Which place is cheaper, Addis Ababa or Lake Nakuru?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Lake Nakuru or Addis Ababa?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Lake Nakuru and Addis Ababa. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Lake Nakuru or Addis Ababa?
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.
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia and also the nation's largest when ranked by its population of over three million. There are also more than 120 international missions and embassies in Addis Ababa, making the city a hub for international diplomacy concerning Africa. Other draws include its thriving marketplaces, spicy food, and rich coffee.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Historical Tours in Ethiopia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Ethiopia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLake Nakuru $117Addis Ababa $68
The average daily cost (per person) in Lake Nakuru is $117, while the average daily cost in Addis Ababa is $68. 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 Lake Nakuru and Addis Ababa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLake Nakuru $45Addis Ababa $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLake Nakuru $90Addis Ababa $88
Compare Hotels in Lake Nakuru and Addis Ababa
Looking for a hotel in Lake Nakuru or Addis Ababa? 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: Addis Ababa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lake Nakuru $41Addis Ababa $7.85
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:
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Short Taxi Ride$0.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa
Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Bole Airport Addis Ababa (ADD) to Addis Ababa: $109
- Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $175
- City/Airport Transfers-Addis Ababa: $26
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $21
- Addis Shuttles: On-Time & Reliable, Airport Transfers: $19
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $44
- 4 Hours Addis Airport Transfer with Ethiopian Cultural Tour: $299
Is it cheaper to fly into Lake Nakuru or Addis Ababa?
Prices for flights to both Addis Ababa and Lake Nakuru 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 dayLake Nakuru $41Addis Ababa $18
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:
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Slice of Cake$0.12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Addis Ababa
For Addis Ababa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $75
- Culinary Class and Food Tour in Addis Ababa : $82
- Food tours in Addis Ababa tastever with lunch: $108
- Unique Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis Ababa: $116
- Private Ethiopian Home Cooking Class in Addis Ababa with Transfer: $124
- HALF DAY + DINNER Addis Ababa City Tour: $140
- Half Day + Dinner Addis Ababa City Tour: $150
- Ethiopian Cooking Class and Coffee Ceremony with a Local in Addis with transfers: $154
- Market Tour and Cooking Class with a Coffee Ceremony at a Home in Addis Ababa: $168
- Food tours in Addis Ababa Ethiopia: $240
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lake Nakuru $37Addis Ababa $8.10
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- Addis Ababa City Tours Full-Day Tours : $113
- Airport Layover Tour | Addis highlights, National Palace, Coffee Ceremony: $200
- 2 Days Awash National Park Safari Tours: $311
- 3 Day Private Meskel Festival, Addis Ababa City and Debre Libanos Monastery Tour: $300
- 3 Days Visiting Harar and Dire Dawa Tours: $480
- 4 Hours Addis Ababa highlights city tour from Bole airport: $75
- 5 Days Visiting Tigray Churches Tours: $1,200
- 9 Days Omo Valley and Danakil Danakil Depression tour: $3,850
- A guided tour of Addis Abeba that includes a city viewpoint: $59
- Addis Ababa - Half Day City Tour: $180
- Addis Ababa Authentic Private City Tour: $75
- Addis Ababa Bole Airport Culinary and Walking Tour : $69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLake Nakuru $7.74Addis Ababa $6.69
Sample the Local Flavors in Addis Ababa
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Addis Ababa:
- Pub crawl Addis Ababa: $55
- Pub-crawl Tour ( locally crafted beer and wine tasting ): $58
- The Pub Crawl Royale: A Battle of the Best Drinks: $64
- Locally crafted beer and wine tasting and nightlife in Addis tour: $65
- Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $69
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lake Nakuru and Addis Ababa, we can see that Lake Nakuru is more expensive. And not only is Addis Ababa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Addis Ababa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Addis Ababa 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 Lake Nakuru would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lake Nakuru than you might in Addis Ababa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lake Nakuru Expensive? and Is Addis Ababa Expensive?.
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.