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.
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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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Dar es Salaam Prices
Tanzania PricesAswan Prices
Egypt Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDar es Salaam $460Aswan $29
The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $460, 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDar es Salaam $422Aswan $9.66
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDar es Salaam $844Aswan $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.
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 $5.30
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
- 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: $120
- Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
- Transfer/Airport pick up and drop off: $192
- Transfer from dar es salaam to morogoro: $203
- Private VIP Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with two way transfers: $249
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Private Transfer Round Trip To Abu Simbel From Aswan: $300
- Private Aswan to Luxor Transfer with Custom Temple Stops: $200
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $188
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada – Travel in Comfort: $180
- Exclusive Aswan to Luxor Transfer with Sightseeing Stops: $170
- Transfer Service to Luxor from Aswan: $160
- Edfu and Kom Ombo Day Tour with Luxor Transfer: $132
- Private Abu Simbel Tour from Aswan with Transfer: $120
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor by Air-Conditioned Vehicle: $120
- Round-Trip Transfer from Aswan to Abu Simbel: $115
- Private Transfer Aswan to Luxor: $105
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $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 $30Aswan $15
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 Night Tour with Local Dinner and Private Transfers: $49
- 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.
- Night Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $42
- Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $60
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dar es Salaam -Aswan $9.09
Tours and Activities in Dar es Salaam
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.
- Nightlife and Local Food Experience in Dar es Salaam: $20
- Dar es Salaam City Tour: Experience & Insights Tanzanian culture: $39
- Dar es Salaam City Tour - Everyday: $97
- 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
- Bagamoyo Tour: $120
- Bongoyo Island Full Day Tour from Dar Es Salaam: $120
- The Best/Top Rated Cultural City Tour in Dar es Salaam: $125
- Dar es Salaam City Tour - Visit all attractive places: $130
- Jozani Forest Salaam Cave and Rock Restaurant Tour in Zanzibar: $139
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$1.17
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- 2 Day Aswan Tour+Hotel Includ:Abu Simbel, Philae& Nubian Village: $190
- 2 Days Private Tour in Aswan and Abu Simbel: $85
- 2 Hours Private Sound and Light Show Tour in Philae Temple: $85
- 2 Hours Tour in Philae Temple: $19
- 2 Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: $270
- 2-Day Luxor Small-Group Tour from Aswan with Felucca Ride: $120
- 2-Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor – Including Abu Simbel: $250
- 3 Days Private Tour to Abu Simble, Balloon Ride, Aswan and Luxor: $299
- 3 Hours Private Tour in Nubian Village from Aswan: $33
- 3-Day Tour Aswan, Abu Simbel , Luxor & Train ticket, Opt. Balloon: $280
- 4 Days Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor including Abu Simbel and Hot Air Balloon: $249
- 4 Days Nile Cruise; Aswan to Luxor with Abu Simbel & Hot Balloon: $296
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDar es Salaam $7.44Aswan $1.04
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.