Which place is cheaper, Lima 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 Lima?
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 Lima. 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 Lima?
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.
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesLima Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $133Lima $97
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $133, while the average daily cost in Lima is $97. 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 Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Lima $53
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Lima $106
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Lima
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Lima? 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 Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Lima $6.21
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 Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.88
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Taxi Ride$5.88
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Short Taxi Ride$4.41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- QuickLlama: Transfer from Lima Airport to Miraflores Kennedy Park: $5.95
- SHARED AIRPORT TRANSFER - From or To Lima Airport: $11
- Lima Airport Transfer Service Available 24 7: $15
- Transfer: Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima City Center: $15
- Private Transfer to Lima Airport (LIM): $16
- Private Transfer from Lima City Hotels to Callao Cruise Port: $17
- Private Transfer from Callao Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $18
- Private Transfer from Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Callao Port: $18
- Transfer To Lima Airport: $20
- Transfer from Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco to Airport: $21
- Lima Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima -Arrival Private Transfer: $21
- Lima to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) - Departure Private Transfer: $21
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima 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 $57Lima $33
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 Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.71
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Ice cream$3.82
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Coffee$3.24
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Donut$1.03
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Food tours on the forbidden side of Lima (Min. 3 Guests – Max. 6): $15
- Local Food Tour at an Iconic Market!!: $24
- Dinner at Café del Museo Larco restaurant: $30
- Lima Food Tour with Ceviche, Pisco, and Grilled Chicken: $45
- Dinner at Mangos Larcomar Restaurant: $48
- Food Tour and Market Experience: 12 Peruvian Snacks: $50
- Private Cooking Class in Causa & Lomo Saltado: $50
- 4h Cooking Class in Iconic Dishes & Bottomless Drinks: $55
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
- Andean Breads Cooking Class in Lima: $55
- Lima Market Tour & Ceviche Cooking Class with Pisco Sour: $59
- #1 Rated Lima Cooking Class: Make Ceviche, Causa & Pisco Sours!: $59
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Lima $9.39
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
- 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
- Nairobi full day shopping tour: $65
- 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
- Nairobi Souvenir Shopping and Historical Half day Tour: $95
- Day tour to Giraffe Center and Karen Blixen Museum: $95
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
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Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)$18
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Movie Tickets$2.50
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Miraflores Guided Walking Tour and Surquillo Market Experience: $5.00
- Lima Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Adventure at the Airport of Peru: $10
- Jogging Activity through Tourist Places facing the Sea in Lima: $15
- Walking Tour in the Historical Centre and China Town: $18
- Miraflores and Barranco Private Bike Tour: $19
- Private Beach Guided Bike Tour in Lima: $19
- Private Tour with guide in Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI: $20
- Huaca Pucllana Tour: $20
- Fun Latin Dance Experience in Lima for Beginners: $20
- Barranco Street Art Tour - Unmasked: $20
- Tour in Lima with Visit to the Catacombs of San Francisco: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Lima $6.10
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$7.91
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Beer$4.41
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Cocktail$3.53
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Free Pub Crawl: $5.00
- Lima Pub Crawl - Party tour: Friday Barranco/Saturday miraflores: $22
- Discover Barranco's Nightlife with Bar Crawl Lima: $24
- Lima Nightlife Tour & Society – Cultural Pub Crawl: $50
- Local Wine Tour: $77
- From Paracas & Huacachina & Wine Tasting: $135
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Lima, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Lima much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Masai Mara is in Africa and Lima is in South America, 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 Lima would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lima 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 Masai Mara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Masai Mara than you might in Lima.
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 Lima 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.