Which place is cheaper, Johannesburg or Luxor?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Luxor or Johannesburg?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Luxor or Johannesburg? 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 Johannesburg?
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.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa with a population of over 3 million people. Most of the population is made up of South Africa's black residents, who predominately reside in the Soweto area. There are approximately half a million white residents and 300,000 residents of other descent. Half of the population live in the Soweto area as well as the nearby suburbs.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Egypt, The Best Luxury Tours to Egypt, The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, and The Best Eco Tours in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLuxor $17Johannesburg $94
The average daily cost (per person) in Luxor is $17, while the average daily cost in Johannesburg is $94. 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 Johannesburg in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLuxor $7.62Johannesburg $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLuxor $15Johannesburg $108
Compare Hotels in Luxor and Johannesburg
Looking for a hotel in Luxor or Johannesburg? 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 Johannesburg Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Luxor $3.91Johannesburg $16
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$0.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Luxor
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Luxor:
- Luxor Airport Private Transfer: $6.00
- Private Transfer from & to Luxor Airport from Any Hotel in Luxor: $6.00
- Departure Transfer from Luxor Hotels to Luxor airport: $6.40
- Transfers from Luxor Airport to Hotels or to Nile Cruise: $7.00
- private Transfer From Luxor Hotel To The Airport Or Vice Versa : $7.00
- Luxor Airport Departure: Convenient Private Hotel Transfer: $7.02
- Luxor Airport Private Luxury Transfer (Arrival or Departure): $7.20
- Pick up Transfers From Luxor Airport To Luxor Hotels: $7.50
- Pickup Transfers And Taxi Services From Hotel In Luxor To Luxor Airport: $7.50
- Luxor Private Transfer East Bank hotels to Airport or vice versa: $8.00
- Private Transfer from Luxor Airport to Luxor Hotels: $8.00
- Luxor Private Transfer From East&west Banks hotels to the Airport: $8.00
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Johannesburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Johannesburg:
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Taxi Ride$3.19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- 1-3 Passenger Private Johannesburg - Airport Transfer: $34
- Airport To Suncity Transfer And Return: $388
- Arrival Private Transfer JNB Airport to Johannesburg, Pretoria or SunCity by Van: $73
- Arrival Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Business Car: $61
- Arrival Private Transfer: Tambo Airport JNB to Johannesburg in Luxury Van: $72
- Departure Private Transfer: Johannesburg to Tambo Airport JNB in Luxury Van: $72
- Executive Airport Transfers - OR Tambo to Sandton : $174
- From Johannesburg Airport: 1-Way Transfer with Pretoria Tour: $104
- Johannesburg Airport (JNB): Transfer to Johannesburg hotels: $193
- Johannesburg Airport (JNB): Transfer to Pretoria hotels: $276
- Johannesburg Airport JNB to Johannesburg Hotels Arrival Transfer: $35
- Johannesburg Airport Private Transfers: Departures (Hotel Pickup): $43
Is it cheaper to fly into Luxor or Johannesburg?
Prices for flights to both Johannesburg 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 $5.83Johannesburg $17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Luxor
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Luxor.
- Dinner on the River Nile with Belly Dancing: $35
- Eat Like a Local:Traditional Egyptian Food / Dinner at Local Family Home - Luxor: $36
- Luxor Sunset Felucca Ride and Banana Island with Lunch or Dinner: $38
- Dinner Cruise on the Nile River: $43
- Sunset Felucca Ride and Banana Island with Lunch or Dinner Luxor: $45
- Private Half Day Felucca Ride and Banana Island with Lunch or Dinner From Luxor: $52
- Karnak Sound And Light Show With Dinner, Felucca : $64
- Luxor & Mummification Museums & City Tour by H. Carriage & Dinner: $70
- Enjoy Half Day Sunset Felucca Ride and Banana Island with Lunch or Dinner: $90
- Full day trip west Bank, Dandara and dinner on a boat.: $128
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johannesburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Johannesburg.
- Maboneng Street Art and Street Food Tour: $39
- Taste of Africa Food Tour: $49
- A Private Traditional Cape Malay Cooking Class, with a MKR Finalist: $95
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $96
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $186
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Luxor $6.74Johannesburg $21
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)$0.57
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Temple Karnak for Two$2.74
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Camel Ride for Two$1.26
Tours and Activities in Luxor
Here are a few actual costs in Luxor for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ramesseum Mortuary Temple of Ramses II Entry Ticket: $4.56
- Entry Ticket To Valley of the Queens: $4.60
- Valley Of The Queens Entry Ticket: $4.60
- Valley Of The Kings Entry Ticket: $4.60
- Mummification Museum Entry Ticket: $5.10
- Souvenir Shopping Tour, Luxor: $5.13
- Luxor Museum Entry Ticket: $7.60
- See the Valley of the Kings & More: Shared Tour (All-Inclusive): $8.80
- Karnak Temple And Luxor Temple Private Day Tour : $8.95
- Explore Luxor temple and City Private Tour by Flucca: $9.00
- Temple Of Queen Hatshepsut Entry Ticket: $9.20
- Temple of Queen Hatshepsut Entry Tickets : $9.20
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- Johannesburg Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Jo'burg Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Apartheid Museum & Soweto: $16
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus with Optional Soweto Tour: $16
- Architectural Walking Tour: $18
- Soweto: Hector Pieterson Memorial, to Orlando Towers Tour: $23
- Braamfontein Street Art Tour: $23
- Maboneng Street Art & Culture Tour: $26
- Soweto: Bike Tour with a Local Tour Guide: $28
- Colours of A Graffiti & Street Art Tour: $28
- (Meet the Artist)Art Gallery & Street Art tour with lunch: $29
- Johannesburg Street Art & Museum Walking or E-scooter Tour : $29
- A Day Of Soweto Food & Beer Tour: $31
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLuxor $2.26Johannesburg $4.65
Sample the Local Flavors in Johannesburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Johannesburg:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Johannesburg: $8.02
- Wine Tasting and Cableway Half Day Tour: $111
- Experience Johannesburg Wine Tour Views and Luxury: $225
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Luxor and Johannesburg, we can see that Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Luxor or Johannesburg?
Johannesburg has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Luxor. When comparing the sizes of Luxor and Johannesburg, 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.