Should I Visit Jerusalem or Cairo for Vacation? Which is Better? Which is Cheaper? Which is More Expensive?

Should you visit Jerusalem or Cairo?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Jerusalem or Cairo, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Jerusalem or Cairo?

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the capital city of Israel, as well as one of the most historically rich cities in the world. It is also the largest city in the country. While Tel Aviv holds many of the responsibilities of a capital city, officially, Jerusalem is still considered the capital. It is important to note that most countries have their embassies in Tel Aviv, not in Jerusalem.

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.

Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Jerusalem?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

Jerusalem Prices
Israel Prices

Cairo Prices
Egypt Prices
Average Daily Cost Per person, per day

Jerusalem $108

Cairo $27

The average daily cost (per person) in Jerusalem is $108, while the average daily cost in Cairo is $27. 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 Jerusalem and Cairo in more detail.

Accommodation

Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person

Jerusalem $64

Cairo $14
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room

Jerusalem $128

Cairo $28

Compare Hotels in Jerusalem and Cairo

Looking for a hotel in Jerusalem 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: Jerusalem Hotel Prices and Cairo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation

Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.

Jerusalem $6.74

Cairo $4.60

Typical Local Transportation prices in Jerusalem

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jerusalem are as follows:

Local Bus

$3.17
Light Rail Jerusalem

$9.82

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jerusalem

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Jerusalem:

Private Transfer From Ben Gurion Airport To Haifa Hotels : $300
Allenby Bridge to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv Private Transfer: $170
Jerusalem Departure Private Transfer to Tel Aviv Airport TLV: $383
Jerusalem Privaet Transfer To Eilat: $915
Jerusalem Private Transfer To Allaenby Bridge: $105
Jerusalem Private Transfer To Amman: $195
Jerusalem Private Transfer To Amman: $160
Jerusalem Private Transfer To Beit She’an Bridge: $195
Jerusalem Private Transfer To Dead Sea: $105
Jerusalem Private Transfer To Petra: $330
Jerusalem Private Transfer To Petra: $290
Jerusalem Private Transfer To Tel Aviv Airport: $105

Typical Local Transportation prices in Cairo

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:

Metro Ride

$0.13
Taxi Ride

$0.49

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 to Cairo and Giza from Cairo Airport: $5.60
Private Arrival or Departure Cairo Airport Transfer: $9.50
Giza: Pyramids Transfer With Optional Guide & Ticket: $9.53
Private Transfer From Cairo Airport To A Hotel In Giza And Pyramids Area: $10
Private Cairo Airport Transfers & Limousine to Anywhere in Cairo or vice versa: $10
Private transfer and pickup from Cairo Airport to Hotels: $10
Private Transfer from Cairo City to Cairo Airport: $10
Cairo Airport Arrival or departure transfer in Private Van : $10
Cairo Airport Transfer by private car: $10
Private Transfer From Cairo Airport To A Hotel In Down Town: $10
Private Airport Transfer to Cairo and Giza Hotels: $10

Is it cheaper to fly into Jerusalem or Cairo?

Prices for flights to both Cairo and Jerusalem 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

Food Meals for one day

Jerusalem $32

Cairo $7.32

Typical Food prices in Jerusalem

Some typical examples of dining costs in Jerusalem are as follows:

Orange Juice

$2.69
Watermelon

$4.04
Lunch

$12
Food at Market

$15
Juice

$2.69
Bagels

$8.07
Lunch for 2

$15
Snacks

$5.65

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jerusalem

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Jerusalem.

Food Tour in Jerusalem with a Local : $72
Private Lunch or Dinner at a Local Traditional Restaurant from Dead Sea: $96
Mahane Yehuda Market food tour jerusalem: $99
The Best Food Tour in Jerusalem--Perfect for Viral Travel Content: $110
Private Madaba Haret Jdoudna Restaurant Lunch or Dinner from Dead Sea: $115
Experience Shabbat With Dinner In Jerusalem: $167

Typical Food prices in Cairo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:

Juice

$0.06

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.

