9 Africa and Middle East cities by price: Backpacker Index for 2012

17 Jan, 2012  |   Comments (0)  |   Add a comment

Ignored by the vast majority of travelers, the Middle East and Africa itself is known more for problems than for quality tourism, but adventurous souls continue to explore everywhere possible. We’ve updated our modest set of cities for the region in 2012, and the rankings are mostly the same.

Fortunately, most of the developed cities in the Middle East and Africa are relatively cheap, excluding Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Many budget travelers are shocked to find the prices in sub-Saharan Africa are quite high, at least for international-standard hotels and such. A good and recent guidebook can be a big help in this area, even while they become less necessary elsewhere.

Hopefully in the future we’ll be able to dig up information on more cities and countries in the region. For now we’ll start with the most popular ones, which should be helpful for at least getting an idea of typical daily costs for the places we are most likely to launch our journeys in. If you have updates or corrections to any of this, please let us know in the comments.

How the Backpacker Index works

Prices for most things are fixed and certain, but prices for a “budget lunch” or a pint of beer can vary depending on whom you ask. Still, our estimates are based on a lot of research, and should be very close if not right on.

Costs for each city

• One night in the cheapest bunk at the least expensive hostel with a good location and good reviews
• Two public transportation rides per day
• One paid/famous attraction per day (Every city is loaded with free things to do for budget-conscious travelers, but here we take the average cost of a major attraction in each city for each day.)
• Three “budget” meals per day.
• Three cheap, local beers each day as an “entertainment fund.” Non-drinkers might have dessert and coffee or attend a local music performance instead, so this is a general benchmark that should be proportional for each city.

Africa & Middle East Backpacker Index for 2011

1 – Cairo, Egypt (Cheapest)

Desperate for tourists after the trouble in 2011, Cairo is usually extremely welcoming. As one of the world’s truly must-see destinations, it’s fortunate that Cairo is also very cheap for most people. Guided trips to the Great Pyramids and other nearby sights can add a bit to this total, but even then they can be quite cheap. If you can avoid alcohol here (which is easy because there are so few bars) or buy drinks retail, the total will be even lower.

• Currency: Egyptian pound
• Cheap/good hostel: Egyptian Night Hotel – 25/night
• Transportation: 2.00
• Meals: 26.40
• Drinks/Entertainment: 45.00
• Attractions: 60.00
• Daily Backpacker Index: EGP158.40 – US$26.23/day

>>>Cairo prices and weather

2 – Amman, Jordan

While Amman may not be a classic destination all by itself, it’s the key staging area for trips to Petra and Wadi Rum, so it’s a popular stop which is also quite cheap. Even the tours to those popular attractions in the desert are very reasonable so this is a good budget stop for those in the region.

• Currency: Jordanian dinar
• Cheap/good hostel: Cliff Hotel 4.50/night
• Transportation: 0.76
• Meals: 6.00
• Drinks/Entertainment: 6.00
• Attractions: 1.70
• Daily Backpacker Index: JOD18.96 – US$26.70/day

>>>Amman prices and weather

3 – Fez, Morocco

Much of the time spent on trips to Moroccan cities will be spent wandering the markets in the old city, so those who can resist some of the world’s best salespeople can get by on very little if they avoid souvenir purchases. And unlike many other places in this part of the world, alcohol isn’t all that hard to find or too expensive, so party people can drink up without spending a fortune.

• Currency: Moroccan dirham
• Cheap/good hostel: Hostelling International Fes – 55/night
• Transportation: 6.00
• Meals: 114.00
• Drinks/Entertainment: 30.00
• Attractions: 30.00
• Daily Backpacker Index: MAD235 US$27.07/day

>>>Fez prices and weather

4 – Marrakech, Morocco

The differences between Fez and Marrakech are minor, and it might not even be worth seeing them both if you can instead visit something else in Morocco instead. This same price range is typical for Casablanca (don’t bother) and Tangier as well, with some of the smaller towns being even cheaper.

