Should you visit Arusha or Kruger National Park?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Arusha and Kruger National Park can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
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.
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park, in northeast South Africa hugs the border of Mozambique in the east, Zimbabwe in the north, and the Crocodile River to the south. Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometers, it hosts a variety of habitats with a thriving population of wildlife and indigenous plant species, making it a safari destination like no other.
Which city is cheaper, Kruger National Park or Arusha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Arusha is $156, while the average daily cost in Kruger National Park is $85. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Arusha and Kruger National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around $228 for a double occupancy room in Arusha If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $100 in Kruger National Park For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
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Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Arusha $114
Kruger National Park $50
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Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Arusha
$228
Kruger National Park
$100
Food
Arusha food costs typically run travelers around $21 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
The average traveler spends about $16 per day in Kruger National Park for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Arusha $21
Kruger National Park $16
Typical Food prices in Arusha
For Arusha, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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A Quick Lunch (for 2)
$2.38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arusha
For Arusha, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Swahili Cooking Classes and Cultural experience (Group):
$35
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Day Trip to Materuni Falls ( coffee & Food tour ) featuring Kikuletwa Hot Spring:
$136
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Local food Cooking in Arusha Community:
$144
Local Transportation
To get around in Arusha, the average visitor spends $12 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Kruger National Park than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $26 on transportation in Kruger National Park on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arusha
Also for Arusha, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Transfer from Arusha to Kilimanjaro Airport Road (KIA):
$149
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Private Transfer from Arusha to Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO):
$977
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Private Kilimanjaro Airport - Moshi City Round-Trip Transfer:
$74
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Private Kilimanjaro Airport - Arusha City Round-Trip Transfer:
$103
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Private Departure Transfer from Moshi to Kilimanjaro Airport:
$37
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Private Departure Transfer from Arusha to Arusha Airport:
$37
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Private Arusha Airport - Arusha City Round-Trip Transfer:
$73
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Private Arrival Transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport to Moshi City:
$37
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Private Arrival Transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha City:
$51
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Private Arrival Transfer from Arusha Airport to Arusha City:
$37
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Moshi Hot Springs Half Day Transfer:
$99
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Moshi - Arusha Transfer:
$100
Is it cheaper to fly into Arusha or Kruger National Park?
Prices for flights to both Kruger National Park 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.
Entertainment
In Arusha, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $40 per person, per day.
Sightseeing expenses in Kruger National Park, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $22 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Arusha
For Arusha, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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"Mt Kilimanajaro Climbing adventure":
$2,229
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1 Day Tour Hot Spring (Majimoto):
$80
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1 Day Tour to Ngorongoro Crater:
$800
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1 Day Trip to Ngorongoro Crater - Group Joining Tour:
$321
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1 Day: Cycling Tour to Arusha National Park:
$534
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1-Day Arusha National Park Day-Tour:
$390
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1-Day Experience Tarangire:
$378
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1-Day Tour to Ngorongoro Crater:
$547
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1-Day Tour to Ngorongoro Crater:
$385
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10 Days Luxury Safari Tour in Tanzania:
$7,887
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10 Days Perfectly Family Luxury Safari Tour Tanzania:
$8,962
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10 Days Serengeti Wildlife Safari and Tanzania Cultural Tour:
$10,056
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Arusha spend on average $9.55 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Kruger National Park spend on average $4.34 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arusha and Kruger National Park, we can see that Arusha is more expensive. And not only is Kruger National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kruger National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kruger National Park 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 Arusha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arusha than you might in Kruger National Park.
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