A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Dar es Salaam vs. Aswan for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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.


Which place is cheaper, Aswan or Dar es Salaam?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $463, while the average daily cost in Aswan is $29. 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
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Dar es Salaam $424
    Aswan $9.47
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Dar es Salaam $848
    Aswan $19
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.

Hotels in Dar es Salaam


Hotels in Aswan


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Dar es Salaam $13
    Aswan $5.20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dar es Salaam

Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Zanzibar Airport Shared Taxi Transfer to Any Hotel: $35
  • Private Transfer from Dar El Salaam to Julius Nyerere Airport (DAR): $50
  • Dar Es Salaam Transfer from Airport Hotel Ferry or Train: $55
  • Half-Day City Tour with Transfers: $59
  • Dar es Salaam Airport Transfers Comfortable Ride to Your Hotel: $60
  • Private Airport Transfers in Dar: $60
  • Private Layover Tour with Airport Transfer: $118
  • Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
  • Transfer/Airport pick up and drop off: $192
  • Private VIP Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with two way transfers: $250

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:

  • Private Transfer Round Trip To Abu Simbel From Aswan: $300
  • VIP Private Transfer Aswan to Hurghada: $220
  • Aswan – Abu Simbel – Luxor: Premium Private Transfer: $210
  • Private Transfer From Aswan Airport or Hotel to Hurghada by Car: $200
  • Private transfer from aswan Airport To Marsa alam: $199
  • Exclusive Aswan to Luxor Transfer with Sightseeing Stops: $190
  • Aswan to Hurghada : Private Transfer: $189
  • Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $183
  • Private Abu Simbel Tour from Aswan with Transfer: $180
  • Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada – Travel in Comfort: $180
  • Marvel 3-Days Unique Guided Tours Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers: $167
  • Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor by Air-Conditioned Vehicle: $160

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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Dar es Salaam $31
    Aswan $14

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:

  • Dar es Salaam Old Town Walking and Food Tour With Transfers: $70
  • Market Tour & Cooking Class in Morogoro including Hotel Transfers: $98

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan

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

  • Nubian Dinner in Nubian Village Of Aswan: $40
  • Night Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $42
  • Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $51
  • Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan: $90

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Dar es Salaam -
    Aswan $8.91

Tours and Activities in Dar es Salaam

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.

  • Dar es Salaam Architectural Guided Walking Tour and History: $22
  • Dar es Salaam Masaki Walking Tuk-Tuk Fish Market & Sunset Tour: $30
  • Dar es Salaam City Tour: Experience & Insights Tanzanian culture: $40
  • Private Sinda Island Tour Snorkeling Swimming and Nature Walk: $65
  • Zanzibar Spice Farm and Stone Town Tour: $90
  • Dar es Salaam Full-Day City Tour and Tanzanian Food Experience: $90
  • Dar es Salaam City Tour - Everyday: $97
  • From Dar es Salaam Pugu Hills Eco Cultural Tourism Day Trip: $99
  • Dar es Salaam City Tour & 360 Degree Revolving Dining Experience: $99
  • Dar es Salaam City Walking tour - Explore the Life of the Local People!: $100
  • Full Day Private Tour in Dar es Salaam City: $104
  • Stone Town & Spice Tour: $110

Typical Entertainment Prices in Aswan

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Aswan are as follows:


  • Temple Kom Ombo for Two
    $1.15

Tours and Activities in Aswan

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:

  • 2 Day Aswan Tour Abu Simbel, Philae& Nubian Village: $160
  • 2 Days Private Tour in Aswan and Abu Simbel: $85
  • 2 Hours Private Sound and Light Show Tour in Philae Temple: $85
  • 2-Day Luxor Small-Group Tour from Aswan with Felucca Ride: $120
  • 2-Day Tour Package in Aswan with a Guide: $216
  • 3 Hours Private Tour in Nubian Village from Aswan: $33
  • 3 or 2 or 1 Nights Mighty Nile Felucca Adventure: $25
  • 3-Day Guided tour to Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor from Cairo: $285
  • 3-Day Tour Aswan, Abu Simbel , Luxor & Train ticket, Opt. Balloon: $280
  • 4 Day Premium 5 Star Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: $234
  • 4 Days Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor including Abu Simbel and Hot Air Balloon: $229
  • 4 Days Nile cruise Aswan to Luxor & Abu Simbel. Hot air Balloon: $271

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Dar es Salaam $7.49
    Aswan $1.02


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.