Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Dubai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Dubai or Cairo?
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 Cairo can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Cairo?
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.
Cairo
Cairo is the chaotic capital city of Egypt. With a population of more than 16 million, it is one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East. As a traveler, you're likely to arrive and leave from here and you'll get your first orientation to the area during the chaotic and congestion filled taxi ride from the airport.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $248Cairo $17
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $248, while the average daily cost in Cairo is $17. 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 Cairo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Cairo $9.36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Cairo $19
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Cairo
Looking for a hotel in Dubai or Cairo? 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 Cairo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Cairo $2.99
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:
- Banana Boat Ride Dubai With Transfer: $190
- Dubai Maktoum DWC to Al Ain Private Limo-Van Transfer: $67
- Jet Ski Adventure in Dubai with Optional Transfers: $109
- Wild Wadi Water Park with Round-Trip Transfers: $170
- 1 Day 1 Park (Motiongate or Legoland) with Private Transfer: $185
- 1-Hour Quad Biking Tour with Transfer from Dubai: $61
- 2 Hour View at The Palm Ticket and One Way Monorail with Transfer: $65
- 4 Seater Jet Car Adventure in Dubai with Optional Transfer: $280
- 60 Minute Speed Boat Ride in Dubai with Private Transfer: $229
- A Japanese Business Lunch Experience in Dubai with Transfer: $119
- A visit To Quranic Park & Jumeirah Mosque With Transfer: $120
- AYA Universe Dubai Ticket with Transfer option: $33
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
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Metro Ride$0.08
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Taxi Ride$0.32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
- From Private Day Trip to Luxor w/ Transfer & Flights: $659
- 3 Private Full-Day Tours to Cairo Top Attractions+One Airport Transfer: $300
- Private Transfer from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh : $290
- Cairo - Sharm El Sheikh: One-Way or Return Private Transfer: $290
- 2 Days and 2 Evenings Private Tour in Cairo include airport transfer and M&A: $280
- From One-Way Private Transfer To Luxor: $275
- Private Transfer from El Cairo (CAI) Airport to Hurghada: $263
- Private Pickup Transfers From Cairo To Dahab: $260
- Cairo : Marvel the Camping in the White & Black Deserts & Cairo Private Transfer: $250
- Private 3 Days in Giza Cairo and Alexandria including Free airport transfers: $250
- Cairo To El Gouna Private Transfer: $248
- 3-Days Private Guided Tour Package Covering all Cairo,Lunch and Airport Transfer: $240
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Cairo?
Prices for flights to both Cairo 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 $56Cairo $4.75
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:
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Dubai Creek with Buffet Dinner: $14
- Dubai:Desert Safari BBQ dinner, Dune bashing,Camel&Sandboarding: $14
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet in Dubai: $14
- Dubai Dhow Cruise Dinner in Deira Creek: $15
- Dhow Cruise with Dinner and Live Entertainment at Dubai Creek: $15
- Scenic Dhow Cruise with Buffet Dinner and Live Shows: $16
- Cruising With Dinner And Live Shows At Dubai Creek: $18
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet: $18
- Desert Safari with Dinner and Live Show: $18
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner: $19
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner Deira Creek: $19
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Creek with pickup & drop off: $19
Typical Food Prices in Cairo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:
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Juice$0.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.
- Cairo Dinner Cruise, Belly Dancer Show With Pickup Service: $8.78
- Dinner Cruise on the Nile River: $12
- Cairo Night Dinner With Belly Dancer Show With Pickup & Drop Off: $13
- Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show and Private Transfer: $15
- Super Safari Quad Bike Jeep Safari Buggy and Dinner in Hurghada: $18
- Cairo Food Tour with Nile Felucca Ride : $18
- VIP tour Giza pyramids ,Sphinx, Quad bike ,Camel, Dinner cruise : $19
- Private Expert tour Giza Pyramids ,Sphinx ,Nile Dinner Cruise & Belly Dancer: $19
- Giza Pyramids, Camel Ride, Quad Bike, Night and Dinner Cruise on Nile: $19
- All inclusive Tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & ATV &Dinner cruise : $20
- Private Cairo Food Tour : $20
- Food Tour in Local Cairo Life with Egyptian tea: $23
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Cairo $5.75
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.
