Should you visit Lucknow or Jaisalmer?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Lucknow and Jaisalmer can help you decide which place is right for you.
Lucknow
Lucknow, located in the central region of Awadh, is the capital city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. With a very rich cultural and historical past, Lucknow has been at the heart of North Indian culture for many centuries. It thrives in areas of art, cuisine, dance, culture, music, and more.
Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is located in western part of the Rajasthan state of India. The city is known as the "Golden City" for its Sonar Qila, or 'Golden Fort'. This fort is different than other forts in India in that it is a living fort, meaning that it contains many hotels, homes, and shops for locals and visitors. The city is very close to the Thar Desert, to which excursions can be made.
Which city is cheaper, Jaisalmer or Lucknow?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Lucknow is $42, while the average daily cost in Jaisalmer is $34. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Lucknow and Jaisalmer in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $34 in Lucknow For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $24 in Jaisalmer For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The average traveler spends about $15 per day in Lucknow for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
The average traveler spends about $12 per day in Jaisalmer for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Lucknow $15
Jaisalmer $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lucknow
For Lucknow, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Local Uttrakhand Cuisine Cooking Class in Rishikesh:
$9.89
-
Udaipur Food Tour:
$12
-
Authentic Indian Tea Brewing and Paratha Cooking Private Online Class:
$15
-
Hyderabad Street Food Tour:
$16
-
Wagah Beating Retreat Border Ceremony (with Dinner) in Amritsar:
$16
-
Authentic Maharashtrian Cuisine Private Virtual Cooking Class from Mumbai:
$18
-
Mandovi River Dinner Cruise in Goa:
$19
-
Cooking Class And Dining Experience In Varanasi:
$20
-
North Kerala Culinary Food Tour in Thalassery:
$24
-
Mumbai Walking Food Tour:
$25
-
Lucknow Food Tour:
$26
-
Cooking and Dining Experience in Agra:
$27
Typical Food prices in Jaisalmer
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jaisalmer:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaisalmer
For Jaisalmer, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Local Uttrakhand Cuisine Cooking Class in Rishikesh:
$9.89
-
Udaipur Food Tour:
$12
-
Authentic Indian Tea Brewing and Paratha Cooking Private Online Class:
$15
-
Hyderabad Street Food Tour:
$16
-
Wagah Beating Retreat Border Ceremony (with Dinner) in Amritsar:
$16
-
Authentic Maharashtrian Cuisine Private Virtual Cooking Class from Mumbai:
$18
-
Mandovi River Dinner Cruise in Goa:
$19
-
Cooking Class And Dining Experience In Varanasi:
$20
-
Complete Desert Experience- Jeep Safari, Dinner, Cultural Programs and Bonfire:
$21
-
North Kerala Culinary Food Tour in Thalassery:
$24
-
Mumbai Walking Food Tour:
$25
-
Cooking and Dining Experience in Agra:
$27
Local Transportation
Lucknow's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $12 per person, per day on transportation in Lucknow.
To get around in Jaisalmer, the average visitor spends $11 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lucknow
Also for Lucknow, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Lucknow 3-Days Private Tour with Hotel and Transfers:
$293
-
Private City Transfers between Manali and Leh:
$267
-
Private City Transfers between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, Daman & Diu:
$96
-
Private City Transfers from Mumbai to Gokarna, Kolhapur & Aurangabad:
$74
-
Private City Transfers between Bangalore and Hampi:
$69
-
Private City Transfers between Amritsar and Dalhousie, Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala or Bir:
$59
-
Private Transfers From Delhi To Jim Corbett National Park:
$59
-
Private City Transfers between Ahmedabad and Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh:
$58
-
Private City Transfers between Agra and Meerut, Kanpur and Jhansi:
$58
-
Private City Transfers for Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur & More:
$57
-
Private City Transfers from Lonavala to Mumbai and Pune:
$56
-
Private City Transfers for Jodhpur, Bikaner, Udaipur & More:
$55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaisalmer
Also for Jaisalmer, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport Private Transfers (SXR) for Srinagar:
$14
-
Pune International Airport Private Transfers (PNQ) for Pune:
$19
-
Private Vadodara Airport (BDQ) Transfers for Vadodara:
$15
-
Private Transfers From Delhi To Jim Corbett National Park:
$59
-
Private Transfer from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur:
$35
-
Private Transfer from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur:
$37
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Sam Sand Dunes:
$19
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Pushkar:
$85
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Khuri Sand Dunes:
$19
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Jodhpur Via Osian Temple:
$41
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Jaipur:
$117
-
Private Transfer From Jaisalmer To Jaipur:
$117
Is it cheaper to fly into Lucknow or Jaisalmer?