Unusual Cairo Food Tour : $15
Delicious food tour in Cairo: $15
Family Safari, ATV Quad Bike, Buggy, Dinner, Transfer - Hurghada: $16
Dinner Cruise on the Nile with Private Transfer from Cairo: $16
2-Hour Nile River Night Dinner Cruise from Cairo: $16
Super Safari ATV , Drive Buggy Car, Camel Ride, Dinner, Show-Hurghada: $19
Dinner Cruise Cairo With Belly Dancer Show in The Nile River: $20
Food Tour in Local Cairo Life with Egyptian tea: $22
Quad Bike ATV Camel Ride Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show: $23
Romantic Nile View Dinner: $23
Private Giza Pyramids and Egyptian Museum Tour with Dinner at Nile Cruise: $24
local oriental food tour from Cairo or Giza hotels: $24

Entertainment

Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.

Jerusalem $8.55

Cairo $8.86

Typical Entertainment prices in Jerusalem

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Jerusalem are as follows:

Cooking Classes for 2

$34

Tours and Activities in Jerusalem

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Jerusalem are as follows:

Three Religion Tour in Jerusalem Old City: $5.00
360 Virtual Tour of Ancient Jerusalem: $6.00
Jerusalem Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
Skip the Line:1.5Hour AudioTour - Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center Ticket: $11
Red Bus City Sightseeing Tour with View Point: $17
Independent graffiti tour in Jerusalem at your own time and pace: $22
Self-Guided Tour at Machne Yehuda Market with Chef Tali Fridman: $25
Old City Shabbat Experience and Walking Tour: $28
Hop-On Hop-Off Red Bus City Tour: $29
In The Footsteps of Jesus Day Tour - Dguide Self Guiding App: $30
Classic Jerusalem Old City Tour - Dguide Self Guiding App : $30
Guided Shabbat Experience in Jerusalem: $30

Typical Entertainment prices in Cairo

Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:

Entry to Camel Market for Two

$1.30
Egyptian Museum Entry for Two

$10

Tours and Activities in Cairo

Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

Cairo Shopping tour Private Papyrus Perfume, Bazar Cotton Shop : $5.00
Cairo Shopping Tour.: $5.00
Discover Ancient Wonders Half Day Tour Giza Pyramids and Sphinx: $8.00
Giza Pyramids and Sphinx Day Tour : $8.00
Private tour to The Mosque of Muhammad Ali: $9.00
Private Tour to old Islamic Cairo and the old famous arts: $9.00
Private Tour to the Egyptian Museum and tour to the famous old arts of Egypt: $9.00
Private tour to Al-Rifa'i Mosque: $9.00
Best cairo tours visit to Giza Pyramids and Sphinx: $10
Top Half Day Tour To Giza Pyramids And Sphinx: $10
Private Cairo shopping tour to real papyrus museum Lotus oil factory jewelries: $10
5 Hours Private Tour to Giza pyramids Sphinx and Old Coptic Cairo: $10

Alcohol

Alcohol Drinks for one day

Jerusalem $16

Cairo $1.81

Typical Alcohol prices in Jerusalem

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Jerusalem are as follows:

Beer

$4.84

Sample the Local Flavors in Jerusalem

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Jerusalem:

Judean Hills Wine Tasting Tour From Jerusalem: $475
kosher Israel wine tour: $763
Israel private tours,wine tours,off-road, tailor made,culinary,the best: $923

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: $60

How are these travel costs calculated?

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jerusalem and Cairo, we can see that Jerusalem is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Jerusalem 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 Jerusalem would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jerusalem than you might in Cairo.

Which is Bigger, Jerusalem or Cairo?

Cairo is bigger, and its population is about 10.8 times larger than the population of Jerusalem. When comparing the population of Jerusalem vs. 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 and the activities that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Jerusalem or Cairo?

Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.

