Which place is cheaper, Osaka 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 Osaka?
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 Osaka. 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 Osaka?
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.
Osaka
The third largest city in Japan, Osaka has a lot to offer travelers. It's at the center of the Kansai region, and is a wonderful place to spend a few days. The city sits at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay and is a major commercial hub for the country.
Osaka has a humid subtropical climate with four seasons. The winters are mild with January temperatures having an average high of almost 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow is very rare. Springs start cool and become hot and humid. This is also the wettest season with the rainiest time being between May and early July. Summers are hot and humid with July temperatures climbing into the high 90s Fahrenheit. The fall season becomes cooler as winter approaches.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Japan, and The Best Adventure Tours to Japan.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesOsaka Prices
Japan Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $133Osaka $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $133, while the average daily cost in Osaka is $104. 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 Osaka in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Osaka $45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Osaka $90
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Osaka
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Osaka? 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: Osaka Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $48Osaka $13
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 Osaka
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Osaka:
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Subway$7.62
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Osaka
Also for Osaka, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Osaka Kansai Airport Private Transfer to or from Osaka City: $41
- Private Transfer to/from Universal Studios Japan: $42
- Itami Airport(ITM): Private Transfer from/to Osaka or Kyoto: $42
- Osaka International Airport (ITM) Private Transfer to Osaka/Kyoto: $46
- Kansai Airport (KIX) Transfer to Osaka/Kobe/Kyoto/Nara/Wakayama: $59
- Private departure Transfer from Osaka city to Kansai airport: $67
- Osaka ⇆ Kansai Airport (KIX) Private Transfer: $68
- Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) to Osaka - Arrival Private Transfer: $68
- Osaka to Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) - Departure Private Transfer: $68
- Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) to Osaka - Arrival Private Transfer: $72
- Osaka to Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) - Departure Private Transfer: $72
- Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX) to Kobe - Arrival Private Transfer: $75
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Osaka?
Prices for flights to both Osaka 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 $57Osaka $42
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Osaka
For Osaka, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Osaka Cooking Class 17 Tastes Takoyaki Making: $21
- Osaka Umeda: PICCADILLY DINNER SHOW&NIGHTCLUB with Tasting: $32
- Japanese Home cooking in Osaka: $32
- Welcome to Osaka Matrix and Local food tour with Ninja Guide: $36
- Osaka Food Tour: Customize Your Taste like an Osakan in Namba: $37
- Japanese Breakfast Cooking in Osaka: $39
- 1.5 Hour Food Tour at the Kuromon Market in Osaka: $42
- 1 Group Only Osaka Dotonbori Food Tour Wagyu and Ramen Takoyaki: $45
- Kyoto Style Miso Soup and Chirashi Sushi Cooking Experience: $46
- Osaka Cooking for Japanese Pescatarian dishes: $49
- Private Food Tour & Bar Hopping in Namba: $49
- Deep Osaka Night Walking Tour with Optional Dinner: $51
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Osaka $20
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 Half-Day Tour in Nairobi: $75
- Day Tour to Maasai Mara Reserve From Nairobi: $225
- Day tour to Giraffe center and Karen Blixen Nairobi: $95
- Full-Day Bird Watching Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $195
- Full-Day Kiambethu Tea Farm Tour From Nairobi with Lunch: $90
- Giraffe Center and David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Tour: $72
- Guided "Matatu" Experience Half Day Tour Within Nairobi.: $60
Typical Entertainment Prices in Osaka
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Osaka's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Osaka Aquarium (for 2)$29
Tours and Activities in Osaka
For Osaka, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Osaka Dotonbori: CHEVAL Nightclub Ticket & Drinks (Foreign Only): $5.20
- Osaka Umeda: OWL Nightclub Admission Ticket (For Foreign): $6.32
- Osaka Farplane Parco Bar Admission Ticket with Drink for Foreign: $6.50
- Osaka Shinsaibashi: AMMONA Nightclub Entry Ticket (For Foreign): $6.50
- Harukas 300 Observatory Tickets | Osaka: $7.00
- Osaka Food Quest: Self-Guided Culinary & History Adventure: $7.05
- Osaka Katsuo-ji Temple Natural Attraction Ticket: $8.50
- Osaka Walking Tour with Audioguide on Your Smartphone: $12
- Osaka Dotonbori River Cruise with Glico Sign: $13
- General Admission ticket to ABENO HARUKAS in Osaka: $13
- Osaka Dotonbori River Cruise with Glico Sign & Neon Lights View: $13
- Osaka Dotonbori Wonder Cruise: $13
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Osaka $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Osaka
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Osaka:
- Off The Beaten Path Osaka Local Bar Crawl/ 22 Tapas 7 Drinks: $5.85
- Osaka Pub Crawl and Nightlife Tour: $22
- Osaka Nights: Ultimate Pub Bar Crawl with an Expert Local Guide: $34
- Osaka Sake Brewery Tour and Tasting: $42
- 3Hour Osaka Pub Crawl Bar Hopping Nightlife Guided Tour in Namba: $46
- Osaka Winery Tour with Wine Tasting & Vineyard Walk: $84
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Osaka, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Osaka much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Masai Mara is in Africa and Osaka 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 Osaka would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Osaka 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 Osaka.
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 Osaka 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.