Prices for flights to both Jaisalmer and Lucknow 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Lucknow can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $13 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
In Jaisalmer, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $11 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Lucknow
For Lucknow, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Explore Old City of Hyderabad with Experienced Storyteller Online Experience:
$19
-
Instagram Tour in Delhi:
$101
-
Lamadug Trekking Day Tour from Manali:
$21
-
Mathura Vrindavan, Taj Mahal and Agra City Private Day Tour from Delhi:
$118
-
11D10N Golden Triangle and Holy City Private Tour from Delhi:
$863
-
2D Delhi and Agra Combo Private Tour:
$110
-
2D1N Adventure Camping in Jaipur:
$33
-
2D1N Bhandardara Lakeside Camping Experience :
$20
-
2D1N Bhandardara Lakeside Camping Experience from Mumbai:
$20
-
2D1N Gir National Park Tour from Ahmedabad:
$69
-
2D1N Golden Triangle Tour from Delhi:
$158
-
2D1N Hampi Private Sightseeing Tour from Bangalore:
$164
Typical Entertainment prices in Jaisalmer
For Jaisalmer, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Sam Sand Dunes for Two
$4.08
Tours and Activities in Jaisalmer
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Jaisalmer.
-
Explore Old City of Hyderabad with Experienced Storyteller Online Experience:
$19
-
Instagram Tour in Delhi:
$101
-
Lamadug Trekking Day Tour from Manali:
$21
-
Mathura Vrindavan, Taj Mahal and Agra City Private Day Tour from Delhi:
$118
-
( Overnight Camel Safari ) non touristic area:
$25
-
1 Night Camel Safari Tour In Jaisalmer:
$77
-
1 Night and 2 half Day Safari - Non Touristic:
$35
-
11D10N Golden Triangle and Holy City Private Tour from Delhi:
$863
-
2 Days-1 Night Camel Tour:
$93
-
2-Night Desert Experience with Luxury Camp from Jaisalmer:
$114
-
2D Delhi and Agra Combo Private Tour:
$110
-
2D1N Adventure Camping in Jaipur:
$33
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Lucknow spend on average $6.40 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Jaisalmer, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $8.40.
Sample the Local Flavors in Lucknow
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lucknow:
-
Pub Crawl in Delhi:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Pune:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Mumbai:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Jaipur:
$18
-
Udaipur Pub Crawl:
$19
-
South Mumbai Pub Crawl:
$19
-
Pub Crawl In Bangalore:
$19
-
Pub Crawl in Goa:
$20
-
Pub Crawl Lucknow:
$21
-
Sula Vineyards with Wine Tasting Day Tour from Mumbai:
$49
Sample the Local Flavors in Jaisalmer
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Jaisalmer:
-
Pub Crawl in Delhi:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Pune:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Mumbai:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Jaipur:
$18
-
Udaipur Pub Crawl:
$19
-
South Mumbai Pub Crawl:
$19
-
Pub Crawl In Bangalore:
$19
-
Pub Crawl in Goa:
$20
-
Sula Vineyards with Wine Tasting Day Tour from Mumbai:
$49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lucknow and Jaisalmer, we can see that Lucknow is more expensive. And not only is Jaisalmer much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Jaisalmer would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jaisalmer 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 Lucknow would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lucknow than you might in Jaisalmer.
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