Which place is cheaper, Aswan or Dubai?
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 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.
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Dubai Prices
UAE PricesAswan Prices
Egypt Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $289Aswan $27
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $289, while the average daily cost in Aswan is $27. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Aswan $8.97
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Aswan $18
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Aswan $4.92
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
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Taxi Ride$12
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Airport Taxi$12
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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 Ticket with Transfer Option: $9.50
- Private Dubai Airport Transfer to Downtown and Coast Hotels: $13
- Private Dubai Airport Arrival/Departure Transfer to Dubai City: $13
- Private Dubai Airport Transfer Arrival or Departure: $15
- Global Village Dubai Tickets with Transfers Option: $16
- Dubai International Airport to Dubai Hotels Private Transfers: $16
- Private Dubai Airport Transfer DXB to Dubai City: $17
- Premium Dubai Airport Departure and Arrival Transfer Service: $17
- Dubai Frame Ticket with Optional Private Transfer: $18
- Dubai Lost Chamber Aquarium Atlantis Ticket wth optional transfer: $19
- Dubai Airport Arrival and Departure Transfers | Private Service: $20
- Dubai Airports Arrival Transfer Only: $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
- Aswan – Abu Simbel – Luxor: Premium Private Transfer: $280
- Aswan to Hurghada : Private Transfer: $270
- Family VIP Transfer: Aswan to Hurghada – Relax and Enjoy the Ride: $220
- VIP Private Transfer Aswan to Hurghada: $220
- Transfer from Aswan to Marsa alam: $215
- Exclusive Aswan to Luxor Transfer with Sightseeing Stops: $190
- Private Abu Simbel Tour from Aswan with Transfer: $180
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada – Travel in Comfort: $180
- Private Transfer from Hurghada Port to Luxor: $156
- Private Transfer from Aswan to Hurghada: $140
- Aswan to Hurghada Private Door to Door Transfer: $140
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
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Food Meals for one dayDubai $96Aswan $13
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
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French bread$0.95
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Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
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Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
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Coffee & Cake$6.54
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Smoothie$5.45
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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:
- VIP Red Dunes Dubai Desert Safari BBQ Quad Dinner Shows: $3.75
- Royal Desert Adventure with BBQ dinner: $5.00
- Dubai Desert Safari, Dunes Drive, Camel Ride, Shows & Dinner: $6.98
- Desert Safari Dubai with Camel Ride, Sandboarding and BBQ Dinner: $7.80
- Luxury Red Dune Safari Dubai with Quad Bike, Camel Ride & Dinner: $7.90
- VIP Red Dune Safari, Pick/Drop, Camel Ride,BBQ Dinner & Quad Bike: $7.99
- VIP Red Dune Safari Dubai,Pick/Drop,Camel Ride, Quad & BBQ Dinner: $8.00
- VIP Desert Safari Dubai with Quad Bike, Camel Ride & BBQ Dinner: $8.00
- Premium Desert Safari Dubai with BBQ dinner Quad Bike and Shows: $9.73
- Premium Desert Safari Dubai with Quad Bike BBQ Dinner and Shows: $10
- Dhow Cruise With Dinner at Al Jaddaf Dubai: $14
- VIP Desert Safari Dubai with Quad Bike, Camel & BBQ Buffet Dinner: $14
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
- Private Evening Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Aswan $8.44
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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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.
- Dubai's Hidden Gems: Self Guided City Tour: $3.41
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Dubai: $5.69
- Dubai Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Dubai Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $6.84
- Dubai Walking Tour 1h00 and 9 audio reviews: $7.43
- Dubai Global Village E Tickets: $8.29
- Global Village Dubai Tickets: $8.37
- Global Village Dubai Ticket: $8.65
- Pearl Merchants and Palm Trees: A Self-Guided Tour of Sharjah: $8.99
- Global Village Dubai Ticket With Transport Options: $9.00
- The Palm Monorail Ticket Dubai: $9.21
- Miracle Garden and Global Village Entrance Ticket: $9.77
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$1.09
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- 1 Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: $206
- 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: $219
- 3 Hour Private Tour, Ancient Wonders in Philae Temple Tour: $55
- 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 Days Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor including Abu Simbel and Hot Air Balloon: $229
- 4-Day Nile Cruise sails Aswan to Luxor&Abu Simbel.Hot air Balloon: $229
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Aswan $0.96
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
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A Couple Drinks$25
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.