Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Luxor?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Luxor or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Luxor or Cape Town? 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: Luxor or Cape Town?
Luxor
Egypt is surely on the top of every history lover's bucket list. Nowhere is the history more engrossing than in Luxor. From amazing monuments dating back to ancient Thebes to rows of temples up the Nile, this remarkable city is full the stories of past greatness.
The East Bank – or the central part of Luxor Township – is the hotbed for tourism. This is where most of the hotels and resorts are, while the West Bank is home to the ancient ruins and archaeological wonders you'll want to explore.
Before traveling to Egypt, be sure to check on the current affairs and political climate. It could have a major effect on the amount of tourists visiting, and, if conditions are too dangerous, you may want to reschedule. Also note, ladies, to avoid any issues, dress modestly. This is a very conservative region of the world. The less skin showing, the better.
Cape Town
Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.
Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Egypt, The Best Luxury Tours to Egypt, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Luxor Prices
Egypt PricesCape Town Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLuxor $31Cape Town $189
The average daily cost (per person) in Luxor is $31, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $189. 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 Luxor and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLuxor $11Cape Town $88
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLuxor $22Cape Town $176
Compare Hotels in Luxor and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Luxor or Cape Town? 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: Luxor Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Luxor $5.37Cape Town $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Luxor
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Luxor:
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Taxi Ride$0.40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Luxor
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Luxor:
- private Transfer from Marsa alam To Luxor: $70
- private Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada: $85
- luxor to Marsa Alam-or vice ( Private Transfer ): $105
- VIP Luxor Airport Transfer: $29
- Transfers from Luxor Airport to Hotels or to Nile Cruise: $7.00
- Transfers from Luxor Airport to Hotels or Nile Cruise: $40
- Transfers From Luxor To Hurghada: $140
- Transfer from luxor to Aswan passing by Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples (Optional): $90
- Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada with Dendera Temple: $100
- Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada Optional Stop at Dendera Temple: $90
- Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada: $67
- Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada: $89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 1-4 Passenger Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $62
- Afternoon Tea and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens with Transfer: $158
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $49
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town ) Bus: $20
- Airport Transfer (Cape Town): $62
- Airport Transfer from Cape Town International: $38
- Airport Transfers Cape Town: $63
- Airport Transfers to and from Cape Town International Airport: $38
- Airport and Hotel Transfer: $44
- Airport transfers in Cape Town: $35
- Aquila Safari Private Transfers Vehicle/Driver ONLY: $157
- Aquila Safari and Cheese & Wine Tasting with Private Transfers: $300
Is it cheaper to fly into Luxor or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Luxor 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 dayLuxor $16Cape Town $81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Luxor
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Luxor.
- Luxury Nile Sunset Felucca Sail | Private Dinner - Hotel Transfer: $15
- Tourist market,local food tour,the gym and coffee in Luxor: $19
- Experience Egyptian cooking at Luxor Farm: $20
- Luxor West Bank By Night and Alabaster Museum Tour with Dinner: $30
- Enjoy lunch or dinner al fresco at Luxor Farm: $30
- Luxor West Bank Tour: School, Church & Cooking Class: $35
- Eat Like a Local:Traditional Egyptian Food / Dinner at Local Family Home - Luxor: $36
- Riding a felucca at Sunset and Dinner an Egyptian House in Luxor: $40
- 3 Hours Culinary Journey with Family Food Tour in Luxor: $40
- Nile River Lunch or Dinner Cruise in Luxor (private Tour): $44
- Cooking Session with Family in Luxor with lunch: $50
- Luxor City Private Walking and Food Tour: $50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- African Cooking with a Chef Founder: $32
- From African Dinner and Drumming Experience: $63
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $63
- Cape Town Dinner Experience with local family: $68
- Private Indonesian & Cape Malay Cultural Cooking Class: $76
- Cape Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $79
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $87
- Sunset At Signal and Dinner Privat: $88
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $88
- Cape Town African Taste-Safari & Live Entertainment Dinner Experience: $95
- Cape Town Historic Centre Food Tour with 15 Local Dishes and Wine: $97
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Luxor $9.89Cape Town $26
Typical Entertainment Prices in Luxor
Here are a few typical costs in Luxor for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Boat Ride (for 2)$0.54
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Temple Karnak for Two$2.60
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Camel Ride for Two$1.20
Tours and Activities in Luxor
Here are a few actual costs in Luxor for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- (2 nights / 3 days )Nile cruise from Luxor to aswan: $300
