Which place is cheaper, Lima 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 Lima?
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 Lima 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 Lima?
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.
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.
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Dahab Prices
Egypt PricesLima Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDahab $23Lima $97
The average daily cost (per person) in Dahab is $23, while the average daily cost in Lima is $97. 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 Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDahab $8.47Lima $53
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDahab $17Lima $106
Compare Hotels in Dahab and Lima
Looking for a hotel in Dahab or Lima? 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 Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dahab $2.82Lima $6.21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dahab
Also for Dahab, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Dahab to Sharm El Sheikh Airport (SSH): $35
- Sharm el-Sheikh: 1-Way or Round-Trip Transfer to Dahab: $42
- Private Transfer From Dahab To Sharm el Sheikh airport: $65
- Dahab to Sharm El-Sheikh: Private Door-to-Door Transfer: $90
- Private Transfer From Dahab To Taba border group from 1 to 4: $100
- Private Transfer from Dahab to Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) Airport: $118
- Private Pickup Transfers from Dahab to Taba: $120
- Private Pickup Transfers From Dahab To Cairo: $195
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.88
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Taxi Ride$5.88
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Short Taxi Ride$4.41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Transfer: Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima City Center: $15
- Transfer in Private Van from the Airport to Hotels in Lima: $50
- Transfer from Lima Airport to your hotel and vice versa: $175
- Transfer by car from the airport to the hotel: $60
- Transfer To Lima Airport: $20
- Tour Night Magic Water Park and Ravine with Transfer: $49
- Tour Magic Water Park in Lima with Small Group Transfer: $38
- Roundtrip Private Transfer Lima Airport (LIM): $33
- Round Trip Transfer from and to the Airport in Miraflores/Barranco/Sani: $41
- QuickLlama: Transfer from Lima Airport to Miraflores Kennedy Park: $5.95
- QuickLlama: Door-to-door transfer from Miraflores to Lima Airport: $5.95
- Private Transfers from/to Lima Airport (Price per Vehicle): $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Dahab or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima 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 $12Lima $33
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)$1.82
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Juice$0.10
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Breakfast for Two$0.57
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.71
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Ice cream$3.82
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Coffee$3.24
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Donut$1.03
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Food tours on the forbidden side of Lima (Min. 3 Guests – Max. 6): $15
- Dinner at Café del Museo Larco restaurant: $30
- Lima Street Food Tour: Taste Authentic Peruvian Delights: $45
- Lima Food Tour with Ceviche, Pisco, and Grilled Chicken: $45
- Dinner at Mangos Larcomar Restaurant: $48
- Food Tour and Market Experience: 12 Peruvian Snacks: $50
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
- Lima Market Tour & Ceviche Cooking Class with Pisco Sour: $59
- #1 Rated Lima Cooking Class: Make Ceviche, Causa & Pisco Sours!: $59
- Dinner at the Cala Restaurant in Lima: $63
- Lima Market Food Tour: $65
- Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant: $67
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dahab $5.96Lima $9.39
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
- Blue Hole Snorkeling Tour with lunch from Dahab: $43
- Seascope Submarine Tour from Dahab: $45
- 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
- Adventure Safari By Horse In Dahab At Laguna Beach: $65
- Private City Tour In Sharm El Sheikh From Dahab: $65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
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Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)$18
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Movie Tickets$2.50
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- 1 Day Tour to Huacachina from Lima (Dunebuggy + Vineyards): $225
- 2 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $279
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Ballestas Island and Huacachina: $149
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Huacachina, and Pisco Vineyard: $149
- 2 Days 1 Night Paracas Ica Tour from Lima: $150
- 3 Day Tour From Paracas, Huacachina Oasis & Pisco Vineyard: $159
- 3 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $289
- 3 Days Tour of Paracas Huacachina and Nazca: $275
- 3 Hour Private Electric Scooter Tour of Lima: $75
- 3 Hours Walking Tour of Lima Old Town and Catacumbs: $59
- 4 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $299
- 8-Hour Private Tour Lima Viceroyalty and Gold Museum with Lunch: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDahab $3.54Lima $6.10
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$7.91
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Beer$4.41
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Cocktail$3.53
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Free Pub Crawl: $5.00
- Discover Barranco's Nightlife with Bar Crawl Lima: $20
- Bar Crawl Night Tour in Miraflores: $38
- Lima Nightlife Tour & Society – Cultural Pub Crawl: $50
- Local Wine Tour: $77
- From Lima Paracas and Huacachina Oasis Dunes and Wine Tour: $89
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dahab and Lima, we can see that Lima is more expensive. And not only is Dahab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dahab is in Africa and Lima is in South America, 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 Lima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lima 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 Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dahab or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 970 times larger than the population of Dahab. When comparing the sizes of Dahab and Lima, 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.