A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Arusha vs. Athens for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Arusha or Athens?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Arusha and Athens 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: Arusha or Athens?

Arusha

Arusha is a city in East Africa's Tanzania, located at the base of volcanic Mt. Meru. It’s a gateway to safari destinations and to Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, lying some 100 kilometers northeast. To the west lies Serengeti National Park, home to wildlife including lions, rhinoceros, giraffes and leopards. Annual migrations feature huge herds of wildebeests crossing its plains. Arusha is Tanzania’s gateway to the northern circuit of stellar national parks and the starting point of many a memorable safari. It’s also a large, sprawling city which offers a nice break from the rigors of life on the African road – it has excellent places to stay and eat and, for the most part, it’s lush and green and enjoys a temperate climate throughout the year. Arusha is a great destination, and you're sure to enjoy your time here, no matter what your interests are.

Athens

Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Tanzania, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Tanzania, The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece.


Which place is cheaper, Athens or Arusha?

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 Arusha is $189, while the average daily cost in Athens is $179. 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 Arusha and Athens in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Arusha $126
    Athens $73
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Arusha $252
    Athens $146
Compare Hotels in Arusha and Athens

Looking for a hotel in Arusha or Athens? 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 Arusha


Hotels in Athens


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: Arusha Hotel Prices and Athens Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Arusha $13
    Athens $31

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arusha

Also for Arusha, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Moshi - Arusha Transfer: $130
  • Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha City Private Transfer: $120
  • Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha City Center Transfer: $60
  • Kilimanjaro Airport and Arusha Private Transfer: $59
  • Arusha Airport and Hotel Transfer: $35

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:


  • Airport Bus for Two
    $7.43
  • Metro
    $1.74
  • Metro
    $2.32
  • Metro from Airport to City Center
    $9.28
  • Taxi from Airport
    $41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens

Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • VipTransfer From /To Athens Airport - Lavrio Port: $222
  • Vip Transfer From/To Piraeus Port - Athens Airport: $292
  • Vip Transfer From/To Athens Center - Rafina Port: $233
  • Vip Transfer From /To Athens Center - Athens Airport: $233
  • Transfers and Guided Tours in all over Greece, sightseeing and Private hire!!: $105
  • Transfer services from/to Athens Airport: $112
  • Transfer in Athens: $61
  • Transfer from or to Athens Airport: $93
  • Transfer from Piraeus port to Athens hotel or Glyfada Riviera hotel: $117
  • Transfer from Athens/Pireaus/ATH Airport/Suburbs to Mati/Marathon/Nea Makri: $175
  • Transfer from Athens-Pireaus-Athens Airport to Corinth-Loutraki-Agioi Theodoroi: $233
  • Transfer from Athens City Center to Athens Airport (ATH): $51

Is it cheaper to fly into Arusha or Athens?

Prices for flights to both Athens and Arusha 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
    Arusha $40
    Athens $75
Typical Food Prices in Arusha

For Arusha, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • A Quick Lunch (for 2)
    $2.09

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arusha

For Arusha, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • NGO Lifted Strong - Traditional Tanzanian Cooking Class: $50
  • Local Tanzanian Food Cooking Class by Kingstone Asilia (Arusha): $55
  • Homestay + Cooking + Animal Care + Fruit Harvesting + Much More: $194

Typical Food Prices in Athens

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:


  • Ice cream
    $3.48
  • Souvlaki
    $2.55

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens

For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Lunch or Dinner: $30
  • Athens Food Tour (5+ Stops) - Full Meal Included by Do Eat Better: $64
  • Ancient Roman and Greek Dinner With Ancient Wine Styles: $65
  • Athens Street Food Tour: Taste the best street food: $79
  • Athens, Greek food tour including market visit: $80
  • Sunset Tour to Temple of Poseidon with Dinner Stop from Athens: $80
  • Athens at Night Enchanting Walking Tour and Dinner Delights: $82
  • Small Group Greek Traditional Food Tour in Athens 20+ Tastings: $82
  • Athens Food Tour: Flavors of Asia Minor (private group): $82
  • Taste of Athens Small-Group Food Tour: $82
  • Quick Greek Street Food Cooking Class in Athens: $87
  • Cook Like a Greek in Athens Hands On Cooking Class with Wine: $88

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Arusha $44
    Athens $41

Tours and Activities in Arusha

For Arusha, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 1 Day Trip to Serval Wildlife Sanctuary and Maasai village tour: $300
  • 1 Day trip to Materuni Waterfalls & Coffee Tour: $127
  • 1 day trip Materuni Waterfall, Village & Coffee Walking Tour: $127
  • 1-Day Materuni Waterfalls, Coffee Tour and Chemka Hot Spring: $100
  • 2 Day Mount Meru Private Camping Tour from Arusha: $280
  • 4 Hours Cycling Tour in Shimo La Mungu Crater: $50
  • A Day at Materuni Waterfalls and Coffee Tour in Mt Kilimanjaro: $160
  • Amazing Lake Duluti Day Trip Experience: $120
  • Arusha A Walking City Tour Museum Culture and Everyday Life: $60
  • Arusha African Shopping Tour: $100
  • Arusha City Tour: Where Continents Collide & Cultures Dance: $30
  • Arusha Full Day Tour to Waterfall and Coffee Tour: $140

Tours and Activities in Athens

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.

  • "A Must-See" Anc. Epidaurus, Mycenae & Nafplion Premium Full Day Tour By Locals: $210
  • "All day tour of Athens-8h:Exploring its most popular landmarks": $254
  • "Athens Night Experience - 4Hours": $166
  • "Athens in a Day: A Full-Day Tour of the City’s Top Highlights": $254
  • "Athens in a Glimpse with Cruise Port Pickup & Drop-Off": $174
  • "Olive Oil Tasting Experience & Tour in Corinth": $198
  • "Tour of Ancient Corinth:Follow in the footsteps of Apostle Paul": $198
  • 1 Day Parnitha Athens Private Hiking Tour with Hotel Pickup: $175
  • 2 Day Meteora Monasteries Tour with Sunset Off Road Buggy: $204
  • 2 Day Tour To The Best Places Of Peloponnese: $292
  • 2 Hour Express Athens City Tour (Private): $169
  • 2 days Spanish guided tour in Delphi and Meteora: $292

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Arusha $10
    Athens $26

Sample the Local Flavors in Athens

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:

  • The Original Athens Pub Crawl: $16
  • Athens Party Pub Crawl w/ 1-hour Open Bar & VIP Nightclub Access: $17
  • Athens Rooftop Pub Crawl Acropolis Views and Nightclub Fun: $17
  • Saturday Night Pub Crawl for Professionals in Athens, Greece: $25
  • Athens Exclusive Hellenic Wine Tasting Experience at Brettos: $37
  • Organic and Vegan Indigenous Wine Tasting Private Experience: $47
  • Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting: $57
  • Greek Wine Tasting with Acropolis view: $57
  • 2 Hours Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $57
  • Acropolis Private Wine Tasting @ Finewine store: $65
  • 3-Hour Shared Greek Wine Tasting: $105
  • Athens Small-Group Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $105


When comparing the travel costs between Arusha and Athens, we can see that Arusha is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Arusha is in Africa and Athens is in Europe, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Arusha Expensive? and Is Athens Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Arusha or Athens?

Athens has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Arusha. When comparing the sizes of Arusha and Athens, 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.