Which place is cheaper, Ponce 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 Ponce?
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 Ponce. 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 Ponce?
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.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
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 PricesPonce Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $132Ponce $230
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $132, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $230. 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 Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Ponce? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Ponce $10
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 Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
- Vega Baja to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $170
- Transfer SJU Airport to Humacao and Nagüabo. Vice Versa One Way Trip: $185
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce 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 $57Ponce $61
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Latin Night with Dinner and Local Music with Transportation: $59
- Puerto Rico Art and Wine Dinner with One Way Transportation: $89
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Island Authentic Food Tour : $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Ponce $56
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
- Nairobi African Shopping Tour: $55
- Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
- Giraffe Center Half-Day Guided Tour from Nairobi: $75
- Nairobi City Tour and Afternoon Visit to Bomas of Kenya: $80
- Half Day Private Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $80
- Ngong Hills Adventure from Nairobi: $85
- Private Day Tour to Nairobi Arboretum and Nairobi National Museum: $109
- Nairobi Museum KICC Tower Kobe and Bomas of Kenya Day Tour: $115
- Fairview Coffee Farm Day Tour in Nairobi: $120
- Amboseli national park full day tour: $160
- Airport Layover Tour to Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center: $225
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Private Sunset Walking Tour in San Juan: $25
- Guided Walking Tour in Ponce: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- La Perla Cultural Tour: $35
- Prive Tours in Puerto Rico: $40
- Las Tinajas Waterfall: Guided Short Hike Adventure from Fajardo: $55
- Walking Guided Tour of History and Myths of Old San Juan : $60
- 2.5-Hour Historical Walking Tour of Old San Juan: $65
- Half-Day El Yunque Rainforest Tour from Fajardo: $65
- Half-Day Small-Group River Experience in El Yunque with Local : $68
- El Yunque Rainforest, Waterslides & Beach Tour from San Juan: $75
- Party Bus Experience in San Juan, Puerto Rico: $79
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Ponce $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Ponce, we can see that Ponce 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 Ponce is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce 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 Ponce 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.