Which place is cheaper, Lucknow or Petra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Petra or Lucknow?
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 Lucknow can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Petra or Lucknow?
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.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Jordan, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Jordan, The Best Yoga Tours and Retreats in India, and The Best Luxury Tours to India.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPetra $125Lucknow $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Petra is $125, while the average daily cost in Lucknow is $46. 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 Lucknow in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPetra $59Lucknow $19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPetra $118Lucknow $38
Compare Hotels in Petra and Lucknow
Looking for a hotel in Petra or Lucknow? 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 Lucknow Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Petra $23Lucknow $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Petra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Petra:
- Private transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $118
- Private Transfer from Petra City Hotels to Aqaba Airport: $93
- Private Transfer Petra to/from Wadi Rum: $135
- Private Transfer From Petra to Amman or Airport With Optional : $99
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Petra or vice versa via the King's Highway: $120
- Private Transfer Amman Airport to Ma'in Hotel and vice versa: $73
- Private Departure Transfer: Petra Hotels to Amman Airport: $93
- Petra to Wadi Rum Private Transfer: $80
- Petra to Sheikh Hussein Crossing Border Private Transfer: $180
- Petra to Madaba Private Transfer: $140
- Petra to Aqaba South Beach Hotels Private Transfer: $110
- Petra Private Transfer to or from Aqaba: $105
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lucknow
Also for Lucknow, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Lucknow Airport Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer from Chaudhary Charan Singh (LKO) Airport to Lucknow: $42
- Private Transfer from Lucknow to Chaudhary Charan Singh (LKO) Airport: $42
- Agra to Lucknow Transfer: $100
- Lucknow 3-Days Private Tour with Hotel and Transfers: $277
Is it cheaper to fly into Petra or Lucknow?
Prices for flights to both Lucknow 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 $38Lucknow $17
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lucknow
For Lucknow, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner With A Maharaja In Lucknow: $272
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Petra $47Lucknow $14
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
Tours and Activities in Lucknow
For Lucknow, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Lucknow Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.63
- Heritage & Cultural Walk of Lucknow (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Colonial Walk of Lucknow (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $13
- Heritage & Cultural Walk of Lucknow (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $14
- Night Walk Lucknow (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $14
- Heritage Lucknow Photography Tour (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour): $14
- Day Tour Of Lucknow: $22
- Lucknow Food Crawl (2 Hours Guided Local Food Tasting Tour): $25
- Private Ayodhya & Ram Mandir Temple Tour: $47
- 8 Hour: Lucknow Full day City Sightseeing Trip: $61
- Custom Private Lucknow Sightseeing Trip with Guided Trip: $61
- Lucknow Treasures: A Full-Day Private City Tour: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPetra $15Lucknow $7.04
Sample the Local Flavors in Lucknow
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lucknow:
- Pub Crawl Lucknow: $39
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Petra and Lucknow, we can see that Petra is more expensive. And not only is Lucknow much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Petra is in Middle East and Lucknow is in Asia, 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 Lucknow would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lucknow 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 Petra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Petra than you might in Lucknow.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Petra Expensive? and Is Lucknow Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Petra or Lucknow?
Lucknow has a larger population, and is about 180 times larger than the population of Petra. When comparing the sizes of Petra and Lucknow, 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.