Which place is cheaper, Rome 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 Rome?
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 Rome. 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 Rome?
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.
Rome
Rome is the capital and largest city in Italy. It is also a common entry point for most visitors flying into the country. Rome has been a center of power, culture, and religion for the last millenium, making it one of the most famous and popular destinations in not only Europe, but the world. The influence of the Roman Empire can be seen across continents.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Italy, and The Best Budget Tours to Italy.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesRome Prices
Italy Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $132Rome $243
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $132, while the average daily cost in Rome is $243. 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 Rome in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Rome $106
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Rome $212
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Rome
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Rome? 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 and Rome Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Rome $25
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 Rome
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rome:
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Metro Ride (for Two)$2.35
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Train to the Airport$18
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Taxi to Airport$53
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Bicycle Rental (Full Day)$12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rome
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rome:
- Bus Transfer from Fiumicino Airport to Vatican City: $7.21
- Transfer Ciampino Airport - Rome center: $8.42
- Transfer Fiumicino Airport - Rome City Centre : $8.42
- Transfer Rome center - Ciampino Airport: $8.42
- Bus Transfer from Rome to Milan or Vice Versa: $9.30
- Rome from Civitavecchia Transfer with Optional Open Bus: $36
- Transfer from Civitavecchia by train with Rome HopOnHopOff Option: $39
- Luxury Private Transfer from/to Fiumicino Airport to Rome Center: $41
- Luxury Private Transfer Rome Center to Fiumicino Airport: $44
- Ciampino Transfer: $44
- Transfer between Rome and the Fiumicino Airport FCO: $45
- Rome’s Bone Chapel with Panoramic Transfer: $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Rome?
Prices for flights to both Rome 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 $57Rome $98
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
Typical Food Prices in Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rome:
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$16
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4 Ice Cream Sandwiches$3.51
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Cafe e doce$4.69
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Pizza (Fast Food)$3.11
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Sitdown Lunch (for Two)$37
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Cheese and bread$12
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Espresso$2.35
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Dinner$68
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rome
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rome.
- Pizzas and Piazzas: A Self-Guided Walk of Rome’s Culinary Culture: $20
- Hard Rock Cafe Rome with Set Lunch or Dinner: $34
- Rome City Center Largest Farmers Market and Street Food Tour : $35
- Pizza and Tiramisu Cooking Class near the Colosseum: $35
- Pizza Making Class with Spritz & Mixology: $35
- Tasty Trionfale Farmers Market Food Tour and Local Wines Tasting: $42
- Pasta Making & Wine Tasting with Dinner in Frascati from Rome: $46
- Gnocchi Cooking Class in Rome - Piazza Navona: $46
- Vatican Street Food Tour and Wine Experience with Local Guide: $47
- Rome Food Tour : Street Food Testings with Local Guide: $47
- Rome Food Tour by the Vatican : $52
- Pizza Cooking Class in Rome City Center - Piazza Navona: $52
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Rome $42
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Rome
Here are a few typical costs in Rome for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Rome Museum Vaticano (for 2)$81
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Coliseum Tickets (for Two)$39
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Roma Pass$35
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Hop on Hop Off Bus (All Day)$23
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Segway Tour$88
Tours and Activities in Rome
Here are a few actual costs in Rome for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Self Guided Audio Tour with 100 Captivating Stories in Rome: $3.59
- Rome and Tuscany Secret Treasures Self Guided Walking Tour: $4.20
- Piazza del Popolo and Historical Sights Walking Tour in Rome: $4.21
- Twilight Treasures: An Evening Tour Through Rome's Rich History: $4.57
- Rome Art Walking Tour Who Killed Caravaggio: $4.81
- Ghosts Legends and Mysteries of Rome Walking Tour: $4.81
- Colosseum and Roman Forum Sightseeing Area Night Walking Tour: $4.81
- Rome Timeless Trail Self Guided Walking Tour with App: $5.78
- Rome Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $5.88
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Rome: $5.88
- What Emperor Hadrian Lost: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Ancient Rome: $5.99
- Rome Empress Mystery: Self-Guided Adventure Game: $6.00
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Rome $21
Typical Alcohol Prices in Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Rome:
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Bottle of Wine$7.63
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Pint of Beer$7.44
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Beer$12
Sample the Local Flavors in Rome
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rome:
- Wine Tasting and Food Pairing Small Group Experience: $19
- Rome Pub Crawl in the Old Town: $19
- Trionfale Farmers Market and Vatican Quarter Food and Wine Tour: $35
- Vatican Food and Wine Tasting Tour next to the Sistine Chapel: $35
- Rome’s Exclusive Wine Tasting: Sip Near the Colosseum!: $39
- Experience Rome Exclusive Wine Tasting in City Center: $47
- Tour of Rome with wine tasting: $54
- Guided Wine Tasting Experience in a Roman Vineyard: $59
- Wine Tour in Historic Center of Rome: $60
- Small-Group Exclusive Winery and Wine Tasting Tour in Frascati: $66
- Wine Tasting Cold cuts and Rare Cheeses in Grotta a Testaccio: $72
- Trastevere Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $77
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Rome, we can see that Rome 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 Rome is in Europe, 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 Rome would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rome 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 Rome 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.