Which place is cheaper, Kingston 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 Kingston?
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 Kingston. 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 Kingston?
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.
Kingston
Kingston is Jamaica's capital city with a population of about 579,000. For being located on an island, Kingston is a very large city with several different zip codes. Not only is Kingston the cultural capital of the country, but also the commercial one as well.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, and The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesKingston Prices
Jamaica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $133Kingston $126
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $133, while the average daily cost in Kingston is $126. 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 Kingston in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Kingston $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Kingston $126
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Kingston
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Kingston? 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 Kingston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Kingston $29
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:
- From One Way Shared Transfer to Kingston Airport: $19
- Private Kingston Airport (KIN) Transfer for Kingston Hotels: $20
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $25
- MBJ Airport Transfer to/ from Hotels: $25
- Kingston Airport Transfers Private Taxi Service***: $33
- Jamaica Airport Transfers and Tours: $40
- Private Transfer To & From New Kingston to Norman Manley Airport: $40
- Airport /Hotel Transfer Norman Manley airport and Montego bay: $40
- Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport To Ocho Rios Hotels: $45
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport (KIN) Across Jamaica: $45
- From One Way Shared Transfer to Port Antonio: $47
- Private Transfers To/From Kingston & Airport Across Jamaica: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Kingston?
Prices for flights to both Kingston 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 $57Kingston $45
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Kingston $12
Tours and Activities in Masai Mara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:
- Cultural Day Tour to Bomas of Kenya Nairobi: $51
- David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Half-Day Tour in Nairobi: $55
- Guided "Matatu" Experience Half Day Tour Within Nairobi.: $60
- Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
- Giraffe Center Guided Tour from Nairobi: $65
- Giraffe Center and David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Tour: $72
- Nairobi City Tour and Afternoon Visit to Bomas of Kenya: $80
- Half Day Private Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $80
- Day tour to Giraffe Center and Karen Blixen Museum: $95
- Nairobi Souvenir Shopping and Historical Half day Tour: $95
- Nairobi National Park Guided Day Tour From Nairobi: $95
- Day tour to Giraffe center and Karen Blixen Nairobi: $95
Tours and Activities in Kingston
Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Walking Tour with Mural Exploration: $26
- Bunny Lee Museum and Recording Studio Admission Ticket: $30
- Kingston Creative: Mural Art Walking Tour: $31
- Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge Experience: $38
- Rhythmic Walking Music Tour: $40
- Guided Bar Hopping Tour with VIP Speakeasy Entry: $40
- Judgement Yard Tour: $50
- Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion Studio Tour: $50
- Kingston Night Market Experience from Kingston: $55
- Bamboo Rafting Adventure in Ocho Rios: $62
- Devon House Heritage Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $63
- Devon House Tour with Ice Cream from Kingston: $64
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Kingston $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Kingston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kingston:
- Worthy Park Estate Rum Distillery Tour with Tasting: $144
When comparing the travel costs between Masai Mara and Kingston, 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. Even though Masai Mara is in Africa and Kingston is in Caribbean Islands, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
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 Kingston 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.