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

Should you visit Jinja or Cairo?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Jinja 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: Jinja or Cairo?

Jinja

Jinja is a city located at the source of the Nile in Uganda, Africa. Many backpackers travel to Jinja, as it is known for its white water rafting. This city is the third largest economy in all of the East African Community. It has a population of about 72,000 people.

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 Wildlife Tours to Uganda, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Uganda, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.


Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Jinja?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Jinja is $92, while the average daily cost in Cairo is $17. 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 Jinja and Cairo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Jinja $44
    Cairo $9.36
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Jinja $88
    Cairo $19
Compare Hotels in Jinja and Cairo

Looking for a hotel in Jinja 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.

Hotels in Jinja


Hotels in Cairo


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: Jinja Hotel Prices and Cairo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Jinja $22
    Cairo $2.99

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo

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


  • Metro Ride
    $0.08
  • Taxi Ride
    $0.32

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:

  • Airport and excursion in Hurghada , Luxor or Cairo Transfer: $16
  • Cairo Airport Arrival Transfer: $20
  • Private Pickup transfer from Windsor Hotel Cairo to Cairo airport: $9.60
  • Private Tour Giza Pyramids,Sphinx With Camel Ride,Lunch and Hotels Transfers: $27
  • Private Transfer from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh : $290
  • Private transfer from The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo to Cairo airport: $9.60
  • Pyramids of Giza and Great Sphinx Half Day Tour With Private Guide & Transfers : $135
  • Round-Trip Airport Transfer in Cairo or Giza: $49
  • Transfer from Anywhere in Cairo to Cairo International Airport: $25
  • Transfers From Cairo Airport: $10
  •  Private Transfer from/to Cairo International Airport: $26
  • 01 way Private Transfer from your Hotel in Cairo to Cairo Airport: $10

Is it cheaper to fly into Jinja or Cairo?

Prices for flights to both Cairo and Jinja 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
    Jinja $28
    Cairo $4.75

Typical Food Prices in Cairo

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


  • 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 Dinner Cruise, Belly Dancer Show With Pickup Service: $8.78
  • Cairo/Giza: Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show & Private Transfer : $9.63
  • Dinner Cruise on the Nile River: $12
  • Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show and Private Transfer: $15
  • VIP tour Giza pyramids ,Sphinx, Quad bike ,Camel, Dinner cruise : $19
  • Private Expert tour Giza Pyramids ,Sphinx ,Nile Dinner Cruise & Belly Dancer: $19
  • Giza Pyramids, Camel Ride, Quad Bike, Night and Dinner Cruise on Nile: $19
  • food tour private tour from cairo or giza hotel: $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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Jinja $29
    Cairo $5.75

Tours and Activities in Jinja

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

  • Half-Day Banana Kayak Experience in Bubugo with Lunch: $25
  • Half-Day Jinja Walking Tour: Source of Nile & Boat Ride Options: $31
  • Guided Walking Tour with Optional Source of the Nile: $31
  • David's Shared Walking Tour in Jinja with a Local Cultural Meal: $40
  • Three days source of the nile & sipi falls tour: $760
  • White Water Rafting & Source of the Nile Adventure: $760
  • 3days jinja and sipi falls tour: $800
  • Uganda: 4 Day Jinja City Tour Uganda: $1,655
  • 18 Days African Jungle Safari Tour: $9,433

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
    $0.84
  • Egyptian Museum Entry for Two
    $6.49

Tours and Activities in Cairo

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

  • Dahshur Pyramids Entry Tickets: $4.27
  • 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
  • All Inclusive Tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, and Saqqara: $5.00
  • 3-Hour Private Tour of Papyrus and Perfumes in Ancient Egypt: $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
  • Cairo Shopping Tour.: $7.00
  • Baron Palace Skip the line Access Entry Tickets: $7.08
  • El Sultan Hassan Mosque Entry Ticket: $7.08

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Jinja $13
    Cairo $1.17

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: $59


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


Which is Bigger, Jinja or Cairo?

Cairo has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Jinja. When comparing the sizes of Jinja 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.