Which place is cheaper, Mumbai 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.
Jump to 
Should you visit Masai Mara or Mumbai?
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 Mumbai. 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 Mumbai?
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.
Mumbai
Mumbai is the largest city in India and the capital of Maharashtra state. It is still occasionally referred to as Bombay, but most people know it now as Mumbai. It's the commercial capital of the country and is a major port city. It's also famous for Bollywood, which is the movie capital of the country and famous for it's music filled Bollywood flicks that have become popular around the world. Mumbai is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in India and has some of the most liberal views of an otherwise conservative country. Many immigrants and expats live in Mumbai and it's easy to see the blend of cultures.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best 2-Week Tours from Mumbai, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to India.
-
Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesMumbai Prices
India Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $132Mumbai $75
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $132, while the average daily cost in Mumbai is $75. 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 Mumbai in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Mumbai $29
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Mumbai $58
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Mumbai
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Mumbai? 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: Mumbai Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Mumbai $6.37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mumbai
Also for Mumbai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Airport Transfer to Hotel Easy & Safe: $8.20
- Dharavi Slum Tour in Mumbai with Combo Packages & Transfers: $11
- Private Transfer from Mumbai Airport to Hotel: $11
- One-Way Transfer Airport to Hotel: $11
- Transfer Mumbai Airport Hotel/Navi Mumbai: $19
- VIP Mumbai Airport Transfer: Comfort & Convenience: $19
- Mumbai Airport Private Arrival Transfers: $19
- Mumbai Private Airport Transfer to Hotel Easy & Safe: $20
- Mumbai Airport BOM Private Transfer to Mumbai City Central/Hotels: $24
- Mumbai After Dark: Private Night Tour with AC Transfers: $25
- Mumbai to Mumbai Airport (BOM) - Departure Private Transfer: $25
- Mumbai Airport Transfer in Private Vehicle: $26
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Mumbai?
Prices for flights to both Mumbai 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 dayMasai Mara $57Mumbai $38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Masai Mara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Masai Mara.
- Nairobi Nightlife and Safari Park Hotel Dinner with Pick Up: $125
- Nairobi Private Carnivore Dinner Experience: $125
- Nairobi City Walking Tour with Lunch/Dinner Carnivore Restaurant: $165
- Nairobi National Museum and Carnivore Restaurant Food Tour: $275
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mumbai
For Mumbai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Bollywood Studio Tour & Indian Cooking Class: $11
- Private Evening City & Street Food Tour with AC Car: $11
- Best Steet Food Tour & Marekt with Train Ride Tour: $14
- Mumbai Food Tour — 178 Years of Bombay on a Plate: $14
- Discover Mumbai's street & beach with Vegetarian food tour: $14
- Mumbai Street Food Tour with Evening Bazaar Walk: $14
- Authentic Indian Cooking Class in Mumbai with a Local Family: $16
- Vegetarian Indian Cuisine Virtual Cooking Class Experience from Mumbai: $20
- Indian Cooking Class & Cultural Delights: $23
- Private Dharavi Walking Tour & Indian Cooking Class: $25
- Safe Food Tour in Mumbai for 2 hours: $27
- Indian cusine demonstration cum hands on with Hi Tea / Dinner at a Family home: $29
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Mumbai $2.31
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
- Carnivore Restaurant Nairobi Eating Experience with Transport: $145
- Cultural Day Tour to Bomas of Kenya Nairobi: $51
- David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Center Guided Day Tour: $95
- David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Half-Day Tour in Nairobi: $75
- Day Tour Nairobi National Park Giraffe Center and Karen Blixen: $275
- Day tour to Giraffe center and Karen Blixen Nairobi: $135
- Full-Day Kiambethu Tea Farm Tour From Nairobi with Lunch: $90
- Giraffe Center and David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Tour: $95
- Giraffe Center, Elephant Orphanage and Cultural Dance Guided Tour: $175
Tours and Activities in Mumbai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Mumbai.
- From 6 Days Golden Triangle (Delhi Agra Jaipur) Tour: $1.56
- Dharavi Slum Walking Tour by First Female Tour Guide: $3.37
- Dhobi Ghat Laundry and Dharavi Slum Tour with Local: $3.43
- Dharavi Slum and Dhobi Ghat Laundry Tour: $3.92
- Tour In Book Mumbai Sightseeing With Top Highlights: $3.94
- Dharavi Walking Tour & Dhobi Ghat Laundry Train Ride: $4.00
- Best Dharavi Tour -See the real Slum with a Local: $4.09
- Mumbai Slum Tour - Visit Dharavi Slum with Local Guide: $4.15
- Private Mumbai City Tour + Dharavi Slum Slumdog Millionaire Tour: $4.24
- Slum Tour Dharavi & Dhobi Ghat Laundry with a Local: $4.36
- Dharavi - Asia's larget Slum Tour with a Local Guide: $4.69
- Mumbai's Historical Architecture: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.00
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Mumbai $3.20
Sample the Local Flavors in Mumbai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Mumbai:
- Bombay Party (Bar Crawl): $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Mumbai, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Mumbai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Masai Mara is in Africa and Mumbai is in Asia, 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 Mumbai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mumbai 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 Mumbai.
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 Mumbai 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.