Which place is cheaper, Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg?
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 Johannesburg. 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 Johannesburg?
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.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa with a population of over 3 million people. Most of the population is made up of South Africa's black residents, who predominately reside in the Soweto area. There are approximately half a million white residents and 300,000 residents of other descent. Half of the population live in the Soweto area as well as the nearby suburbs.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, and The Best Eco Tours in South Africa.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesJohannesburg Prices
South Africa Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $132Johannesburg $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $132, while the average daily cost in Johannesburg is $115. 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 Johannesburg in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Johannesburg $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Johannesburg $116
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Johannesburg
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Johannesburg? 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 Johannesburg Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Johannesburg $17
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 Johannesburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Johannesburg:
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Taxi Ride$3.46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- JNB Airport to City Centre Private Transfer: $12
- Private Transfer in Johannesburg OR Tambo and Lanseria: $18
- 24 Hour Private Transfer Sandton to OR Tambo: $29
- 24 hour Airport Shuttle and Transfer: $29
- O R Tambo Airport Transfers: Sandton, Rosebank and Melrose: $33
- 1-3 Passenger Private Johannesburg - Airport Transfer: $37
- OR Tambo Airport Private Transfer To Sandton: $38
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Johannesburg HTL-APT (JNB): $38
- Johannesburg Airport JNB to Johannesburg-Arrival Private Transfer: $43
- One Way Airport Transfer: $46
- Private Van Airport Transfers : Johannesburg, Sandton, Pretoria: $48
- Johannesburg Airport Private Transfers: Departures (Hotel Pickup): $48
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Johannesburg?
Prices for flights to both Johannesburg 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 $57Johannesburg $31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Masai Mara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Masai Mara.
- Carnivore experience Lunch Or Dinner (Optional Bomas of kenya ): $40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johannesburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Johannesburg.
- Zulu Food Cooking & Dining Experience with a local Chef: $85
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $96
- Johannesburg Culture and Food Tour: $98
- Zulu Food Cooking and Dining Experience with a local Chef: $106
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $107
- Lesedi Cultural Village Tour with Lunch or Dinner : $119
- Pan African Cooking Class & Dinning Experience : $131
- Lesedi Cultural Village with lunch or dinner cultural food: $133
- Soweto Township Tour With African food tour: $145
- Rooftop Bar, Dinner and Clubbing (Amapiano): $217
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Johannesburg $23
Tours and Activities in Masai Mara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:
- Half Day Giraffe Center,Baby Elephant&Karen Blixxen Guided Tour: $38
- Nairobi African Shopping Tour: $55
- Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
- Giraffe Center Half-Day Guided Tour from Nairobi: $75
- Nairobi City Tour and Afternoon Visit to Bomas of Kenya: $80
- Half Day Private Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $80
- Ngong Hills Adventure from Nairobi: $85
- Private Day Tour to Nairobi Arboretum and Nairobi National Museum: $109
- Nairobi Museum KICC Tower Kobe and Bomas of Kenya Day Tour: $115
- Fairview Coffee Farm Day Tour in Nairobi: $120
- Amboseli national park full day tour: $160
- Airport Layover Tour to Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center: $225
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- Mapatiza Mine Guided Tour with Showroom: $4.63
- Mapatiza Gemstone Mine Tour Discover Gemstone Transformation: $4.76
- Mandela House Entry Ticket: $6.08
- Johannesburg Hop-On Hop-Off City Tour with Soweto Option: $18
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus with Optional Soweto Tour: $22
- Architectural Walking Tour: $25
- Braamfontein Street Art & Culture Tour: $28
- Guided Walking Tour in Johannesburg: $28
- Ponte Experience: $30
- Soweto: Hector Pieterson Memorial, to Orlando Towers Tour: $32
- Soweto: Bike Tour with a Local Tour Guide: $32
- Half-Day Walking Tour in Soweto: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Johannesburg $5.05
Sample the Local Flavors in Johannesburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Johannesburg:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Johannesburg: $8.92
- Wine Tasting: $12
- Hop on Hop Off Johannesburg Pub Crawl: $13
When comparing the travel costs between Masai Mara and Johannesburg, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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 Johannesburg 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.