Should you visit Durham or Alexandria?
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 Durham and Alexandria can help you decide which place is right for you.
Durham
Durham is a city in central North Carolina with about 230,000 residents. Together with Raleigh and Chapel Hill, it forms the Research Triangle area. Durham is often referred to as the "City of Medicine" and is home to the famous Duke University.
Durham's history is rooted in tobacco. The Duke family established American Tobacco, which controlled 90% of all cigarette production in the US during the second half of the 19th century. The family donated money to Trinity College, which changed its name to Duke University in 1924.
Today much of Durham's economy is centered around the university and Research Triangle Park. The area has many technology and pharmaceutical jobs and the economy continues to grow.
Alexandria
Just minutes from the nation's capital of Washington DC, Alexandria offers a world of rich history and beautifully preserved buildings from the 18th-19th centuries. A city of many interests, attractions range from the old haunts of George Washington and historic architecture to museums, local crafts, and quaint boutiques. With its cobblestoned streets, Old Town of Alexandria is sure to charm as well.
Which city is cheaper, Alexandria or Durham?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Durham is $130, while the average daily cost in Alexandria is $0.00. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Durham and Alexandria in more detail.
Accommodation
Durham's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $146. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $73.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Alexandria, $60 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Alexandria, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $30, such as in a hostel.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Durham cost around $35 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $14.
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Food
Meals for one day
Durham $35
Alexandria
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Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Alexandria
For Alexandria, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Private Full-Day Food Tour of Alexandria with Hotel Pick Up:
$32
-
Alexandria Food Tour:
$36
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Amazing Alexandria Food Tour:
$55
-
Alexandria Food Tour:
$60
-
Old Town Boutique Food Tour:
$89
-
Sound&light show,Giza pyramids-Dinner on the Nile:
$94
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $26 per day to get around in Durham.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durham
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Durham:
-
Private Transfer from Durham to Manchester Airport (MAN):
$407
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Durham to Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) - Departure Private Transfer:
$139
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Alexandria
Also for Alexandria, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: from Alexandria to Borg El Arab Airport (HBE):
$20
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Private transfer from HBE airport to Alexandria Hotel:
$20
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Private Transfer from Borg El Arab Airport to Alexandria Hotels:
$20
-
Alexandria Airport Departure Transfer:
$33
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Alexandria Airport Departure Transfer:
$36
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Alexandria AIRPORT ARRIVAL TRANSFER:
$36
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Alexandria Port – Premium:
$37
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Alexandria Port - Standard:
$41
-
Alexandria Airport Departure Transfer:
$45
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Borg El Arab Airport - Standard:
$53
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Alexandria Port – 15 Seater:
$57
-
One Way Transfer from Alexandria Hotels to Borg El Arab Airport – Premium:
$66
Is it cheaper to fly into Durham or Alexandria?
Prices for flights to both Alexandria and Durham 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.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $21 per person, per day in Durham. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Durham
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Durham are as follows:
-
Trolley Pub Public Tour of Durham:
$41
Tours and Activities in Alexandria
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Alexandria.
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Online Virtual Tour Of Alexandria and Mt. Vernon:
$19
-
Alexandria Walking Tour-Walk Like Egyptian:
$23
-
half day tour to Montazah Palace and gardens:
$25
-
Old Town, 2.5 Hour Haunted Bar Tour:
$27
-
half day tour to The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Library of Alexandria):
$27
-
Private Day Tour to Alexandria From Alexandria:
$30
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Alexandria Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$31
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Tour in Alex:
$32
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Alexandria Day Tour:
$38
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Tour to The Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria:
$40
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Alexandria private excursion tour from Cairo:
$50
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Private Day Tour to Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, Monatazah Palace In Alexandria:
$50
Alcohol
The average person spends about $27 on alcoholic beverages in Durham per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Alexandria
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Alexandria:
-
Alexandria Bar Hunt: Ye Olde Pub Crawl through Old Town:
$12
-
Haunted Old Town Alexandria Ghost and Pub Walking Tour:
$26
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Durham and Alexandria, we can see that Durham is more expensive. And not only is Alexandria much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Alexandria would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Alexandria 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 Durham would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Durham than you might in Alexandria.
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