Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Dahab?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Dahab or Cairo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Dahab and Cairo 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: Dahab or Cairo?
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.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, The Best 10-Day Tours in Egypt, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt.
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Dahab Prices
Egypt PricesCairo Prices
Egypt Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDahab $25Cairo $32
The average daily cost (per person) in Dahab is $25, while the average daily cost in Cairo is $32. 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 Dahab and Cairo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDahab $8.93Cairo $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDahab $18Cairo $22
Compare Hotels in Dahab and Cairo
Looking for a hotel in Dahab 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: Dahab Hotel Prices and Cairo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dahab $2.98Cairo $3.64
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dahab
Also for Dahab, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Pickup Transfers From Dahab To Cairo: $195
- Private Pickup Transfers from Dahab to Taba: $120
- Private Transfer From Dahab To Sharm el Sheikh airport: $65
- Private Transfer from Dahab to Sharm El Sheikh Airport (SSH): $35
- Sharm el-Sheikh: 1-Way or Round-Trip Transfer to Dahab: $42
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
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Metro Ride$0.08
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Taxi Ride$0.30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
- private Airport Transfer from any destination in Cairo or Giza: $35
- one transfer from airport to Cairo Giza hotels or hotels to Cairo airport: $20
- VIP Meet and assist with transfer from Cairo and SPX Airport: $11
- VIP Luxury Airport Transfer: Mercedes E-Class Meet & Greet: $50
- Two-Day Private City Tour of Cairo, Giza Pyramids and Saqqara+Airport Transfer: $198
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cairo HTL-APT (CAI): $33
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cairo APT-HTL (CAI): $33
- Transfers From Cairo Airport: $13
- Transfer your private departure from your hotel to Cairo Airport: $20
- Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada: $226
- Transfer from Hurghada to Luxor city by private Cars: $170
- Transfer from Cairo Airports to Hotels in Cairo: $102
Is it cheaper to fly into Dahab or Cairo?
Prices for flights to both Cairo and Dahab 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
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Food Meals for one dayDahab $13Cairo $17
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)$1.91
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Juice$0.10
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Breakfast for Two$0.60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $39
Typical Food Prices in Cairo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:
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Juice$0.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.
- Giza Pyramids,Sphinx,Camel Ride,ATV Bike,Shopping, Dinner cruise: $2.00
- Night Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer and folklore show: $7.00
- Quad Bike ATV ,Camel Ride ,Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show: $7.00
- Cairo Food Tour with Nile Felucca Ride: $7.00
- night-tour Nile dinner cruise with open buffet and belly dancer: $8.00
- Giza Pyramids,Sphinx,Camel Ride,ATV Bike,Shopping,Dinner cruiseII: $8.00
- 5 Star Dinner Nile Cruise in Cairo Night Tour: $8.00
- 2-hours night dinner cruise show : Eat , Dance and Sing: $8.00
- Cairo Dinner Cruise show with belly dancer show on Nile river: $8.00
- food tour private tour from cairo or giza hotel: $8.00
- Cairo Food Tour – Discover Hidden Downtown Gems: $8.00
- Cairo (Dance, Sing and Eat ) Nile Dinner Cruise Show &Open Buffet: $9.00
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dahab $6.28Cairo $8.71
Tours and Activities in Dahab
For Dahab, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full-Day Hike Tour at St. Catherine's Monastery: $30
- Royal seascope Semi-Submarine Cruise: $33
- Adventure Quad Biking Tour in Dahab: $40
- luxury Snorkeling cruise with buffet lunch: $41
- Royal Seascope Submarine Guided Boat Tour: $41
- 4x4 Jeep Adventure from Dahab: $42
- Blue Hole Snorkeling Tour with lunch from Dahab: $43
- Camel Ride + Blue Hole Snorkeling + Quad Bike Tour With Lunch From Dahab: $50
- Mount Sinai Sunrise and St Catherine Monastery Tour from Dahab: $50
- Dahab Windsurfing Adventure Tour: $55
- Private City Tour In Sharm El Sheikh From Dahab: $65
- Private Day Tour To Blue Lagoon And Ras Abu Galum From Dahab: $65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo
Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Camel Market for Two$0.81
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Egyptian Museum Entry for Two$6.20
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- “Cairo Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & GEM Museum”: $160
- "Private Half-Day Tour to the Giza Pyramids Saqqara and Memphis: $25
- (Egypt jewel) Day Tour To Giza Pyramids, Museum, Mosque &Felucca: $55
- 01 Day Tour to Alexandria from Cairo: $246
- 01 Day Tour to Pyramids Of Giza Memphis And Sakkara: $86
- 1 Day Private Tour to Alexandria from Cairo: $100
- 1 Day Private Tour to Baron, Abdeen, and Manial Palaces in Cairo: $30
- 1 Day tour to Alexandria from Cairo: $30
- 1 Day tour to Giza pyramids Memphis city Dahshur and Saqqara pyramids: $15
- 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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDahab $3.73Cairo $1.42
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 Dahab and Cairo, we can see that Cairo is more expensive. And not only is Dahab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Cairo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cairo than you might in Dahab.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dahab Expensive? and Is Cairo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dahab or Cairo?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 970 times larger than the population of Dahab. When comparing the sizes of Dahab 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.
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.