Should you visit Arusha or Lake Nakuru?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Arusha and Lake Nakuru 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.
Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru is one of Kenya's 23 National Parks, also qualifying as one of the two Premium Parks in the country. Located in central Kenya, about 90 miles west of Nairobi, the area encompasses a large lake as well as the surrounding wooded grasslands. A naturalist's paradise, Lake Nakuru is home to wildlife like flamingos, other water birds, and the black and white rhinoceros.
Which city is cheaper, Lake Nakuru 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 Lake Nakuru is $111. 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 Lake Nakuru 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.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Lake Nakuru, $86 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Lake Nakuru, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $43, such as in a hostel.
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.
Lake Nakuru food costs typically run travelers around $39 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Arusha $21
Lake Nakuru $39
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 Lake Nakuru than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $39 on transportation in Lake Nakuru 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 Lake Nakuru?
Prices for flights to both Lake Nakuru 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 Lake Nakuru, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $35 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 Lake Nakuru spend on average $7.31 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arusha and Lake Nakuru, we can see that Arusha is more expensive. And not only is Lake Nakuru much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lake Nakuru would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lake Nakuru 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 Lake Nakuru.
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