• Currency: Moroccan dirham
• Cheap/good hostel: Hostel Riad Marrakech Rose – 79/night
• Transportation: 4.00
• Meals: 102.00
• Drinks/Entertainment: 30.00
• Attractions: 30.00
• Daily Backpacker Index: MAD245 – US$28.23/day

>>>Marrakech prices and weather

5 – Dakar, Senegal

To be honest, it’s hard to gauge expenses in all of Sub-Saharan Africa because there is so little budget-travel infrastructure in most places, but these should be a good rough estimation. Research indicates that those who are on the tightest budgets can get by okay on very little, though not at the same standards that are available in most of the rest of the world.

• Currency: Communauté Financière Africaine Franc
• Cheap/good hostel: Annexe Kings Plaza 5,600/night
• Transportation: 300
• Meals: 6,600
• Drinks/Entertainment: 2,100
• Attractions: 500
• Daily Backpacker Index: XOF15,100 – US$29.40/day

>>>Dakar prices and weather

6 – Beirut, Lebanon

When trouble fades into memories, Lebanon is justifiably popular, with great nightlife and plenty to see during the day. It’s not as cheap as Amman, but it’s much cheaper than Tel Aviv, so it’s a good choice to spend a bit of time in without breaking the bank.

• Currency: Lebanese pound
• Cheap/good hostel: Al Nazih Pension 25,500/night
• Transportation: 4,000
• Meals: 11,400
• Drinks/Entertainment: 8,400
• Attractions: 3,000
• Daily Backpacker Index: LBP52,300 – US$34.74/day

>>>Beirut prices and weather

7 – Cape Town, South Africa

Most people’s biggest expense for South Africa will be in getting there, since obviously it’s not particularly close to any other popular backpacker stops. Fortunately things are relatively cheap once you arrive, especially considering the quality. Cape Town comes in comparable to a city in the cheaper half of the Europe list, and if you aren’t interested in the expensive attractions it’s a real bargain.

• Currency: South African rand
• Cheap/good hostel: Green Elephant Backpackers – 79.37/night
• Transportation: 16.00
• Meals: 105.60
• Drinks/Entertainment: 36.00
• Attractions: 120.00
• Daily Backpacker Index: ZAR356.97 – US$44.45/day

>>>Cape Town prices and weather

8 – Tel Aviv, Israel

Much of Tel Aviv is very European, so it makes sense that this seaside resort town lines up in price with a typical European party city. Visiting Jerusalem or other popular destinations nearby will usually cost less per day, so Israel shouldn’t be too problematic for most budget travelers and backpackers.

• Currency: Israel new shekel
• Cheap/good hostel: The Resort 54.70/night
• Transportation: 12.80
• Meals: 69.60
• Drinks/Entertainment: 36.00
• Attractions: 36.00
• Daily Backpacker Index: ILS209.10 – US$54.45/day

>>>Tel Aviv prices and weather

9 – Dubai, UAE

No surprise to see Dubai as the most expensive on this list, and things could be worse if not for a sort of parallel economy that allows for cheap meals along with the local workers. Those sticking to just the hotel district and shopping malls will spend much more, with alcohol being a particular budget-killer, so this is a good place to experiment with being a teetotaler if you can manage.

• Currency: UAE dirham
• Cheap/good hostel: Dubai Youth Hostel 100/night
• Transportation: 5.00
• Meals: 45.60
• Drinks/Entertainment: 75.00
• Attractions: 3.00
• Daily Backpacker Index: AED229.60 – US$62.56/day

>>>Dubai prices and weather

Also check out:

• Asia Backpacker Index for 2012
• Australia/New Zealand Backpacker Index for 2012
• Europe Backpacker Index for 2012
• North America Backpacker Index for 2012
• South and Central America Backpacker Index for 2012

Related posts:

1. Africa and Middle East cities by price: Backpacker Index for 2011
2. 12 North American cities by price: Backpacker Index for 2012
3. 15 South and Central American cities by price: Backpacker Index for 2012
4. 26 Asian cities by price: Backpacker Index for 2012
5. 47 European cities by price: European Backpacker Index for 2012