A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Jinja vs. Cairo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Jinja or Cairo?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Jinja or Cairo, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Jinja or Cairo?

Jinja

Jinja is a city located at the source of the Nile in Uganda, Africa. Many backpackers travel to Jinja, as it is known for its white water rafting. This city is the third largest economy in all of the East African Community. It has a population of about 72,000 people.

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 Wildlife Tours to Uganda, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Uganda, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.


Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Jinja?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Jinja is $121, 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 Jinja and Cairo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Jinja $47
    Cairo $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Jinja $94
    Cairo $22
Compare Hotels in Jinja and Cairo

Looking for a hotel in Jinja 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.

Hotels in Jinja


Hotels in Cairo


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: Jinja Hotel Prices and Cairo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Jinja $23
    Cairo $3.80

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:


  • Metro Ride
    $0.08
  • Taxi Ride
    $0.32

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:

  • Private Transfer from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh : $290
  • Private transfer from Cairo Airport to The Nile Ritz-Carlton Hotel: $12
  • Private transfer from The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo to Cairo airport: $12
  • Pyramids of Giza and Great Sphinx Half Day Tour With Private Guide & Transfers : $135
  • Transfers From Cairo Airport: $13
  • 01 way Transfer from hotel in Cairo to Alexandria: $35
  • 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
  • 1 Way Private transfer from Cairo Airport to Le Meridien Heliopolis: $18
  • 2 Days Private Guided Tours of Cairo and Giza with Free Cairo Airport Transfers: $200
  • 2 Days Private Guided Tours of Cairo and Giza with Free Cairo Airport Transfers: $280

Is it cheaper to fly into Jinja or Cairo?

Prices for flights to both Cairo and Jinja 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Jinja $53
    Cairo $18

Typical Food Prices in Cairo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:


  • Juice
    $0.04

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.

  • Great tour toThe Grand Museum of Giza and Nile River DinnerCruise: $5.00
  • Dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer show on Nile river: $5.00
  • 2 Hour Cairo Dinner Cruise on Nile river with live band: $7.00
  • Cairo dinner Nile cruise with belly dancer show on Nile river: $7.00
  • Cairo Food Tour with Nile Felucca Ride : $7.00
  • Private Nile Cruise with Dinner and Folk Show from Cairo: $7.50
  • night-tour Nile dinner cruise with open buffet and belly dancer: $8.00
  • Private Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Quad Bike, Camel Ride, Nile Dinner Cruise: $9.00
  • food tour private tour from cairo or giza hotel: $9.00
  • Cairo Food Tour in local places & Egyptian Mint Tea: $9.00
  • 2-hours night dinner cruise show : Eat , Dance and Sing : $9.00
  • Cairo Dinner Cruise show with belly dancer show on Nile river: $9.00

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Jinja $31
    Cairo $9.09

Tours and Activities in Jinja

Here are a few actual costs in Jinja for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Half-Day Jinja Walking Tour: Source of Nile & Boat Ride Options: $31
  • Jinja Cultural and Historical Walking Tour: $39
  • Jinja Village Bike Tour : $40
  • David's Shared Walking Tour in Jinja with a Local Cultural Meal: $40

Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo

Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Entry to Camel Market for Two
    $0.84
  • 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:

  • ViP Private Tour Giza Pyramids,camel ride , inside 3rd Pyramid: $1.00
  • Cheap Day tour to Giza Pyramids Sphinx With Camel Rid : $2.00
  • Cheap Day tour to Giza Pyramids Sphinx With Camel Rid With lunch: $2.50
  • Best Egypt Tour Giza Pyramids Sphinx lunch fees camel 9rd pyramid: $3.50
  • VIP privatr tour Giza pyramids sphins &Saqqara and Memphis : $3.50
  • Chep Day Tour Pyramids Giza, Memphis, Saqqara and Camel: $4.00
  • Private Tour in Pyramids of Giza with Lunch and Camel Ride: $4.50
  • All inclusive Tour To Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Camel Ride, Lunch: $4.50
  • Private Tour to Pyramids with Professional Photographer : $5.00
  • Private Tour in Iconic Giza Pyramids From Cairo: $5.00
  • All Inclusive Tour Pyramids of Giza , Sphinx and Lunch : $5.00
  • Vip Day Tour to Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Gem Museum, and Lunch : $5.00

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Jinja $14
    Cairo $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 Jinja and Cairo, we can see that Jinja is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Jinja would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jinja 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 Jinja Expensive? and Is Cairo Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Jinja or Cairo?

Cairo has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Jinja. When comparing the sizes of Jinja 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.