Which place is cheaper, Aswan or Dubai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Dubai 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 Dubai and Aswan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Aswan?
Dubai
Ever wonder what it would be like to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous up close. There's no more upscale destination than Dubai. It's by far and away the spot for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining and the most luxurious of luxury. As the most modern and progressive of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, this area has experienced an unbelievable economic boom and tourism spike. It's a desert city with an amazing infrastructure.
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 3-Day Tours from Dubai, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United Arab Emirates, The Best 10-Day Tours in Egypt, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $248Aswan $16
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $248, 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 Dubai and Aswan in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Aswan $6.67
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Aswan $13
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Aswan
Looking for a hotel in Dubai 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: Dubai Hotel Prices and Aswan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Aswan $4.29
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
-
Taxi Ride$12
-
Airport Taxi$12
-
Sea Taxi$0.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubai
Also for Dubai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Global Village entry tickets with transfer option: $9.77
- Global Village Dubai Ticket with Optional transfer: $10
- Private Dubai Airport Arrival/Departure Transfer to Dubai City: $13
- Global Village Entry Ticket with Hotel Transfer: $14
- Shared Transfers from Dubai Hotels to Aquaventure/Lost Chamber: $18
- Sharing Transfers from Dubai Hotels to Dubai Mall (Burj Khalifa, VR Parks, DAUZ): $18
- Private Transfer to Any Attraction in Dubai: $18
- Global Village Dubai Tickets with Transfers Option: $18
- Dubai Airport Private Departure and Arrival Airport Transfer: $19
- Dubai Airport Transfer to Dubai Hotels: $20
- Dubai Frame Ticket with Optional Private Transfer: $20
- Dubai Frame Admission Ticket with Transfer Option: $20
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
- Abu Simbel from Aswan in Egypt - Private Tour (guide and transfers Included): $209
- 3-Day Guided tours to Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor & Train and Transfers : $199
- Marvel 3-Days Unique Guided Tours Aswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor with all Transfers : $193
- Aswan to Luxor Transfer Service: $160
- Aswan to Hurghada Private Door to Door Transfer: $140
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Abu Simbel: $105
- Private Transfer From Aswan To Luxor Included Stop Edfu,Kom ompo: $100
- Private Transfer From Aswan To Hurghada: $99
- Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada : $95
- VIP Aswan to Hurghada Transfer: Luxury and Comfort: $95
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Aswan?
Prices for flights to both Aswan and Dubai 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 dayDubai $56Aswan $5.67
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
-
French bread$0.95
-
Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
-
Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
-
Coffee & Cake$6.53
-
Smoothie$5.45
-
Shawarma$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- DINNER +PARTY + CITY of old city Dubai : $6.00
- Romantic Sightseeing Dhow Cruise Dinner: $15
- 2-Hour Evening Dhow Cruise and Dinner: $15
- Dhow Cruise with Dinner and Live Entertainment at Dubai Al Seef: $15
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner in Dubai Creek: $17
- Desert Safari with Dinner and Live Show: $18
- Dhow Boat Dinner Cruise in Dubai: $19
- Dubai Dhow Cruise Dinner - Creek: $20
- Dubai Desert Safari with Sand Boarding, BBQ Dinner, Camel ride: $23
- Desert safari adventure with BBQ dinner: $24
- Dubai Best Dhow Cruise Dinner Canal Ocenan Queen: $25
- Evening Desert Safari Dubai with Camel Riding & BBQ Buffet Dinner: $25
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
- Private Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village in Aswan: $44
- Nubian Dinner at Nubian Village: $51
- Dinner on board a cruise on the Nile: $59
- The Flavors of Aswan Food Tour By A Local Host: $60
- Private 3-Hour Nubian Party with Dinner and Pickup in Aswan: $77
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan : $90
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Aswan $6.04
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Visit to the Dubai Museum$0.82
Tours and Activities in Dubai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubai.
- A Self-Guided Tour of Dubai’s Origins in Deira: $5.99
- Burj Khalifa, Dubai Hidden Gems - Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $6.54
- Dubai Old Town Quest Experience: $7.18
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Dubai: $8.84
- Pearl Merchants and Palm Trees: A Self-Guided Tour of Sharjah: $8.99
- Dubai Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Dubai Fountain Walk Bridge Ticket: $9.49
- Dubai Fountain Bridge Walk Tickets : $11
- Desert Safari Self Drive Tour: $12
- Al Shindagha Museum Ticket: $13
- Al Shindagha Museum Ticket: $13
- Walking Tour with local Friend and Discover Old Dubai : $16
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$1.25
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- 2-DaysTour from Aswan Philae the High Dam the Unfinished Obelisk and Abu Simbel: $90
- 3 Hour Private Tour, Ancient Wonders in Philae Temple Tour : $55
- Abu Simbel Day tour from Aswan: $50
- 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
- Day Tour To Luxor From Aswan by Car: $60
- Full Day Tour to Abu Simbel Temples from Aswan: $25
- Full Day Tour to Luxor from Aswan by Car: $190
- Guided Tour of Philae Temple in Aswan Egypt: $22
- Kalabsha Temple and Nubian Museum Tour: $89
- Nubian Village Day Tour In Aswan: $25
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Aswan $1.23
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
-
A Couple Drinks$25
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubai
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubai:
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tours: $66
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Aswan, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East and Aswan is in Africa, 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 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 Dubai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubai 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 Dubai Expensive? and Is Aswan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubai or Aswan?
Dubai has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Dubai 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.