Which place is cheaper, Auckland or Masai Mara?
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 Masai Mara or Auckland?
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 Masai Mara and Auckland. 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: Masai Mara or Auckland?
Masai Mara
Masai Mara National Reserve is a beautiful, scenic, nature reserve in southwest Kenya, just west of the capital city, Nairobi. The reserve belongs to the Masai people and was created in order to protect the land and the people and animals living on it. Masai Mara is considered to be one of the best reserves in all of Africa, offering the quintessential African safari experience.
Auckland
Auckland is located on the North Island of New Zealand on an isthmus between the Northland Peninsula and the other parts of the North Island. Auckland is not only a city but also a region. In 2010 New Zealand combined what had previously been four separate cities into one region. These cities include the southern city of Manukau, the western city of Waitakere, the North Shore in the north, and Auckland City. The City of Auckland is the largest city in Polynesia and is very diverse with many expatriates from elsewhere in Polynesia. This diversity becomes most apparent in Auckland's many festivals and sporting events.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Wildlife Tours to New Zealand, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in New Zealand.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesAuckland Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $133Auckland $172
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $133, while the average daily cost in Auckland is $172. 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 Masai Mara and Auckland in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Auckland $100
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Auckland $200
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Auckland
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Auckland? 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: Masai Mara Hotel Prices and Auckland Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Auckland $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:
- Nairobi Airport (NBO) Private Transfer to Nairobi City/Hotels: $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Auckland
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Auckland:
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Bus from Airport$9.57
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Airport Shuttle$15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Auckland
Also for Auckland, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Transfer: Auckland Airport to Auckland Central City Centre: $25
- Departure Transfer: Auckland Central City Centre to Auckland Airport: $25
- AKL Airport to City Centre|Hotels Private Transfer: $26
- Private 1-Way Transfer to/from Airport: $26
- Auckland:City Hotel Transfers to/from Cruise Ship in Minivan: $32
- Private Airport Transfer: Hotel → Auckland Airport (AKL): $40
- Auckland Downtown Hotel Transfers to/from Cruise Ship in Minivan: $42
- Airport Private Transfer: $43
- Auckland Airport Transfer To and From City Center: $48
- Auckland CBD to Auckland Airport - ONEWAY Private Transfer: $51
- Auckland:Private 1 way Airport transfer to/from CBD Minivan: $58
- Private Transfer From Auckland Airport Oaks To Auckland City: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Auckland?
Prices for flights to both Auckland and Masai Mara 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 dayMasai Mara $57Auckland $46
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Masai Mara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Masai Mara.
- Nairobi Private Carnivore Dinner Experience: $125
- Chiyo Japanese and Korean Restaurant Dinner with Cat Dance Show: $155
- Nairobi National Museum and Carnivore Restaurant Food Tour: $275
Typical Food Prices in Auckland
For Auckland, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$4.79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Auckland
For Auckland, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Harbour Sailing Cruise with 3-Course Dinner: $93
- Flavours of the City Walking Food Tour: $101
- Auckland Harbour Sailboat Cruise Including Three Course Dinner: $102
- Ponsonby Road Food Tour in Auckland: $113
- Auckland Downtown Food Tour with 5 Locals Favorite Dishes: $129
- Waiheke Island: Private Sunset Wine Tour & 2 Course Dinner: $392
- Māori Evening Dinner and Private Show Experience: $519
- From Kiwi Bird Encounter & 3-Course Dinner Tour: $550
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Auckland $28
Tours and Activities in Masai Mara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:
- Amboseli N Park Day tour with optional Maasai village visit: $200
- Amboseli national park full day tour: $160
- Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
- Cultural Day Tour to Bomas of Kenya Nairobi: $51
- David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Half-Day Tour in Nairobi: $55
- Day Tour to Amboseli National Park: $300
- Day Tour to Maasai Mara Reserve From Nairobi: $225
- Day tour to Giraffe Center and Karen Blixen Museum: $95
- Day tour to Giraffe center and Karen Blixen Nairobi: $95
- Full day Crescent Island and Hell's Gate Park Cycling Tour: $295
- Full-Day Bird Watching Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $195
- Giraffe Center Guided Tour from Nairobi: $65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Auckland
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Auckland's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Auckland Sky Tour (for 2)$33
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Waiheke Island Tour (for 2)$121
Tours and Activities in Auckland
For Auckland, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Auckland to Volcanoes: North Island Self-Guided Adventure: $8.27
- Auckland War Memorial Museum Entry Ticket: $9.27
- Auckland City Self Guided Walking Tour with an APP: $9.99
- A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Auckland's Hidden Stories: $12
- Maritime Museum Entry Ticket and Guided Tour: $14
- Maritime Museum Entry Ticket: $14
- Explore Self Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Skip the Line: Auckland Museum General Admission Ticket: $16
- Vibrosaun Therapy Experience: $18
- Waitematā Harbour Cruise with Live Commentary: $20
- Odyssey Sensory Maze Entry Auckland Ticket: $23
- Scenic Harbour Cruise in Auckland: $23
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Auckland $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Auckland
Also in Auckland, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Waiheke Island: Scenic Island Wine Tour & Local Wine Tasting: $110
- Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour in Auckland with 3-Course Vineyard Lunch: $120
- Kumeu Wineries, Muriwai / Hallertau Brewery: $153
- Waiheke Island: The Essence of Waiheke Wine Tour: $159
- Waiheke Island: Wine Tour & Lunch at Award Winning Venue: $168
- Piha Waitakere Rainforest Wine Tour from Auckland: $177
- Muriwai GANNET Colony & Wine Tasting - Half Day Tour Ex Auckland: $180
- From Small Group Kumeu Wine Tour with Lunch: $180
- Kumeu Wine Tasting & Local Flavours Tour: Vines, Brews & Views: $180
- Waiheke Island Gourmet Food and Wine Tour with Platter Lunch: $183
- Small-Group Kumeu Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings & Lunch: $186
- City Tour with Wine Tasting and Black Sand Beach: $217
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Auckland, we can see that Auckland is more expensive. And not only is Masai Mara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Masai Mara is in Africa and Auckland is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Masai Mara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Masai Mara 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 Auckland would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Auckland than you might in Masai Mara.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Masai Mara Expensive? and Is Auckland 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.