Which place is cheaper, Izmir or Eilat?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Eilat or Izmir?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Eilat or Izmir? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Eilat or Izmir?
Eilat
Eilat serves as the gateway to Israel from Egypt. It's located at the southern tip of the country and sits on the Red Sea with views of the Gulf of Aqaba. It's location in the Negev Desert along the beautiful coast make it appealing to both domestic and international vacationers.
Eilat is a resort town with many dive shops and snorkeling opportunities. The population of about 50,000 can easily be overshadowed by vacationers. With no shortage of sun, entertainment, bars, and partying, you will find both Israeli and international tourists looking for an oasis of fun and relaxation.
Although the area's coral reefs were being damaged by overuse, the removal of contraversial fish cages in 2008 has led to a slow recovery and an improvement in the quality of diving and snorkeling in the area. There are also less crowds than you will find in Sharm el-Sheikh or Dahab, Egypt.
Eilat has a hot desert climate. The summers are hot and dry and the winters are warm and dry. Temperatures in the winter can range from 52 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit and summer temperatures are usually between 79 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Izmir
Izmir is a metropolitan city of Turkey and the second most populous city on the Aegean Sea after Athens, Greece. Known as Smyrna in antiquity, it was founded by the Greeks, taken over by the Romans, and rebuilt by Alexander the Great before becoming part of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. Most remnants of this past are gone; however, there are a few archaeological sites in addition to beaches, bustling city streets, and colorful markets.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Israel, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Israel, The Best G Adventures Tours to Turkey, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Istanbul.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEilat $140Izmir $105
The average daily cost (per person) in Eilat is $140, while the average daily cost in Izmir is $105. 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 Eilat and Izmir in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEilat $93Izmir $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEilat $186Izmir $120
Compare Hotels in Eilat and Izmir
Looking for a hotel in Eilat or Izmir? 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: Eilat Hotel Prices and Izmir Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Eilat $13Izmir $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Eilat
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Eilat:
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Local Bus$3.71
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Eilat
Also for Eilat, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Jerusalem: One-Way Shuttle Transfer to Eilat: $90
- Private Transfer From Ramon airport Eilat to Eilat Hotels or Arava Border : $70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Izmir
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Izmir:
- İzmir Airport Private Transfer Service: $50
- VIP Private Transfer | Izmir Airport to Kusadasi or Selcuk: $46
- Transfer İzmir Airport to/from Kusadasi City Center Area: $75
- Transfer to Izmir airport from Kusadasi: $76
- Transfer From izmir Adnan Menderes Airport to Selcuk Ephesus: $82
- Private Transfers İzmir City or Adnan Menderes Apt to/from Gümüldür, Seferihisar: $131
- Private Transfers İzmir City or Adnan Menderes Apt to/from Gümüldür, Seferihisar: $131
- Private Transfers İzmir City or Adnan Menderes Airport to/from Manisa City: $131
- Private Transfers İzmir City or Adnan Menderes Airport to/from Manisa City: $131
- Private Transfer: Izmir to Izmir Airport (ADB) : $44
- Private Transfer: Izmir Airport (ADB) to Izmir : $44
- Private Transfer | IZMIR City Hotels - Izmir AIRPORT: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Eilat or Izmir?
