Which place is cheaper, Nairobi or Dar es Salaam?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Dar es Salaam or Nairobi?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dar es Salaam or Nairobi?
Dar es Salaam
Having grown from a fishing village, Dar es Salaam is now a major city and commercial port on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast. While it is mainly used as a stopping point on the way to Zanzibar, it has a few unique treasures of its own such as the Kariakoo Market, National Museum, and the open-air Village Museum.
Nairobi
Nairobi is Kenya's capital as well as the country's largest city. With a population of about 3 million, it is also one of the largest cities in Africa. It is a prominent city both politically and financially within the region. There are many international companies that are located in Nairobi and the Nairobi Securities and Exchange is one of the largest in Africa.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Kenya, and The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya.
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Dar es Salaam Prices
Tanzania PricesNairobi Prices
Kenya Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDar es Salaam $462Nairobi $67
The average daily cost (per person) in Dar es Salaam is $462, while the average daily cost in Nairobi is $67. 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 Dar es Salaam and Nairobi in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDar es Salaam $424Nairobi $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDar es Salaam $848Nairobi $24
Compare Hotels in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi
Looking for a hotel in Dar es Salaam or Nairobi? 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.
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: Dar es Salaam Hotel Prices and Nairobi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dar es Salaam $13Nairobi $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dar es Salaam
Also for Dar es Salaam, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer/Airport pick up and drop off: $192
- Transfer from dar es salaam to morogoro: $203
- Private Transfer from Dar es Salaam to Dar es Salaam Airport by luxury car: $167
- Private Transfer from Dar es Salaam Airport DAR to Dar es Salaam by Luxury Car: $167
- Ferry Tickets to Zanzibar with Transfers.: $120
- Daressalaam: Airport & Hotel Transfers: $79
- Dar es salaam-Morogoro-Dar es salaam transfer with comfortable car: $192
- Dar es salaam-Morogoro-Dar es salaam transfer by luxury car.: $200
- 1 Day Mikumi Safari (SGR VIP Train Transfer): $380
- 1 Day Mikumi Safari (SGR VIP Train Transfer): $356
- 1 Day Mikumi Safari (SGR VIP Train Transfer): $400
- Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar: Airport Transfer to the Hotel: $70
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nairobi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Nairobi:
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Taxi from Airport$9.26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Game park,Rhino Walks, Victoria Falls, and Airport Transfers: $4,200
- Private Transfer from Masai Mara to Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO): $296
- Private Road Transfer from Nairobi to Amboseli national park: $197
- Private Transfers from Nairobi Airport to Hotels: $170
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or city To Maasai Mara By Road: $135
- Return Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $120
- Stopover, Layover & Transit Tour with Transfers.: $110
- Nairobi Airports Private Transfers: $100
- Nairobi National Park Game Drive and Transfer: $95
- Nairobi National Park Tour with Game Drive and Transfer: $95
- Private Transfer to Naivasha from Nairobi: $80
- Nairobi Airport to Hotel Transfers with city tour: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Dar es Salaam or Nairobi?
Prices for flights to both Nairobi and Dar es Salaam 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
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Food Meals for one dayDar es Salaam $31Nairobi $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dar es Salaam
For Dar es Salaam, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Taste of Tanzania Cooking Class and Food Tour: $20
- Tanzania: traditional Swahili cooking class: $45
- Private Swahili Cooking Class: $115
Typical Food Prices in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner for Two$5.01
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Carnivore Restaurant: Lunch or Dinner Experience in Nairobi: $21
- Nairobi, Kenya : Universal Cooking Classes: $32
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour : $35
- 1 Hour Gastronomic and Street Food tour of Nairobi: $37
- Traditional Cuisines Cooking Experience And Class.: $48
- Cooking Class with Local Organic Market Visit: $50
- Cooking Class with Market Visit and Delicious food: $50
- Local Market Tour and Traditional Meal Cooking Class: $53
- Experience the Taste of Nairobi:A Hands-On Cooking Adventure: $58
- Nairobi Cooking and Food Tasting Activity: $60
- Private Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch: $64
- Carnivore restaurant Dinner or lunch from Nairobi: $65
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dar es Salaam -Nairobi $46
Tours and Activities in Dar es Salaam
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dar es Salaam.
- Dar Es Salaam City Tour (Full Day With Private Guide And Car): $155
- Dar Es Salaam city tour with private car: $180
- ½-Day Dar City Cycling Tour: $150
- 1 Night Mikumi Adventure safari From Dar es Salaam: $390
- 1-Day experience safari to Mikumi from Dar-es-Salaam by car: $320
- 2 Days 1 Night Amazing Maasai Tour & Mikumi National Park: $400
- 2 Days Saadani National park tour Package for 2024 and 2025: $715
- 2-Days 1-Night safari adventure from Dar-es-Salaam to Mikumi: $380
- 2-Days adventure to Mikumi by luxury train from Dar-es-Salam: $380
- 2-Days safari adventure to Mikumi N. Park from Dar-es-Salaam: $380
- 3 Days 2 nights safari Mikumi adventure: $550
- 3 Days Camping Experience Safari: mikumi national Park: $449
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nairobi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Nairobi's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Village Visit$15
Tours and Activities in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Amboseli Day trip Private tour: $200
- Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Centre Tour: $95
- Half day tour to Elephant orphanage & Giraffe Centre Nairobi: $95
- Hells Gate Park & Lake Naivasha boat ride Day tour: $150
- Lake Naivasha Full day Tour With Boat Rides: $156
- Nairobi Museum Snake Park Giraffe Center and Beads Center Tour: $95
- Private Tour to Karunguru Coffee Farm : $140
- The 42 Stories -Kenya Culture and Walk Experience with a Local: $36
- Tour Giraffe Centre, David Shedrick, Karen Blixen & city tour.: $110
- half Day TOURS/NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK/ELEPHANT & GIRAFFE CENTRE: $90
- "Kibera Slum Tour: Explore with a Local Social Entrepreneur": $29
- 1 Day Bike Tour to Hell’s Gate And Lake Naivasha : $130
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDar es Salaam $7.48Nairobi $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Nairobi
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Nairobi:
- Nairobi Ultimate Bar Crawl: $60
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, we can see that Dar es Salaam is more expensive. And not only is Nairobi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Nairobi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nairobi 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 Dar es Salaam would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dar es Salaam than you might in Nairobi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dar es Salaam Expensive? and Is Nairobi Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dar es Salaam or Nairobi?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 2% larger than the population of Dar es Salaam. When comparing the sizes of Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.