Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Ankara?
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 Ankara or Cairo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Ankara and Cairo. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Ankara or Cairo?
Ankara
Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.
Cairo
Cairo is the chaotic capital city of Egypt. With a population of more than 16 million, it is one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East. As a traveler, you're likely to arrive and leave from here and you'll get your first orientation to the area during the chaotic and congestion filled taxi ride from the airport.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Turkey, The Best Tours for Seniors to Turkey, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.
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Ankara Prices
Turkey PricesCairo Prices
Egypt Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAnkara $110Cairo $33
The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $110, while the average daily cost in Cairo is $33. 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 Ankara and Cairo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAnkara $45Cairo $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAnkara $90Cairo $22
Compare Hotels in Ankara and Cairo
Looking for a hotel in Ankara or Cairo? 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: Ankara Hotel Prices and Cairo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ankara $29Cairo $3.80
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:
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Metro Ride$0.03
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Short Taxi Ride$0.12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:
- Ankara Airport & Hotel Transfers : $48
- Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $114
- Ankara Esenboga Airport to City Hotels Transfer: $46
- Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $114
- Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $50
- Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $54
- Private Airport Transfer From/To Ankara Airport to Cankaya Hotels: $42
- Private Transfer Ankara Esenboga Airport ESB to Keçiören Ankara: $40
- Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $54
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Beypazari Town: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Gordion Ancient City: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Kizilcahamam Town: $185
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
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Metro Ride$0.08
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Taxi Ride$0.32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
- 2-Days Trip in Cairo & Giza (Including Free Transfer from the Airport): $143
- Private Tour Giza Pyramids,Sphinx With Camel Ride,Lunch and Hotels Transfers: $13
- Private Transfer from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh : $290
- Private transfer from Cairo Airport to The Nile Ritz-Carlton Hotel: $12
- Private transfer from Sonesta Hotel, Tower& Casino Cairo to Cairo airport: $12
- Pyramids of Giza and Great Sphinx Half Day Tour With Private Guide & Transfers : $135
- Round-Trip Airport Transfer in Cairo or Giza: $50
- 01 way Private Transfer from your Hotel in Cairo to Cairo Airport: $13
- 1 Day Aswan Abu Simple Tour with Transfer Included: $300
- 1 Hour ATV Quad Bike Ride At Giza Pyramids With Private Transfer : $30
- 1 Way Pick up transfer from Cairo to Hurghada by private Car: $60
- 2 Day Cairo Tour upon arrival day with airport transfer: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Cairo?
Prices for flights to both Cairo and Ankara 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 dayAnkara $44Cairo $18
Typical Food Prices in Ankara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:
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A Quick Lunch$0.28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ankara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ankara.
- Turkish Cuisine Cooking Class at Local Home with Family: $49
- Baklava Cooking Class: $61
Typical Food Prices in Cairo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:
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Juice$0.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.
- Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer show on Nile river: $5.00
- Great tour toThe Grand Museum of Giza and Nile River DinnerCruise: $5.00
- Quad Bike ATV ,Camel Ride ,Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show: $7.00
- Cairo Food Tour with Nile Felucca Ride : $7.00
- Private Nile Cruise with Dinner and Folk Show from Cairo: $7.50
- Night Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer and folklore show: $8.00
- night-tour Nile dinner cruise with open buffet and belly dancer: $8.00
- Local Oriental Food Tour from Cairo or Giza hotels: $9.00
- Cairo Dinner Cruise show with belly dancer show on Nile river: $9.00
- Cairo Food Tour in local places & Egyptian Mint Tea: $9.00
- food tour private tour from cairo or giza hotel: $9.00
- Giza pyramids,Sphinx,ATV bike,Camel ride,Dinner cruise& shopping: $9.00
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ankara $27Cairo $9.09
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara
Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Underground City$0.19
Tours and Activities in Ankara
Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Private Guided Walking Tour: $35
- Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $36
- Private Walking Tour with a Local: $41
- Best of Private Walking Tour with a Local: $66
- 6-Hour Private Tour with Guide, Car, and Lunch: $175
- Private Ankara Sightseeing Tour: $235
- Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $240
- Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $249
- Private Ankara City Tours by an Archaeologist Tour Guide : $280
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo
Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Camel Market for Two$0.84
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Egyptian Museum Entry for Two$6.47
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Private Tour in Pyramids of Giza with Lunch and Camel Ride: $1.00
- Egyptian Museum Tour Cave Church Old Cairo Saladin Citadel: $1.00
- Best Day TourTo Giza Pyramids,Sphinx,Egyptian Museum, Bazar,Lunch: $1.75
- Cheap Day tour to Giza Pyramids Sphinx With Camel Rid : $2.00
- Best Egypt Tour Giza Pyramids Sphinx lunch fees camel 9rd pyramid: $3.50
- VIP privatr tour Giza pyramids sphins &Saqqara and Memphis : $3.50
- Explore Giza Pyramids on a Private ATV or Camel Tour: $4.00
- Chep Day Tour Pyramids Giza, Memphis, Saqqara and Camel: $4.00
- Private Half Day Pyramids Tour with Felucca: $4.50
- All inclusive Tour To Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Camel Ride, Lunch: $4.50
- Private Tour in Iconic Giza Pyramids From Cairo: $5.00
- Cairo Highlights Tours Visit Giza Pyramids and Sphinx: $5.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAnkara $12Cairo $1.48
Sample the Local Flavors in Cairo
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cairo:
- Pub Crawl and Speakeasy Bar Tour with 2 Free Drinks: $70
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ankara and Cairo, we can see that Ankara is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ankara is in Europe and Cairo is in Africa, 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 Cairo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cairo 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 Ankara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ankara than you might in Cairo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ankara Expensive? and Is Cairo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ankara or Cairo?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Ankara. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and Cairo, 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.