A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cappadocia vs. Messina for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cappadocia or Messina?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Cappadocia or Messina? 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 Messina?

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.

Messina

Messina is a city in the northwest area of Sicily. There are only five kilometers across the Straits of Messina to the Calabria region of mainland Italy. You can reach Messina by boats which travel every hour from the town of Villa San Giovanni in mainland Italy. There are also a couple of hydrofoils that make the trip every day from Reggio di Calabria. During the summer season don't be surprised to see cruise ships arriving with crowds of tourists. They are usually docked right downtown and are therefore hard to miss. Messina is also connected to mainland Italy by train, which are transported across the Straits of Messina by ferry.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Istanbul, The Best 2-Week Tours from Istanbul, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Italy, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy.


Which place is cheaper, Messina or Cappadocia?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cappadocia is $151, while the average daily cost in Messina is $127. 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 Messina in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cappadocia $53
    Messina $70
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cappadocia $106
    Messina $140
Compare Hotels in Cappadocia and Messina

Looking for a hotel in Cappadocia or Messina? 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 Cappadocia


Hotels in Messina


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 Messina Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cappadocia $51
    Messina $24

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cappadocia

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

  • 2 Days 1 Night Cappadocia Tour (Airport Transfer, Hotel, Daily Tour And Atv): $235
  • 2 way Transfer fr/to Nevsehir & Kayseri Airport / Cappadocia: $33
  • Airport Shuttle Transfer(Kayseri ASR - Nevsehir NAV Airport to Hotel): $13
  • Airport Transfer From and To Kayseri and Nevsehir : $16
  • Both Ways Airport Transfer (Nevsehir Kapadokya - Kayseri Erkilet): $38
  • Cappadocia Airport Private Transfer: $109
  • Cappadocia Airport Transfer Safe and Comfortable : $39
  • Cappadocia Balloon Ride with Breakfast, Champagne and Transfers: $250
  • Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride over Cat Valley with Transfers: $262
  • Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride over Cat Valley with Transfers: $131
  • Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride with Transfers: $196
  • Cappadocia Private Airport Transfer : $82

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Messina

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Messina:

  • From Private Air-Conditioned Transfer to Taormina: $99

Is it cheaper to fly into Cappadocia or Messina?

Prices for flights to both Messina 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 $50
    Messina $40
Typical Food Prices in Cappadocia

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cappadocia:


  • Cookies
    $0.03

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cappadocia

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

  • Turkish Night Show in Cave Restaurant with Dinner and Transfer: $44
  • Cappadocia Turkish Night in Avanos Dinner Included: $48
  • Cappadocia Traditional Turkish Night with Dinner (in Authentic Cave Restaurant): $53
  • Cappadocia Night: Turkish Dance & Dinner : $60
  • Cappadocia Turkish Night Show with Dinner and Entertainments: $62
  • Cappadocian cooking - hands-on class with pickup: $64
  • Romantic Cappadocia Sunset Dinner and Wine : $65
  • Turkish Night Show With Dinner in a Cave Restaurant: $65
  • Turkish night show with dinner and unlimited free alcohol: $69
  • Cappadocia Cave Restaurant for Dinner and Turkish Entertainments: $71
  • Half-Day Private Food Tour in Kayseri: $75
  • Romantic Cappadocia Private Sunset Dinner With Wild Food : $78

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Messina

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

  • Private Home Cooking Demo with a Four-Course Meal: $112
  • Cesarine: Dining & Cooking Demo at Local's Home in Messina: $115
  • Market Tour & Lunch/Dinner at a Cesarina's Home: $149
  • Messina Private Home Cooking Class: $155
  • Home Cooking Class & Meal with a Local in Messina: $158
  • Market Tour, Private Home Cooking Class and Dinner: $202

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cappadocia $95
    Messina $23
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
    $0.93
  • Hot Air Balloon Ride for Two
    $18
  • Horseback Riding for Two
    $3.55
  • Cappadocia Driving Tour
    $3.78
  • Goreme Museum Entrance Fee
    $0.46
  • Whirling Dervishes Show
    $3.09
  • Turkish Bath
    $2.16
  • Hot air ballooning
    $13
  • Goreme open air museum
    $0.62
  • Bellydancing Show
    $4.02

Tours and Activities in Cappadocia

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

  • Skip the Line: Guray Museum Admission Ticket: $4.36
  • Cappadocia Private Tour (Car & Guide): $5.00
  • Best Of Private Cappadocia Tour ( Car & Guide ): $5.45
  • Cappadocia Private Tour with Car & Guide : $5.99
  • Explore Cappadocia North and Red Underground City Private Tour : $12
  • Cappadocia Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Watching Experience: $16
  • Private Underground City tour in Cappadocia Derinkuyu , Kaymakli: $19
  • 2 Hour Sunset Quad Bike(Atv) Tour: $19
  • Sunrise Balloon Watching Tour with Photographer: $20
  • Guided ATV Tour with Sunrise Option: $21
  • Red Tour in Cappadocia with Lunch: $22
  • 2 Hour Sunset Quad Bike (ATV) Tour in Cappadocia: $22

Tours and Activities in Messina

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

  • Full Day Taormina and Castelmola Tour with Messina Shore Excursion: $120
  • Messina Taormina: cultural heritage experience: $85
  • 2,5-Hour Messina Walking Tour: $46
  • 2-Hour Private Walking Tour of Messina: $271
  • 3-Hour Messina Segway PT Authorized Tour: $118
  • Alfotour 2/3 hour tour with swimming stop: $32
  • Cesarine: Market Tour & Dining at a Local's Home in Messina: $152
  • Etna Alcantara tour: the majestic lava landscape : $126
  • Etna Taormina and Castelmola The best excursion for cruise passengers from Messina: $208
  • Etna and Taormina Private Tour from Giardini Naxos: $240
  • From Private Guided Day Tour of Savoca and Taormina: $642
  • From Private Tour of Etna & Taormina with Pickup: $684

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cappadocia $18
    Messina $19

Sample the Local Flavors in Cappadocia

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cappadocia:

  • Cappadocia Nightlife Experience: Bar and Pub Crawl Tour: $32
  • Wine tasting in Cappadocia: $64
  • Cappadocia Wine Cellar and Wine Yard with Wine Tasting: $79
  • Full-day Cappadocia Tour with wine tasting and clay shaping : $90
  • Wine Tasting and Sunset in Cappadocia: $196


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cappadocia and Messina, we can see that Cappadocia is more expensive. And not only is Messina much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Messina would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Messina 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 Messina.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cappadocia Expensive? and Is Messina Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cappadocia or Messina?

Messina has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Cappadocia. When comparing the sizes of Cappadocia and Messina, 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.