- Tourist eSIM/SIM Card with Data and Minutes: $2.46
- Dubai Guided Old Town Tour, Abra Boat, Gold & Spice Souk: $4.63
- Global Village Entry Ticket: $6.13
- 4G Data Roaming eSIM Card for Tourists: $7.19
- Small-Group Premium Old Town, Souk, & Abra Boat Tour: $7.90
- Old Dubai, Walking Tour, Souk Shopping, and Abra Ride: $8.85
- Pearl Merchants and Palm Trees: A Self-Guided Tour of Sharjah: $8.99
- Dubai Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Guided Old Town Tour with Souks, Tastings & Boat Tour: $9.67
- Walking Tour, Old Town, Abra, Souks & Street Food: $9.80
- Global Village Tickets : $10
- Dubai Fountain Show Boat Lake Ride or Bridge Walk Tickets options: $11
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo
Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Camel Market for Two$0.84
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Egyptian Museum Entry for Two$6.49
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Days 1 Nights Tour package to Saint-Catherine from Cairo : $300
- 2 Days in Cairo & Giza Private Tour : $80
- 2-Day Tour Ancient Egypt and Old Cairo Highlights Tour: $290
- 2-Days Tour at Cairo & Giza: $86
- 2-Days Tours at Cairo & Giza : $143
- 3-Day Cairo Top Attractions Exploration Tour: $180
- 3-Day Tour at Cairo & Giza : $200
- 3-Days Tour at Cairo (Customized Package): $229
- 3-Days Tour in Siwa Oasis from Cairo : $217
- 8-Hour Private Tour Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum and local Bazaars: $26
- All Inclusive 2-Day Private Tour to All Pyramids and Cairo and 2 evenings: $299
- All Inclusive Full-Day Tour to Pyramids, Museum, mosque and Felucca: $79
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Cairo $1.17
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
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
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tour: $67
- Pub Crawl Private, Birthdays & Corporate Events: $110
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairo
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cairo:
- Pub Crawl and Speakeasy Bar Tour with 2 Free Drinks: $59
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Cairo, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East and Cairo 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 Cairo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cairo 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 Cairo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dubai Expensive? and Is Cairo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubai or Cairo?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Dubai. When comparing the sizes of Dubai and Cairo, 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.
When is the best time to visit Dubai or Cairo?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Dubai or Cairo in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Dubai as well as Cairo. Dubai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cairo throughout the year.
Also, June to August in Dubai is the dry season. Dubai usually gets more rain in July than Cairo. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cairo receives 1 mm (0 in) of rain this time of the year.
The heat can be very extreme in Dubai. In the summer, Dubai is a little warmer than Cairo. Typically, the summer temperatures in Dubai in July average around 35°C (95°F), and Cairo averages at about 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyDubai 35°C (95°F)Cairo 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Dubai or Cairo in the Autumn?
Both Cairo and Dubai are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Dubai throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Cairo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In October, Dubai usually receives more rain than Cairo. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cairo receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
In October, Dubai is generally a little warmer than Cairo. Daily temperatures in Dubai average around 29°C (84°F), and Cairo fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberDubai 29°C (84°F)Cairo 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Dubai or Cairo in the Winter?
Both Cairo and Dubai during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Dubai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cairo year-round.
January to March is the rainy season in Dubai. Dubai usually gets less rain in January than Cairo. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cairo receives 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
Dubai is a little warmer than Cairo in the winter. The daily temperature in Dubai averages around 19°C (66°F) in January, and Cairo fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryDubai 19°C (66°F)Cairo 14°C (57°F)
Should I visit Dubai or Cairo in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Dubai and Cairo. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Dubai year-round. Cairo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
June to August in Dubai is the dry season. In April, Dubai usually receives more rain than Cairo. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cairo receives 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
In the spring, Dubai is a little warmer than Cairo. Typically, the spring temperatures in Dubai in April average around 26°C (79°F), and Cairo averages at about 21°C (70°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilDubai 26°C (79°F)Cairo 21°C (70°F)
Typical Weather for Cairo and Dubai
| Dubai | Cairo | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 19°C (66°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Mar | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 7 mm (0.3 in) |
| May | 31°C (88°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
| Jun | 33°C (91°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
| Jul | 35°C (95°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| Aug | 36°C (97°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
| Sep | 33°C (91°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Oct | 29°C (84°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| Dec | 21°C (70°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
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.