Which place is cheaper, San Juan 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 San Juan?
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 San Juan. 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 San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
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 PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $133San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $133, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or San Juan? 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 San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47San Juan $14
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 San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer San Juan from or to SJU Airport, Hotel, Cruises: $16
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan - Arrival Private Transfer: $27
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Arrival Private Transfer: $30
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU)- Departure Transfer: $30
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Premium Sedan, Select Zone: $59
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port Arrival Private Transfer: $59
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, Tesla 3 Luxury Sedan.: $63
- One-way transfer from SJU Airport to Cruise Port or Vice Versa: $65
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Private Transfer in San Juan: $75
- Private Transfer from San Juan Airport (SJU) to Ponce Cruise Port: $77
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $57San Juan $62
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
- Nairobi National Museum and Carnivore Restaurant Food Tour: $275
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- FlyDining: 4 Course Sunset & City Light Dinner Over Old San Juan: $159
- Morning Old San Juan Food Tour: $169
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60San Juan $49
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
- Cultural Day Tour to Bomas of Kenya Nairobi: $51
- David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Half-Day Tour in Nairobi: $55
- Day Tour to Amboseli National Park: $300
- Day Tour to Maasai Mara Reserve From Nairobi: $225
- Day tour to Giraffe Center and Karen Blixen Museum: $95
- Day tour to Giraffe center and Karen Blixen Nairobi: $95
- Full day Crescent Island and Hell's Gate Park Cycling Tour: $295
- Full-Day Bird Watching Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $195
- Giraffe Center Guided Tour from Nairobi: $65
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- The Ultimate Self-Guided Hidden Gems Tour in Puerto Rico: $5.00
- Transportation in San Juan, Isla verde, Condado, Hotels, Cruises & Airbnb's SJU: $14
- Outdoor Salsa Class Experience in San Juan: $19
- Discover Superb Self-Guided Audio Tour: $20
- Old San Juan Tour in Spanish: $30
- Paddleboard Adventure: Explore Marine Life in Condado Lagoon: $32
- SJU Airport to San Juan Cruise Port or return: $33
- VIP Glow San Juan Salsa Night Experience at Luxury Condado Beach: $35
- San Juan Cruise Port: Puerto Rico Artisan Rum Tasting: $39
- Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
- San Juan Guided Turtle Snorkel Tour and Complimentary Videos: $45
- Legacy Tour at Casa BACARDÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Puerto Rico Tobacco Farm and Local Brewery Tour: $109
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan 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.