Which place is cheaper, Aswan or Dar es Salaam?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Dar es Salaam or Aswan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dar es Salaam and Aswan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Aswan?
Dar es Salaam
Having grown from a fishing village, Dar es Salaam is now a major city and commercial port on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast. While it is mainly used as a stopping point on the way to Zanzibar, it has a few unique treasures of its own such as the Kariakoo Market, National Museum, and the open-air Village Museum.
Aswan
Lounging along the Nile like Egyptian royalty is a fantasy for most world travelers. If you want to do it without the hustle and bustle of Cairo, there's always Aswan. This city in the south of Egypt is the smallest of the three major cities on the Nile. Located just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, Aswan's 275,00 people include a large portion of Nubians – mostly resettled from their flooded homeland.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best 10-Day Tours in Egypt, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDar es Salaam $460Aswan $16
The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $460, while the average daily cost in Aswan 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Dar es Salaam and Aswan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDar es Salaam $434Aswan $6.75
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDar es Salaam $868Aswan $14
Compare Hotels in Dar es Salaam and Aswan
Looking for a hotel in Dar es Salaam or Aswan? 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: Dar es Salaam Hotel Prices and Aswan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dar es Salaam $13Aswan $4.34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dar es Salaam
Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer from JNIA Airport to Hotels in Dar essalaam: $55
- Private Transfer from Dar El Salaam to Julius Nyerere Airport (DAR): $73
- Dar es Salaam Airport Transfer: $75
- Sunset Cruise - Magic of Zanzibar Sunset With Transfer - Zanzibar: $100
- Luxury Coach - Dar Es Salaam Airport Transfer to the City Centre/Out ( 22 max): $113
- Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
- Private Transfer from Dar es Salaam Airport DAR to Dar es Salaam by Luxury Car: $167
- Dar Es Salaam City Tour.(private Guide And Transfer) 10 Hrs: $200
- Dar es salaam-Morogoro-Dar es salaam transfer by luxury car.: $200
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Private Transfer Round Trip To Abu Simbel From Aswan: $300
- 3-Days Travel Into The History to Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers: $299
- Private Transfer from Aswan to temple of Abu Simbel: $230
- Abu Simbel from Aswan in Egypt - Private Tour (guide and transfers Included): $209
- Hurghada: Private Transfer To/From Aswan: $200
- Private Transfer To/From Hurghada: $200
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $170
- Private Transfer Aswan To Marsa-alam: $150
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $136
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Abu Simbel: $105
- Full Day Tour to Luxor from Aswan with Transfers and Guide: $100
- Private Trip To Kom Ombo And Edfu Temple With Transfer From Aswan: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam or Aswan?
Prices for flights to both Aswan and Dar es Salaam 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 dayDar es Salaam $18Aswan $5.73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dar es Salaam
For Dar es Salaam, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Swahili Cooking Class: $115
- Swahili food Cooking Experience: $150
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.
- Dinner at Soleih restaurant by vehicle: $33
- Nubian Dinner in Nubian Village Of Aswan: $40
- Nubian lunch Or Dinner at Nubian village : $75
- Private 3-Hour Nubian Party with Dinner and Pickup in Aswan: $77
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan : $90
- Dinner In Nile Cruise in Aswan: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dar es Salaam -Aswan $6.11
Tours and Activities in Dar es Salaam
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.
- Private Insightful City Tour of Dar es Salaam: $25
- City Historical Walking Tour And Street Food.: $40
- City Walking Tour And Street Food Tasting.: $40
- Dar Es Salaam:Shore Excursion Tour And Street Food Tasting.: $46
- Dar es salaam City Tour & Storytelling: $72
- Spice tour & Stone Town Zanzibar secrets with Lunch - Zanzibar: $75
- City Tour: $77
- Dar es salaam full City tour , unforgettable memory: $77
- Tanzania Private Swahili culture experience: $80
- The Best/Top Rated Cultural City Tour in Dar es Salaam : $85
- Dar es Salaam City Tour Tanzania : $89
- Stone Town & Spice Tour: $90
Typical Entertainment Prices in Aswan
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Aswan are as follows:
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Temple Kom Ombo for Two$1.26
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- Abu Simbel Private Tour from Aswan : $110
- Abu Simbel Temples Full Day Tour From Aswan With Entry Tickets : $99
- Aswan : Full Day Private Guided Tour to the Legend of Abu Simbel Temples: $125
- Full Day Tour to Luxor from Aswan by Car: $200
- Philae Temple Night Experience (Sound and Light show). : $65
- Philae Temple and Aswan High Dam Tour: $44
- Private Abu Simbel Temple tour : $123
- Private Day Tour to Luxor from Aswan: $65
- Private Luxor Day Tour from Aswan: $140
- Sharing Tour To Abu Simbel From Aswan with Tour Guide : $50
- 1 Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: $128
- 2 Days Luxor Private Guided Tour From Aswan: $110
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDar es Salaam $7.66Aswan $1.24
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Aswan, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Aswan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Aswan 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 Dar es Salaam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dar es Salaam than you might in Aswan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dar es Salaam Expensive? and Is Aswan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Aswan?
Dar es Salaam has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam and Aswan, 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.