Prices for flights to both Izmir and Eilat 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 dayEilat $35Izmir $24
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Eilat $16Izmir $21
Tours and Activities in Eilat
For Eilat, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Jeep tour adventure Eilat mountains: $55
- From Timna Park Guided Jeep Tour: $65
- Red canyon jeep tour in Eilat: $70
- Timna park Jeep tour adventure: $70
- Red Canyon: Small Group Photo Tour: $130
- Park Timna: Small Group Photo Tour: $130
- Timna Park Tour from Eilat: $150
- Full-Day Tour of Petra from Eilat: $199
- Petra 1-Day Tour from Eilat + FREE Traditional Lunch: $199
- 1 Day Tour to Petra From Eilat: $217
- Day Tour to Petra from Eilat: $219
- Private Scuba Diving Tour with Transportation and Guide : $220
Tours and Activities in Izmir
Here are a few actual costs in Izmir for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Small Group Ephesus Tour From Izmir Hotels: $100
- Small Group Pamukkale Tour from Izmir Hotels: $126
- 1 Day Ephesus And Pamukkale Tour From Izmir By A Local Expert: $300
- 5 Days Seven Churches Tour Turkey: $1,075
- Alaçatı And Çeşme Private Tour: $100
- Ancient Pergamon Tour From Izmir: $283
- Aphrodisias&Pamukkale Tour from Izmir: $280
- Best Seller Private Ephesus Tour for Cruisers : $70
- Biblical Ephesus, Mother Mary House, St John Basilica and Temple of Artemis Tour from Izmir with Private Guide: $272
- Cesme-Alacati Tour from Izmir: $175
- Customized Ephesus Private Tour / FOR CRUISE GUESTS ONLY: $150
- Daily Ephesus & Virgin Mary House Tour from Izmir: $147
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEilat $27Izmir $8.86
Sample the Local Flavors in Izmir
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Izmir:
- Wine Tasting Tour at Two Wineries in Urla Turkey: $98
- Ancient Ephesus tour with Mother's Mary House and visit to old village Sirince with wine tasting: $152
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Eilat and Izmir, we can see that Eilat is more expensive. And not only is Izmir much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Eilat is in Middle East and Izmir is in Europe, 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 Izmir would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Izmir 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 Eilat would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Eilat than you might in Izmir.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Eilat Expensive? and Is Izmir Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Eilat or Izmir?
Izmir has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Eilat. When comparing the sizes of Eilat and Izmir, 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 Eilat or Izmir?
Izmir has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Eilat experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Eilat or Izmir in the Summer?
Both Izmir and Eilat during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Eilat because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The heat can be very extreme in Eilat. In the summer, Eilat is a little warmer than Izmir. Typically, the summer temperatures in Eilat in July average around 33°C (91°F), and Izmir averages at about 28°C (82°F).
In Izmir, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Eilat. In the summer, Eilat often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Izmir. Eilat gets 384 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Izmir receives 378 hours of full sun.
Eilat usually gets less rain in July than Izmir. Eilat gets 0 mm (0 in) of rain, while Izmir receives 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyEilat 33°C (91°F)Izmir 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Eilat or Izmir in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Eilat and Izmir. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Eilat year-round.
In October, Eilat is generally a little warmer than Izmir. Daily temperatures in Eilat average around 26°C (79°F), and Izmir fluctuates around 19°C (67°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Izmir this time of the year. In Eilat, it's very sunny this time of the year. Eilat usually receives more sunshine than Izmir during autumn. Eilat gets 295 hours of sunny skies, while Izmir receives 232 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Eilat usually receives less rain than Izmir. Eilat gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Izmir receives 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberEilat 26°C (79°F)Izmir 19°C (67°F)
Should I visit Eilat or Izmir in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Eilat as well as Izmir. Eilat attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Eilat is much warmer than Izmir in the winter. The daily temperature in Eilat averages around 14°C (57°F) in January, and Izmir fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Eilat this time of the year. In the winter, Eilat often gets more sunshine than Izmir. Eilat gets 234 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Izmir receives 131 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Izmir. Eilat usually gets less rain in January than Izmir. Eilat gets 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Izmir receives 132 mm (5.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryEilat 14°C (57°F)Izmir 9°C (48°F)
Should I visit Eilat or Izmir in the Spring?
Both Izmir and Eilat are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Eilat throughout the year.
In the spring, Eilat is a little warmer than Izmir. Typically, the spring temperatures in Eilat in April average around 24°C (75°F), and Izmir averages at about 16°C (61°F).
It's quite sunny in Izmir. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Eilat. Eilat usually receives more sunshine than Izmir during spring. Eilat gets 282 hours of sunny skies, while Izmir receives 231 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Eilat usually receives less rain than Izmir. Eilat gets 0 mm (0 in) of rain, while Izmir receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilEilat 24°C (75°F)Izmir 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Izmir and Eilat
| Eilat | Izmir | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 14°C (57°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Feb | 16°C (61°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Mar | 19°C (66°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 76 mm (3 in) |
| Apr | 24°C (75°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| May | 27°C (81°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 24 mm (0.9 in) |
| Jun | 31°C (88°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) |
| Jul | 33°C (91°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Aug | 33°C (91°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Sep | 31°C (88°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Nov | 20°C (68°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 15°C (58°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Dec | 15°C (59°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 153 mm (6 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.