Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Kampala?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kampala or Cairo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Kampala 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: Kampala or Cairo?
Kampala
Kampala is the capital of Uganda in the South part of the country near Lake Victoria. It is the largest city in Uganda, with a population of over two million people. This city is very safe and the locals are known to be very kind and approachable.
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 Camping Tours in Uganda, The Best Safaris in Uganda, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKampala $69Cairo $17
The average daily cost (per person) in Kampala is $69, 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 Kampala and Cairo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKampala $59Cairo $9.36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKampala $118Cairo $19
Compare Hotels in Kampala and Cairo
Looking for a hotel in Kampala 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: Kampala Hotel Prices and Cairo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kampala $2.48Cairo $2.99
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kampala
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Kampala are as follows:
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Taxi around town$3.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kampala
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kampala:
- Entebbe Airport Transfers: $80
- Entebbe Airport taxi. For a safe, affordable and reliable 24/7 airport transfer.: $45
- From 3-Day Murchison Falls Safari with Transfer: $2,200
- Full-Day Kampala Trip with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $200
- Private Transfer from Entebbe Airport (EBB) Uganda to Kampala: $127
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$0.32
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
- Cairo Airport Departure Transfer : $25
- Cairo Airport Transfer to Hotel: $20
- Private Pickup transfer from Cairo Paradise Hotel to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private Pickup transfer from Windsor Hotel Cairo to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Private Transfer from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh : $290
- Private Transfer to Siwa Oasis from Cairo Going and Coming Back: $125
- Private transfer from Cairo Airport to Sonesta Hotel Tower : $9.60
- Private transfer from Sonesta Hotel, Tower& Casino Cairo to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Transfer from Anywhere in Cairo to Cairo International Airport: $25
- Private Transfer from/to Cairo International Airport: $26
Is it cheaper to fly into Kampala or Cairo?
Prices for flights to both Cairo and Kampala 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 dayKampala $8.33Cairo $4.75
Typical Food Prices in Kampala
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Kampala:
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Lunch for 2$1.58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kampala
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kampala.
- Like a local cooking Tours: $26
- Cooking Class for Typical Ugandan Food in Kampala: $31
- Three-Hour Food Tour: $41
- Private Cooking Class with a Local Host: $47
- Momma Ida's Ugandan Cuisine Cooking Tour: $75
- Kampala City Walking Food Tour: $77
- Night-time Boda Boda Street Food Tour: $91
- Fishing Village Food Tour & Luwombo Stop: $102
- Half-day Kampala City Tour and Traditional Dance Show with Dinner (7-Hours): $147
- uganda fun time (bed,breakfast, lunch and dinner ) : $154
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.
- Dinner Cruise on the Nile River: $12
- Cairo Night Dinner With Belly Dancer Show With Pickup & Drop Off: $13
- Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show and Private Transfer: $16
- Super Safari Quad Bike Jeep Safari Buggy and Dinner in Hurghada: $18
- Cairo Food Tour with Nile Felucca Ride : $18
- 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
- All inclusive Tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & ATV &Dinner cruise : $20
- Private tour Giza pyramids and Nile dinner cruise from Giza and Cairo hotels: $23
- Food Tour in Local Cairo Life with Egyptian tea: $23
- Giza pyramids ,Sphinx ,Valley temple and Nile Dinner cruise tours: $24
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kampala -Cairo $5.75
Tours and Activities in Kampala
Here are a few actual costs in Kampala for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Walking Tour in Kampala : $15
- Uganda Community Tour: $15
- African Fabric Market Tour : $18
- Amazing Tour Experience with a local: $20
- Kampala Half-Day Walking Tour with Local Female Guides: $20
- 3-Hour Walking Tour with Optional Gaddafi Mosque: $24
- Kampala:Guided walking tour: $25
- Entebbe Walking Tour (3 Hours) with Zoo and Botanical Gardens Options: $25
- Tombs, King’s palace and Gaddafi mosque walk tours: $26
- Steve Kampala Walking tours: $27
- Free Female Guided Walking Tours Kampala (3 Hours): $30
- Kampala Guided walking Tour: $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:
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Entry to Camel Market for Two$0.84
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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:
- Cheapest Tour to Wonders Pyramids of Giza and Great Sphinx : $4.00
- Dahshur Pyramids Entry Tickets: $4.26
- Baron Palace Entry Tickets : $4.60
- The Baron Empain Palace Entry Ticket: $4.60
- Cairo Shopping tour Private Papyrus Perfume, Bazar Cotton Shop : $4.70
- All Inclusive Tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, and Saqqara: $5.00
- New Grand Egyptian Museum Tour with optional the pyramids tour..: $5.00
- Baron Empain Palace Entry Tickets: $5.16
- Entry Ticket to the Prince Mohamed Ali Palace : $5.39
- Skip The Line with Memphis Museum Entry Ticket: $6.53
- Cairo Shopping Tour.: $7.00
- Baron Palace Skip the line Access Entry Tickets: $7.02
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKampala -Cairo $1.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Kampala
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Kampala:
- Entebbe and club,pub and bar crawl experiences: $35
- Kampala Pub Crawl | Uganda | 4 hours: $65
- Kampala Bar Crawl, Beer Tasting and Street Food (6 Hours): $71
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 Kampala and Cairo, we can see that Kampala 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 Kampala would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kampala 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 Kampala Expensive? and Is Cairo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kampala or Cairo?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Kampala. When comparing the sizes of Kampala 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.