Should I visit Jerusalem or Cairo in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Jerusalem and Cairo. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Jerusalem year-round. Cairo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In July, Jerusalem usually receives more rain than Cairo. Jerusalem gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Cairo receives 1 mm (0 in) of rain each month for the summer.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cairo this time of the year. In Jerusalem, it's very sunny this time of the year. Jerusalem usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Cairo during summer. Jerusalem gets 364 hours of sunny skies, while Cairo receives 350 hours of full sun in the summer.

Jerusalem is cooler than Cairo in the summer. The daily temperature in Jerusalem averages around 23°C (73°F) in July, and Cairo fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

Summer Average Temperatures July

Jerusalem 23°C (73°F)

Cairo 28°C (82°F)

Should I visit Jerusalem or Cairo in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Jerusalem as well as Cairo. Jerusalem attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cairo throughout the year.

Jerusalem usually gets more rain in October than Cairo. Jerusalem gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Cairo receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cairo. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Jerusalem this time of the year. In the autumn, Jerusalem often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Cairo. Jerusalem gets 274 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cairo receives 290 hours of full sun.

In the autumn, Jerusalem is cooler than Cairo. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Jerusalem in October average around 19°C (66°F), and Cairo averages at about 23°C (73°F).

Autumn Average Temperatures October

Jerusalem 19°C (66°F)

Cairo 23°C (73°F)

Should I visit Jerusalem or Cairo in the Winter?

Both Cairo and Jerusalem are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Jerusalem throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Cairo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In January, Jerusalem usually receives more rain than Cairo. Jerusalem gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Cairo receives 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.

It's quite sunny in Cairo. Jerusalem usually receives less sunshine than Cairo during winter. Jerusalem gets 184 hours of sunny skies, while Cairo receives 221 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Jerusalem is generally much colder than Cairo. Daily temperatures in Jerusalem average around 8°C (46°F), and Cairo fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).

Winter Average Temperatures January

Jerusalem 8°C (46°F)

Cairo 14°C (57°F)

Should I visit Jerusalem or Cairo in the Spring?

Both Cairo and Jerusalem during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Jerusalem because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cairo year-round.

Jerusalem usually gets more rain in April than Cairo. Jerusalem gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Cairo receives 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

In Cairo, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Jerusalem. In the spring, Jerusalem often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Cairo. Jerusalem gets 269 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cairo receives 276 hours of full sun.

Jerusalem is cooler than Cairo in the spring. The daily temperature in Jerusalem averages around 16°C (61°F) in April, and Cairo fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).

Spring Average Temperatures April

Jerusalem 16°C (61°F)

Cairo 21°C (70°F)

Typical Weather for Cairo and Jerusalem

	Jerusalem		Cairo
	Temp (°C)	Rain (mm)	Temp (°C)	Rain (mm)
Jan	8°C (46°F)	90 mm (3.5 in)	14°C (57°F)	15 mm (0.6 in)
Feb	9°C (48°F)	90 mm (3.5 in)	14°C (57°F)	4 mm (0.2 in)
Mar	12°C (54°F)	50 mm (2 in)	17°C (63°F)	8 mm (0.3 in)
Apr	16°C (61°F)	20 mm (0.8 in)	21°C (70°F)	7 mm (0.3 in)
May	19°C (66°F)	10 mm (0.4 in)	25°C (77°F)	0 mm (0 in)
Jun	22°C (72°F)	10 mm (0.4 in)	27°C (81°F)	0 mm (0 in)
Jul	23°C (73°F)	10 mm (0.4 in)	28°C (82°F)	1 mm (0 in)
Aug	23°C (73°F)	10 mm (0.4 in)	28°C (82°F)	0 mm (0 in)
Sep	22°C (72°F)	10 mm (0.4 in)	26°C (79°F)	5 mm (0.2 in)
Oct	19°C (66°F)	20 mm (0.8 in)	23°C (73°F)	5 mm (0.2 in)
Nov	15°C (59°F)	30 mm (1.2 in)	19°C (66°F)	1 mm (0 in)
Dec	10°C (50°F)	60 mm (2.4 in)	15°C (59°F)	3 mm (0.1 in)

A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Jerusalem vs. Cairo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons