Which place is cheaper, Cappadocia or Petra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Petra or Cappadocia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 Petra and Cappadocia can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Petra or Cappadocia?
Petra
Whether you're checking off the Seven Wonders of the World, or you're just a huge Indiana Jones fan, the city of Petra must be on your bucket list. The "rose red city, half as old as time," was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom in the 6th century BC. It was the center for trade and commerce until an earthquake took out buildings and destroyed their water management system. After this destruction, the city of Petra seemed to be lost to western civilization.
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is in Central Anatolia, between the mountains Erciyes, Melendiz and Hasan. It is famous for its underground cities, fairy chimneys, and caves. The landscape of the area is some of the most unique you'll ever see. The fairy chimneys are bizarrely shaped rock outcroppings that have evolved from the unique geography in the area. There are hiking trails through the series of valleys that make up the area. It's a great place to explore for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Jordan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Jordan, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Turkey, and The Best Adventure Tours to Turkey.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPetra $125Cappadocia $151
The average daily cost (per person) in Petra is $125, while the average daily cost in Cappadocia is $151. 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 Petra and Cappadocia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPetra $59Cappadocia $53
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPetra $118Cappadocia $106
Compare Hotels in Petra and Cappadocia
Looking for a hotel in Petra or Cappadocia? 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: Petra Hotel Prices and Cappadocia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Petra $23Cappadocia $51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Petra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Petra:
- Petra to Madaba Private Transfer: $140
- Private Transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $135
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Petra or vice versa via the King's Highway: $120
- Private transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $118
- Petra to Aqaba South Beach Hotels Private Transfer: $110
- Petra Private Transfer to or from Aqaba: $105
- Private Transfer From Petra to Amman or Airport With Optional : $99
- Private Departure Transfer: Petra Hotels to Amman Airport: $93
- Private Transfer from Petra City Hotels to Aqaba Airport: $93
- Petra to Wadi Rum Private Transfer: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cappadocia
Also for Cappadocia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Shuttle Transfer(Kayseri ASR - Nevsehir NAV Airport to Hotel): $13
- Cappadocia Shared Transfer From/To Kayseri and Nevşehir Airport: $13
- Airport Transfer From and To Kayseri and Nevsehir : $13
- Shared Airport Transfer From Nevsehir/Kayseri Airports to Hotels: $15
- From Kayseri & Nevsehir Airports: Transfer to Cappadocia: $16
- Shared Shuttle Airport or Hotel Transfer in Cappadocia: $16
- Transfer from Kayseri Airport to Cappadocia Hotels (Small Group): $16
- One way Transfer from Nevşehir Airport to Cappadocia Hotels: $16
- Kayseri Airport Transfer: $16
- Whirling Dervishes Show in Cappadocia w/ Free Hotel Transfer: $20
- Shared Airport Transfer to Nevsehir Airport From Cappadocia: $22
- Shuttle Transfer from Cappadocia Hotels to "Kayseri Erkilet Airport": $22
Is it cheaper to fly into Petra or Cappadocia?
Prices for flights to both Cappadocia and Petra 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 dayPetra $38Cappadocia $50
Typical Food Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of dining costs in Petra are as follows:
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Dinner for Two$12
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Juice$1.76
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Petra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Petra.
- Cooking outside in little Petra between the Mountains. : $45
- Private Outdoor bedouin Dinner in Petra: $300
Typical Food Prices in Cappadocia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cappadocia:
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Cookies$0.03
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Turkish Night Show in Cave Restaurant with Dinner and Transfer: $43
- Cappadocia Turkish Night in Avanos Dinner Included: $48
- Turkish Night Show With Dinner in a Cave Restaurant: $54
- 3 Hours Turkish Night in Cappadocia with Dinner: $54
- Cappadocia Night: Turkish Dance & Dinner : $60
- Cappadocia Turkish Night Show with Dinner and Entertainments: $62
- Turkish Night Show & Dinner: $63
- Cappadocian cooking - hands-on class with pickup: $64
- Romantic Cappadocia Sunset Dinner and Wine : $65
- Cappadocia Cave Restaurant for Dinner and Turkish Entertainments: $71
- Romantic Cappadocia Private Sunset Dinner With Wild Food : $78
- Cooking class at the Local Village House in Cappadocia: $86
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Petra $47Cappadocia $95
Typical Entertainment Prices in Petra
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Petra are as follows:
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Entry to Petra for One$71
Tours and Activities in Petra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Petra are as follows:
- 3 Hour Horse Riding Adventure around the Petra Area: $145
- 3-hour Private Guided Tour In Petra with hotel pick up.: $75
- Petra Back Entrance Private Walking Tour: $215
- Private Back Trail Tour of Petra starting from the Monastery : $276
- Private Full-Day Tour to Petra and Wadi Rum from Dead Sea: $269
- Private Half-Day Tour of Petra with Lunch: $120
- Private Indiana-Jones Archeological Trail Tour: $90
- Private Petra Back Entrance Tour with Guide .: $140
- Wadi Rum Day Tour from Petra ending in Aqaba: $138
- Wadi Rum Private Tour from Petra with Martian and Star Wars Film Site: $173
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cappadocia
For Cappadocia, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Underground City Entrance for Two$0.93
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Hot Air Balloon Ride for Two$18
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Horseback Riding for Two$3.55
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Cappadocia Driving Tour$3.78
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Goreme Museum Entrance Fee$0.46
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Whirling Dervishes Show$3.09
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Turkish Bath$2.16
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Hot air ballooning$13
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Goreme open air museum$0.62
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Bellydancing Show$4.02
Tours and Activities in Cappadocia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cappadocia.
- Skip the Line: Guray Museum Admission Ticket: $4.34
- Best Of Private Cappadocia Tour ( Car & Guide ): $4.89
- Cappadocia Private Tour (Car & Guide): $5.00
- Cappadocia Private Tour with Car & Guide : $5.99
- Full Day Private Cappadocia Tour( Car & Guide): $10
- Cappadocia 1 hour horse tour: $16
- Cappadocia Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Watching Experience: $16
- Cappadocia horseback valley tour: $18
- Private Underground City tour in Cappadocia Derinkuyu , Kaymakli: $18
- 2 Hour Sunset Quad Bike(Atv) Tour: $19
- Sunrise Balloon Watching Tour with Photographer: $20
- Cappadocia Local Carpet Weaving Tour: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPetra $15Cappadocia $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Cappadocia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cappadocia:
- Cappadocia Nightlife Experience: Bar and Pub Crawl Tour: $32
- Wine tasting in Cappadocia: $64
- Cappadocia Wine Cellar and Wine Yard with Wine Tasting: $79
- Wine Tasting and Sunset in Cappadocia: $196
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Petra and Cappadocia, we can see that Cappadocia is more expensive. And not only is Petra much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Petra is in Middle East and Cappadocia is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Petra would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Petra 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 Cappadocia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cappadocia than you might in Petra.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Petra Expensive? and Is Cappadocia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Petra or Cappadocia?
Petra has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cappadocia. When comparing the sizes of Petra and Cappadocia, 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.