Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Ios?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ios or Cairo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ios or Cairo? 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: Ios or Cairo?
Ios
Ios is an island in the south of Greece, located in the Cyclades group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a peaceful beach getaway by day, and a lively party scene by night. While its main town is the hub for nightlife, it is also a charming place during the day, typical of a traditional Greek village with shops and cafes against a backdrop of whitewashed buildings and turquoise waters.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best 3-Day Tours in Greece, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIos €91Cairo €16
The average daily cost (per person) in Ios is €91, while the average daily cost in Cairo is €16. 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 Ios and Cairo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIos €39Cairo €8.77
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIos €78Cairo €18
Compare Hotels in Ios and Cairo
Looking for a hotel in Ios 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: Ios Hotel Prices and Cairo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ios €16Cairo €2.80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ios
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ios:
- 1-Way Private Helicopter Transfer to the Greek Islands: $2,417
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€0.30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
- Private Departure Transfer from Cairo or Giza Hotels to Cairo Airport: $5.00
- Private transfer from Cairo Airport to the hotel in Cairo or Giza: $9.00
- Private Transfer to Cairo and Giza from Cairo Airport: $9.00
- Private Arrival or Departure Cairo Airport Transfer: $9.50
- Pickup transfer from Radisson Blu Hotel, Cairo Heliopolis to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private transfer from Cairo Airport to Windsor Hotel Cairo: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Novotel Cairo El Borg to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Cairo Pyramids Hotel to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Osiris Hotel to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private transfer from Cairo Airport to Hotel Royal: $9.60
- Private transfer from Cairo Airport to Cairo Paradise Hotel: $9.60
Is it cheaper to fly into Ios or Cairo?
Prices for flights to both Cairo and Ios 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 dayIos €33Cairo €4.45
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/Giza: Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show & Private Transfer : $9.63
- Cairo Dinner Cruise, Belly Dancer Show With Pickup Service: $11
- Dinner Cruise on the Nile River: $12
- Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show and Private Transfer: $16
- VIP tour Giza pyramids ,Sphinx, Quad bike ,Camel, Dinner cruise : $19
- Private Expert tour Giza Pyramids ,Sphinx ,Nile Dinner Cruise & Belly Dancer: $19
- food tour private tour from cairo or giza hotel: $19
- Giza Pyramids, Camel Ride, Quad Bike, Night and Dinner Cruise on Nile: $19
- Private Cairo Food Tour : $20
- All inclusive Tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & ATV &Dinner cruise : $20
- Giza pyramids and Nile dinner cruise private tour from Cairo Giza hotels: $22
- Private Cairo food tour and Egyptian tea: $22
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ios €26Cairo €5.39
Tours and Activities in Ios
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ios are as follows:
- Ios Island Trekking Tours: Discover Ios Unexplored: $27
- Ios Island: Speedboat Cruise from Mylopotas Beach: $52
- 4-Hour Cruise of the Best Beaches: $63
- From RIB Boat Trip to Sikinos Island and Winery Tour: $84
- Electric Bike Tour Chora to Homer's Tomp: $109
- Electric Bike Tour Chora to Diaseli Cheesery: $109
- 5 -6 Hour Private Chora E-Bike Tours: $131
- Private Orienteering Experience in Mylopotas: $163
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€0.79
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Egyptian Museum Entry for Two€6.08
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Dahshur Pyramids Entry Tickets: $4.25
- Baron Palace Entry Tickets : $4.60
- Cairo Shopping tour Private Papyrus Essential oils Bazar Cotton : $4.70
- Prince Mohamed Ali Palace Entry Ticket: $4.80
- 3-Hour Private Tour of Papyrus and Perfumes in Ancient Egypt: $5.00
- All Inclusive Tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, and Saqqara: $5.00
- New Grand Egyptian Museum Tour with optional the pyramids tour..: $5.00
- Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hasan Entry Ticket: $5.10
- Baron Empain Palace Entry Tickets: $5.15
- Serapeum Of Saqqara Entry Tickets: $7.00
- Cairo Shopping Tour.: $7.00
- El Sultan Hassan Mosque Entry Ticket: $7.08
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIos €33Cairo €1.10
Sample the Local Flavors in Ios
Also in Ios, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bar Crawl Ios Ticket in Cyclades: $38
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ios and Cairo, we can see that Ios is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ios is in Europe 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 Ios would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ios 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 Ios Expensive? and Is Cairo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ios or Cairo?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 4290 times larger than the population of Ios. When comparing the sizes of Ios 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.
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.