Which place is cheaper, Dahab or Dubai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Dubai or Dahab?
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 Dahab can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Dahab?
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.
Dahab
Dahab is a small town on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is located about 85 kilometers north of Sharm el-Sheikh and sits on the Gulf of Aqaba. It's a popular destination with divers and backpackers alike, and offers some of the best snorkeling and diving that you'll find in the Red Sea. It's a great alternative to the resort driven Sharm el-Sheikh, and is popular with independent travelers who are looking for affordable accommodation. There are some upmarket options however, predominantly in the Laguna area, but budget facilities are not hard to find.
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 $248Dahab $13
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $248, while the average daily cost in Dahab is $13. 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 Dahab in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Dahab $6.09
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Dahab $12
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Dahab
Looking for a hotel in Dubai or Dahab? 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 Dahab Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Dahab $1.92
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:
- padi Scuba Diver Course in Fujairah with transfer and lunch: $408
- Yellow Boat Tour Dubai with Private Transfers: $95
- Yellow Boat Ride in Dubai with Private Transfers: $110
- Xline Experience Dubai Marina With Transfers Option: $260
- Xline Dubai Marina Zipline Experience With Transfers Option: $243
- Wild Wadi tickets with Transfers: $100
- Wild Wadi Waterpark tickets with Private transfer: $154
- Wild Wadi Waterpark Dubai Ticket With Private Transfer: $125
- Wild Wadi Dubai water park Ticket with 1 way transfer in Dubai: $110
- Wild Wadi Dubai Water Park Tickets With Transfers Option: $101
- Wild Wadi Adventure Waterpark Tickets With Transfers From Dubai: $105
- Wild Wadi - Dubai Theme Water Park Tickets With Transfers Option: $98
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dahab
Also for Dahab, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Pickup Transfers From Dahab To Cairo: $260
- Private Transfer From Dahab To Taba border group from 1 to 12: $220
- Private Pickup Transfers from Dahab to Taba: $120
- Private Sharm El Sheikh Airport (SSH) Transfer: $71
- Private Transfer from Hotel in Dahab To Sharm el Sheikh Airport: $54
- Dahab To/from Sharm El Sheikh Private Transfer : $40
- Sharm el-Sheikh: 1-Way or Round-Trip Transfer to Dahab: $38
- Dahab Private Transfer To/From Sharm el sheikh ( One Way Transfer ): $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Dahab?
Prices for flights to both Dahab 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 $56Dahab $4.82
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
- Ocean Express Dinner Cruise Al-Seef: $14
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet in Dubai: $14
- Dubai Dhow Cruise Dinner in Deira Creek: $15
- Dubai:Desert Safari BBQ dinner, Dune bashing,Camel&Sandboarding: $15
- Scenic Dhow Cruise with Buffet Dinner and Live Shows: $16
- Desert Safari with Dinner and Live Show: $18
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet: $18
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner: $19
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Creek with pickup & drop off: $19
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Creek: $19
- Dubai Best Dhow Cruise dinner (buffet): $20
Typical Food Prices in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Seafood Dinner (for 2)$2.00
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Juice$0.11
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Breakfast for Two$0.63
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $30
- Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $36
- Dahab Desert Safari and Bedouin Dinner: $40
- Stargazer + Camel riding + Bedouin dinner from Dahab : $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Dahab $4.60
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.
- 30-Minutes Jet Ski Burj Al Arab Tour of Dubai: $125
- Abu Dhabi City Tour in 4x4 Private Vehicle, Dubai Pickup Option: $299
- Abu Dhabi Private Tour with Ferrari World Entry Ticket: $98
- Burj Khalifa At the Top & Sky Views Ticket: $167
- Burj Khalifa Observation deck Dubai Admission Ticket : $71
- Desert Adventure with ATV and Camel Ride and Live Shows: $100
- Dibba Full Day Cruise Trip: $191
- Dubai (Marina Luxury Yacht) Tour with BF : $95
- Dubai (Marina Luxury Yacht) Tour with Breakfast: $105
- Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo Entrance Ticket: $48
- Dubai Butterfly Garden Admission Ticket: $42
- Dubai City Tour With English Speaking Guide: $189
Tours and Activities in Dahab
For Dahab, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Day Private Desert Experience in Sinai: $239
- 2- Day Tour Exploring the Hidden Gems of Serabit el Khadim: $200
- Adventure Quad Biking Tour in Dahab: $50
- Adventure Safari By Horse In Dahab At Laguna Beach: $65
- Astronomy and Bedouin Culture Private Tour in Dahab with Pickup: $40
- Blue Hole Snorkeling Adventure in Dahab: $40
- Blue Hole Snorkeling Tour with lunch from Dahab: $28
- Camel Ride + Blue Hole Snorkeling + Quad Bike Tour With Lunch From Dahab: $45
- Dahab Windsurfing Adventure in Red Sea Waves: $30
- Dahab's Kept Secrets 5 Adventures in 1 Tour: $25
- Royal Seascope Submarine Guided Boat Tour : $38
- Royal seascope Semi-Submarine Cruise: $33
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Dahab $2.63
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 Tour: $67
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Dahab, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Dahab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East and Dahab 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 Dahab would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dahab 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 Dahab.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dubai Expensive? and Is Dahab Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubai or Dahab?
Dubai has a larger population, and is about 140 times larger than the population of Dahab. When comparing the sizes of Dubai and Dahab, 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.