Which place is cheaper, Quepos 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 Quepos?
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 Quepos. 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 Quepos?
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.
Quepos
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesQuepos Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $132Quepos $155
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $132, while the average daily cost in Quepos is $155. 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 Quepos in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Quepos $85
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Quepos $170
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Quepos
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Quepos? 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: Quepos Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Quepos $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Manuel Antonio: $88
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Manuel Antonio: $88
- Puntarenas city to Juan Santamaria Intl Airport(SJO)-Departure Private Transfer: $101
- Private Transfer Manuel Antonio & Quepos to SJO Airport: $105
- Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San José (Airport SJO): $110
- Transfer from Quepos Cruise Port to Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO): $159
- Manuel Antonio Hotels / Bejuco to SJO Airport Private Transfer: $195
- Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to Arenal La Fortuna: $195
- Private Transfer FROM or TO Manuel Antonio - Sierpe: $209
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to the Sierpe: $213
- Transfer from SJO Airport or Surrounding Areas to Manuel Antonio: $225
- Private Transfer from Quepos Port to Liberia Int Airport (LIR): $248
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Quepos?
Prices for flights to both Quepos 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 $57Quepos $57
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
Typical Food Prices in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$17
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Seafood Dinner (for 1)$22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Class and Medical Plants Garden: $77
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner in Manuel Antonio: $79
- Local Flavor Cooking Experience: $96
- Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio: $97
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Quepos $19
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 Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Manuel Antonio National Park *Group tour/Park ticket NOT included: $22
- Manuel Antonio National Park: Guided Tour with TICKET INCLUDED: $23
- Manuel Antonio Nature Experience with Jeremias: $25
- Manuel Antonio Park Tour and its Amazing Wildlife and Beaches: $27
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour With Ticket Option: $27
- Manuel Antonio Park Guided Tour with Ticket Included Option: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park guided tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park guided tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Guided Park tour: $29
- Guided Tour in Manuel Antonio National Park: $29
- Manuel Antonio National Park guided Tour: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Quepos $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Quepos, we can see that Quepos 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 Quepos is in Central 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 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos 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 Quepos 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.