Which place is cheaper, Roatan 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 Roatan?
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 Roatan. 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 Roatan?
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.
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, and The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesRoatan Prices
Honduras Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $133Roatan $42
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $133, while the average daily cost in Roatan is $42. 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 Roatan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Roatan $10
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Roatan $20
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Roatan
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Roatan? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Roatan $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:
- Nairobi National Park Game Drive Tour With Transfer: $95
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$3.91
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- Transfers to West End by night from hotels in West Bay or Sandy Bay: $25
- Airport, Hotel or Cruise Port, Ferry Roatan Private Transfer: $35
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan - Arrival Private Transfer: $57
- Roatan to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $57
- Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $59
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $62
- Roatan West Bay Beach Break with Roundtrip Transfer: $75
- Let's Go Native Roatan City Cultural Tour, Transfer: $80
- King Kong Extreme Zipline, City Tour and Transfer: $80
- West Bay Beach Day Pass & Private Transfer – Roatán: $89
- Roatan East End Cultural Experience, Island Lunch & Private Transfer: $95
- Roatan Zipline, Monkey, Macaws & Sloths Eco Park, Snorkeling, Transfer: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Roatan?
Prices for flights to both Roatan 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 $57Roatan $15
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
- Kibera Slums Bomas of Kenya and Dinner at Carnivore Tour: $225
- Nairobi National Museum and Carnivore Restaurant Food Tour: $275
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $300
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Roatan $25
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
- Cultural Day Tour to Bomas of Kenya Nairobi: $51
- Guided "Matatu" Experience Half Day Tour Within Nairobi.: $60
- Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
- Half-Day Private Cultural Tour to Bomas of Kenya: $75
- Nairobi National Park Half Day Tour From Nairobi: $75
- David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Half-Day Tour in Nairobi: $75
- Nairobi City Tour and Afternoon Visit to Bomas of Kenya: $80
- Half Day Private Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $80
- Nairobi National Park Drive Private Tour: $80
- Full-Day Kiambethu Tea Farm Tour From Nairobi with Lunch: $90
- Giraffe Center and David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Tour: $95
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Custom Private Roatan Shuttle Tour: Explore at Your Own Pace: $30
- Roatan Island Tours, Sightseeing and Shopping Adventures: $39
- Roatán Ron and Chocolate Custom Tour.: $40
- Roatan Zipline & Eco walk/Suspension Bridge Combo Tours: $45
- Roatan Beach and Tour: $45
- Customizable Best Of Roatan Island Tour in Honduras: $45
- Private Customize Roatán Island Tour chocolate Rum local guide: $48
- Canopy Adventure in Roatán: $48
- Private Roatan Sightseeing Tour: $49
- Roatan VIP Free-Style Private Tour: $49
- Extreme Zip Line Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $49
- Cruise Travelers West Bay Beach Break with Island Tour in Roatan: $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Roatan $6.49
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
- Roatan ATV Adventure, Island Tour and Craft Brewery Experience: $130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Roatan, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Masai Mara is in Africa and Roatan 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 Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Roatan.
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 Roatan 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.