- (Private) Half Day Tour Luxor Temple and Karnak Temples: $13
- 1 Day tour from luxor to safaga Snorkling boat trip: $50
- 2 Day Luxor Private Tour East and West Banks: $39
- 2 Day Luxor Tour East and West Bank Highlights: $24
- 2 Day in Luxor tours: $336
- 2 Days Luxor Tour Discover Egyptian Civilization of the West Bank: $178
- 2 Days Luxor Tour Including king's Valley, and Artisans Valley: $99
- 2 Days Private Luxor Tour: $190
- 2 Days Private Tour luxor: $45
- 2 Days Sightseeing Tour of Luxor Highlights: $140
- 2 Days Tour in Luxor Including Hot Air Balloon Ride: $99
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cape Town Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.50
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $4.08
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.98
- Kirstenbosch Gardens: An Audio Tour by Botany Expert: $5.00
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $5.01
- Half Hour Seal and Harbour Cruise from Cape Town: $5.06
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: Amble along the amazing False Bay Coast on an audio tour: $5.20
- The Village in the City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Bo-Kaap: $5.34
- Slavery in the Cape: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Cape Town's Slave History: $5.40
- Cape Town live guided Urban Safari: Inner City Tour: $5.65
- Cape Town 30-minute V&A Harbour Cruise: $5.97
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $6.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLuxor $2.96Cape Town $23
Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $14
- Craft Gin Tasting Experience and Distillery Tour: $15
- Urban Wine Tasting: $32
- Cape Town Hop- On Hop -Off Tour and Groot Constantia Wine Tasting: $34
- Indigenous Food and Wine Tasting: $38
- Cape Point, Penguins & Wine Tasting In Constantia Full Day Tour: $47
- Cape Town Wine Tour: 3 Wineries — Babylonstoren, Fairview & Spier: $48
- Wine Tour at Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl: $49
- Uncork the Cape : Stellenboch Half Day Wine Tour: $57
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $57
- From CapeTown: Stellenbosch Half Day Wine Tour: $59
- Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour in Stellenbosch: $60
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Luxor and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Luxor much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Luxor would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Luxor 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 Cape Town would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cape Town than you might in Luxor.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Luxor Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Luxor or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Luxor. When comparing the sizes of Luxor and Cape Town, 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.
When is the best time to visit Luxor or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Luxor experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Luxor or Cape Town in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Luxor as well as Cape Town. Luxor attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
It's very hot in Luxor this time of the year. Luxor is much warmer than Cape Town in the summer. The daily temperature in Luxor averages around 33°C (91°F) in July, and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in January.
Luxor usually gets less rain in July than Cape Townin January. Luxor gets 0 mm (0 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLuxor 33°C (91°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Luxor or Cape Town in the Autumn?
Both Cape Town and Luxor are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Luxor throughout the year.
In the autumn, Luxor is a little warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Luxor in October average around 25°C (77°F), and Cape Town averages at about 18°C (64°F)in April.
In October, Luxor usually receives less rain than Cape Townin April. Luxor gets 1 mm (0 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilLuxor 25°C (77°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Luxor or Cape Town in the Winter?
Both Cape Town and Luxor during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Luxor because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Luxor is generally a little warmer than Cape Townin July. Daily temperatures in Luxor average around 14°C (57°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
Luxor usually gets less rain in January than Cape Townin July. Luxor gets 0 mm (0 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyLuxor 14°C (57°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Luxor or Cape Town in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Luxor and Cape Town. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Luxor year-round.
Luxor is much warmer than Cape Town in the spring. The daily temperature in Luxor averages around 25°C (77°F) in April, and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F)in October.
In April, Luxor usually receives less rain than Cape Townin October. Luxor gets 0 mm (0 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberLuxor 25°C (77°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Luxor
| Luxor | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 14°C (57°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 15°C (59°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 30°C (86°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 32°C (90°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 33°C (91°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 31°C (88°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 30°C (86°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 25°C (77°F) | 1 mm (0 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 20°C (68°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 15°C (59°F) | 0 mm (0 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) |
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.