Which place is cheaper, Dahab or Heraklion?
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 Heraklion or Dahab?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Heraklion and Dahab can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Heraklion or Dahab?
Heraklion
The largest city on the island of Crete, Heraklion on first glance is almost completely modern - a frenzy of traffic, concrete, and dust. Do not expect pristine beaches and glittering waves (those can be found on other parts of Crete). Heraklion is first and foremost a city. Once you get past its grittiness, you will find that there are some attractive features beneath first impressions. The antiquity of the place lies embedded in the modern and is presented in one of the best museums in Greece, the food is excellent, and the people are friendly and welcoming. And though the sea is not great for swimming, its presence along the Venetian port will take you to another time if you need a break from Heraklion's bustling center.
Dahab
Dahab is a small town on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is located about 85 kilometers north of Sharm el-Sheikh and sits on the Gulf of Aqaba. It's a popular destination with divers and backpackers alike, and offers some of the best snorkeling and diving that you'll find in the Red Sea. It's a great alternative to the resort driven Sharm el-Sheikh, and is popular with independent travelers who are looking for affordable accommodation. There are some upmarket options however, predominantly in the Laguna area, but budget facilities are not hard to find.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.
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Heraklion Prices
Greece PricesDahab Prices
Egypt Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHeraklion €195Dahab €22
The average daily cost (per person) in Heraklion is €195, while the average daily cost in Dahab is €22. 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 Heraklion and Dahab in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHeraklion €81Dahab €7.93
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHeraklion €162Dahab €16
Compare Hotels in Heraklion and Dahab
Looking for a hotel in Heraklion or Dahab? 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: Heraklion Hotel Prices and Dahab Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Heraklion €31Dahab €2.64
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Heraklion
Also for Heraklion, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Services From Heraklion To Rethymno Hotels: $106
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to MALIA area up to 7 customers: $87
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to IERAPETRA area up to 7 customers: $202
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to Gouves area up to 7 customers: $49
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to ANISSARAS area up to 7 customers: $67
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to AMMOUDARA HERAKLION area up to 7: $66
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to AGIOS NIKOLAOS area up to 7 : $156
- Transfer Heraklion Airport to AGIA GALINI area up to 7 customers: $172
- Transfer Heraklion Airport or Port to Ammoudara Agios Nikolaos up to 4 customers: $149
- Transfer Heraklion Airport or Port to Ammoudara Agios Nikolaos : $192
- Transfer From,To Heraklion Airport & PORT To,From AGIOS NIKOLAOS: $120
- Transfer Airport to HERAKLION CITY CENTER OR PORT area up to 7 : $66
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dahab
Also for Dahab, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sharm el-Sheikh: 1-Way or Round-Trip Transfer to Dahab: $42
- Saint paul and saint anthony monastery private transfer: $69
- Private Transfer To/From Nuweibaa City and Sharm El Sheikh Hotels: $68
- Private Transfer Dahab Hotel to Sharm ElSheikh Airport : $32
- Private Transfer Between Nuweibaa City and Sharm El Sheikh Hotels: $60
- Private Pickup Transfers from Dahab to Taba: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Heraklion or Dahab?
Prices for flights to both Dahab and Heraklion 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 dayHeraklion €90Dahab €11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Heraklion
For Heraklion, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Crete: Traditional Dance Show and Buffet Dinner with Wine: $34
- Troy Dinner-Show: $36
- Crete : Cooking Lessons In Lasithi Plateau: $45
- Hersonissos: Spectacular Dinner Show Ticket: $47
- Cretan Village Feast, Live Music, Dancers & Local Dinner: $54
- Crete: Olive Oil Festival, Farm Dinner, Live Show & Pickup: $76
- Olive Oil Festival in Cretan Farm with Traditional Dinner: $78
- Dia Island Sunset Boat Tour with Dinner: $80
- Crete: Land Rover Safari with Sunset Viewing, Dinner, & Wine: $99
- Full-Day Jeep Safari Tour with Cooking Lesson: $105
- Jeep Tour Psiloritis the Mountain of Gods & Cooking Lesson: $114
- Food tour tasting walking tour: $135
Typical Food Prices in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Seafood Dinner (for 2)€1.70
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Juice€0.09
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Breakfast for Two€0.54
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dahab
For Dahab, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $36
- Bedouin Dinner in the Mountains In Dahab: $39
- Dahab Desert Safari and Bedouin Dinner: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Heraklion €38Dahab €5.58
Tours and Activities in Heraklion
For Heraklion, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4x4 Safari tour Southern Crete Tripitis Gorge: $118
- Adventure Safari Tour Secrets of the southern Crete : $110
- E-Ticket to Heraklion Archaeological Museum with Audio Guide: $26
- Knossos Palace Heraklion City Tour: $47
- e-bike tour in Crete with guide and stroryteller Soulouksina: $168
- Αrchaeological Museum of Herakleion Entry Ticket: $24
- Ηeraklion Walking Tour with Archaeological Museum: $90
- 4 Hour Fishing and Swimming Boat Experience in Schisma Eloundas: $150
- 5Hour Safari Tour in Crete(Heraklion)with Quad,Jeep,Buggy & Lunch: $105
- Adventure Jeep Safari Amazing sunset : $93
- Aquaplus Admission Ticket: $36
- Archaeological Museum of Heraklion Tour: $119
Tours and Activities in Dahab
For Dahab, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Camel Trek Desert and Beach Experience Private Tour in Dahab: $140
- 2 Day Hiking Canyoning Tour Colored and Wishwashi in Sinai: $72
- 4x4 Jeep Adventure from Dahab: $43
- Adventure Quad Biking Tour in Dahab: $50
- Astronomy and Bedouin Culture group Tour in sharm with Pickup: $140
- Blue Hole Snorkeling Adventure in Dahab: $195
- Cairo pyramids tour from Hurghada Small group HurghadaToGo: $60
- Camel Ride + Blue Hole Snorkeling + Quad Bike Tour With Lunch From Dahab: $49
- Dahab Windsurfing Adventure in Red Sea Waves: $60
- Dahab's Kept Secrets 5 Adventures in 1 Tour: $25
- Royal seascope Semi-Submarine Cruise: $33
- luxury Snorkeling cruise with buffet lunch: $41
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHeraklion €26Dahab €3.31
Sample the Local Flavors in Heraklion
Also in Heraklion, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Guided Organic Wine Tasting & Vineyard Tour: $40
- Cretan Wine Tasting Experience: $41
- Ecobike Tour with Wine Tasting: $100
- Walking city tour & Wine tasting: $100
- Wine Tasting E-Bike Tour: $104
- Half Day Small Group Wine Tour with Wine Tastings: $150
- Ecobike-Knossos Palace-Wine tasting-Olive oil tasting: $180
- The Gourmet Wine Tour of Heraklion area: $198
- Olive oil and Wine Tour with Lunch: $235
- Heraklion SUV Private Guided Wine Tour with Lunch : $237
- From Villages and Vines A Scenic Wine Tasting Journey: $289
- Guided Tour Palace of Knossos & Archanes Wine Tasting Tour: $416
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Heraklion and Dahab, we can see that Heraklion is more expensive. And not only is Dahab much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Heraklion is in Europe and Dahab 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 Dahab would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dahab 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 Heraklion would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Heraklion than you might in Dahab.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Heraklion Expensive? and Is Dahab Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Heraklion or Dahab?
Heraklion has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Dahab. When comparing the sizes of Heraklion and Dahab, 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.