A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Masai Mara vs. Madrid for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Masai Mara or Madrid?

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 Madrid. 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 Madrid?

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.

Madrid

Madrid, the capital of Spain, overs visitors countless opportunities to experience Spain's culture, art, cuisine, and nightlife. It is the largest city in Spain, and as such has much to explore. The city is situated on the Iberian Peninsula on the Spanish central Castillian plateau. If you're flying into Spain, you'll likely fly into the Madrid airport as it's one of the largest airports in Europe. Madrid is well connected to the rest of Spain with planes, trains and buses, making it a popular place to visit for many travelers doing a European tour.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid.


Which place is cheaper, Madrid 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.

  • Masai Mara Prices
    Kenya Prices
    Madrid Prices
    Spain Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Masai Mara $132
    Madrid $189

The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $132, while the average daily cost in Madrid is $189. 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 Madrid in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Masai Mara $37
    Madrid $91
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Masai Mara $74
    Madrid $182
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Madrid

Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Madrid? 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.

Hotels in Masai Mara


Hotels in Madrid


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 Madrid Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Masai Mara $47
    Madrid $22

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 Madrid

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Madrid are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $31

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Madrid

Also for Madrid, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Alcobendas Private Transfer To Madrid Barajas Airport: $29
  • Hotel Madrid City Private Transfer To Madrid Barajas Airport: $29
  • Private transfer departure from City Centre to Madrid Airport: $29
  • Transfer: Barajas Airport (MAD) to Madrid City Center: $32
  • Madrid Barajas Airport Private Transfer To Madrid City: $35
  • Private transfer to Madrid Airport (MAD): $37
  • Madrid Airport (MAD) to Madrid - Arrival Private Transfer: $43
  • Private transfer from Madrid city to CHAMARTIN train station: $47
  • Private Transfer From Madrid Barajas Airport to Madrid: $48
  • Madrid Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $49
  • Madrid Airport Departure Private Transfer: $51
  • Private One-way Airport Transfer Madrid Airport To Madrid: $60

Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Madrid?

Prices for flights to both Madrid 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Masai Mara $57
    Madrid $69

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

Typical Food Prices in Madrid

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Madrid:


  • Coffee
    $2.35
  • Ice Cream
    $3.52
  • Kebabs (for 2)
    $19
  • Croissant
    $1.76
  • Lunch at Airport (for 2)
    $18

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Madrid

For Madrid, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Madrid Old Town Tour & Flamenco Show with Optional Dinner: $71
  • Chocolate & Churros Cooking Class in Madrid : $72
  • Murder Mystery Dinner Experience: $76
  • Spanish Tapas Experience and Sangría Showcooking in Madrid: $78
  • Paella and Tapas Cooking Workshop in Madrid: $84
  • Madrid Spanish Omelet Cooking Class and Bottomless Wine brunch: $90
  • Spanish Cooking Class Paella Tapas and Sangria in Madrid: $102
  • Tapas & Paella Cooking Class in Madrid with a Professional Chef: $106
  • Tapas, Drinks & Stories: Madrid by Night Food Tour: $124
  • Paella Cooking Class in Madrid with Bottomless Wine Pairing: $142
  • Taste of Spain: Tapas Cooking Class with Bottomless Wine Pairing: $142
  • Afternoon Tapas Cooking Class in a Secret Venue in Madrid: $160

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Masai Mara $60
    Madrid $39

Tours and Activities in Masai Mara

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:

  • Airport Layover Tour to Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center: $225
  • Amboseli national park full day tour: $160
  • Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
  • Day Tour To Mt. Kenya : $285
  • Fairview Coffee Farm Day Tour in Nairobi: $120
  • Full Day Tour Nairobi National Park, Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Center: $275
  • Giraffe Center Half-Day Guided Tour from Nairobi: $75
  • Half Day Giraffe Center,Baby Elephant&Karen Blixxen Guided Tour: $38
  • Half Day Private Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $80
  • Nairobi African Shopping Tour: $55
  • Nairobi City Tour and Afternoon Visit to Bomas of Kenya: $80
  • Nairobi Museum KICC Tower Kobe and Bomas of Kenya Day Tour: $115

Tours and Activities in Madrid

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Madrid.

  • Self Guided Walking City Tour in Madrid: $1.17
  • Tour "Barrio de las Letras" Spanish Golden Age: $2.86
  • Tour "Madrid of the Austrias" | Old Town ❤️: $2.86
  • Malasaña and Chueca A Tour That Shouts Freedom: $3.57
  • Madrid Walking Tour from Puerta del Sol to Retiro Park: $3.57
  • Self Guided Tours Madrid With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.57
  • Madrid - Medieval to Modern Walking Tour (English): $3.58
  • Madrid Mountains Free Walking Tour: $3.58
  • Walking Tour of Madrid Moderno, Madrid de los Bourbons : $3.58
  • Tuk Tuk Tour of the Best of Madrid (booking only) : $5.97
  • Self-Guided Audio Tour - Cervantes Literary Experience in Madrid: $6.99
  • Ghosts of Exploration Game and Tour: $7.16

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Masai Mara $26
    Madrid $23

Typical Alcohol Prices in Madrid

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Madrid are as follows:


  • Beer
    $5.87
  • Drinks and Tapas (for 2)
    $15

Sample the Local Flavors in Madrid

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Madrid:

  • Top Pub Crawl Madrid & Party: $11
  • Madrid Pub Crawl with VIP Club Entrance: $12
  • Visit to the Winery with Wine Tasting and Appetizers in Navarra: $12
  • Pub Crawl Madrid by Mad Party Crew: $20
  • Pub Crawl Madrid-The Original since 2005-Shots-Fun-Clubs-Dance: $30
  • Wine Tasting near Plaza Mayor in Madrid : $30
  • Wine Tour with tasting in the Natural Park of La Mata: $38
  • Wine Tasting in Madrid Experience: $55
  • Toledo Tour with Tapas, Wine Tasting and Optional 3 Monuments: $57
  • Hypno Tasting Wine Tasting under Hypnosis in Madrid: $59
  • Madrid Royal Palace Small Group Guided Tour with Wine Tasting: $71
  • New Year Eve Madrid Pub Crawl: $82


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Madrid, we can see that Madrid 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 Madrid is in Europe, 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 Madrid would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Madrid 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 Madrid Expensive?.