in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Seafood Dinner (for 2)
$6.07
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Juice
$0.32
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Breakfast for Two
$1.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Beduine Dinner In Dahab:
$29
-
Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab:
$36
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Bedouin Dinner With Camel Ride In Dahab:
$39
-
Stargazer+ Camel riding + Bedouin dinner from Dahab:
$90
Local Transportation
To get around in Cappadocia, the average visitor spends $11 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
To get around in Dahab, the average visitor spends $1.30 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cappadocia
Also for Cappadocia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Shared Airport Transfer Service:
$12
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Cappadocia Private Airport Transfers:
$24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dahab
Also for Dahab, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer from Dahab to Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) Airport:
$124
-
Private transfer from your Hotel in Dahab to Sharm el sheikh airport:
$64
Entertainment
In Cappadocia, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $17 per person, per day.
In Dahab, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $4.38 per person, per day.
Typical Entertainment prices in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Underground City Entrance for Two
$3.51
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Hot Air Balloon Ride for Two
$68
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Horseback Riding for Two
$13
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Cappadocia Driving Tour
$14
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Goreme Museum Entrance Fee
$1.75
-
Whirling Dervishes Show
$12
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Turkish Bath
$8.18
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Hot air ballooning
$47
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Goreme open air museum
$2.34
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Bellydancing Show
$15
Tours and Activities in Cappadocia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cappadocia.
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Cappadocia Day Tour:
$61
-
Cappadocia Heritage 1 Day Private Tour:
$545
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Cappadocia Highlights Small-Group Tour by Minibus:
$61
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Cappadocia Highlights Tour with Lunch:
$18
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Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Flight and Full-Day Tour:
$184
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Cappadocia Tour: 2-Day Discovery Tour from Istanbul:
$387
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Cappadocia Tour: Underground City, Caravanserai & Salt Lake:
$72
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Customizable Private Tour in a Minivan:
$205
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Full Day Private Tour with Japanese Guide:
$53
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Full-Day Highlights Tour:
$28
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Full-Day Private Custom Tour:
$58
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Full-Day Private Discovery of Anatolian Art Tour:
$69
Tours and Activities in Dahab
For Dahab, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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1-Day Tour To Cairo by Bus From Dahab:
$144
-
4x4 Jeep Adventure from Dahab:
$44
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Blue Hole - Abu Galum -Blue Lagoon Tour and Lunch From Dahab:
$45
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Cairo Day Tour from Dahab by Flight:
$364
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Camel Ride + Blue Hole Snorkel + Quad Bike Tour With Lunch From Dahab:
$50
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From Full-day Ancient Wonders of Cairo Tour:
$656
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Jerusalem Bethlehem and Dead Sea Day Tour from Dahab:
$225
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Mount Moses & St. Catherine (Sunset) Tour from Dahab:
$60
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Mt Sinai Sunrise and St Catherine Monastery Tour from Dahab:
$46
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Nabq National Park Day Tour from Dahab:
$92
-
Petra 1 Day Tour From Dahab:
$298
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Petra 1-Day Tour from Dahab:
$290
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Cappadocia, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $12.
Typically, people visiting Dahab spend on average $1.31 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Cappadocia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cappadocia:
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Private Half-Day Vineyards & Wine Tasting Tour:
$79
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cappadocia and Dahab, we can see that Cappadocia is more expensive. And not only is Dahab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cappadocia is in Europe and Dahab 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 Dahab would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dahab 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 Dahab.
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