Should you visit Nairobi or Accra?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Nairobi and Accra can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Nairobi
Nairobi is Kenya's capital as well as the country's largest city. With a population of about 3 million, it is also one of the largest cities in Africa. It is a prominent city both politically and financially within the region. There are many international companies that are located in Nairobi and the Nairobi Securities and Exchange is one of the largest in Africa.
Accra
Accra is the capital city of Ghana, located on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. Popular attractions include the National Museum of Ghana, local beaches, markets, and cultural landmarks like those dedicated to Civil Rights activist W.E.B. DuBois.
Which city is cheaper, Accra or Nairobi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $58, while the average daily cost in Accra is $67. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Nairobi and Accra in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around $22 for a double occupancy room in Nairobi If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
A hotel room in Accra is about $68 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
The average traveler spends about $7.07 per day in Nairobi for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Accra food costs typically run travelers around $17 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Nairobi $7.07
Accra $17
Typical Food prices in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Carnivore Restaurant: Lunch or Dinner Experience in Nairobi:
$19
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Cultural Tour:Bomas of Kenya and Dinner Experince Carnivore Restaurant:
$40
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Carnivore restaurant lunch or dinner from Nairobi:
$45
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Visit market tour and cooking class: kenyan food with a home cook:
$50
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Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch in Nairobi:
$60
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Private Kenyan Cooking Class in Nairobi with a Local:
$61
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Carnivore Resturant Dinner Experience:
$65
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Carnivore restaurant Dinner or lunch from Nairobi:
$65
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Cooking Lesson of Local Food $ Lunch:
$65
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Private Market Tour and Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class in Nairobi with a Local:
$72
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Dinner/Lunch Eating Experience Carnivore Restaurant & Transport:
$75
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Dinner At The Carnivore Restaurant - Nairobi:
$86
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Accra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Accra.
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Full-Day Authentic Ghanaian Cooking Class in Accra:
$32
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Local Food Tour In Ghana:
$37
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Accra Markets and Ghana Food Tour:
$56
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Private Authentic Ghanaian Cooking Class in Accra:
$59
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Home Cooking Class by Auntie K:
$78
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Market Tour, Cooking Class with Lunch:
$231
Local Transportation
Nairobi's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $10 per person, per day on transportation in Nairobi.
The average price of local transportation around Accra is $29 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Nairobi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Nairobi:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Nairobi Airport Transfer Shuttles:
$15
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Airport Transfers:
$15
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Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Nairobi Airports:
$17
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Airport Transfers in Nairobi:
$19
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Nairobi Airport Transfer, Hotel Pick up and Drop Off:
$19
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Covid-19 Safe Airport transfer in Nairobi:
$19
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Nairobi Suburb Arrival Transfer:
$20
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Airport Transfers within Nairobi:
$20
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Private One-Way Nairobi Airport Transfer:
$23
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One-Way Nairobi Airport Transfer:
$24
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Nairobi Airport Transfers- Arrivals Covid-19 Safe & Private Transfers:
$24
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Nairobi Airport One Way Private Transfer:
$24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Accra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Accra:
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Private Transfer from Kotoka Airport Accra Ghana (ACC) to Accra city:
$124
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Private Transfer from Accra City to Kotoka Airport Accra Ghana (ACC):
$124
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Historic Slave Walking Tour of Jamestown with Transfers:
$127
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Arrival Transfer From Accra Airport To Hotel:
$36
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Airport & City Transfers:
$67
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Airport & City Transfers:
$93
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Aburi Gardens Transfers:
$133
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Aburi Garden Tour And Transfer:
$120
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Accra?
Prices for flights to both Accra and Nairobi 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Nairobi can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $44 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Accra's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $6.02 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Nairobi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Nairobi's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Karen Blixen Museum Admission Ticket:
$15
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Memorable Daily KIBERA Slums/Toi Market Tour with Locals (2 hours):
$20
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Nairobi Half-Day Tour in a Museum, Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Center:
$24
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Nairobi Cultural Shopping Experience:
$26
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Mathare Community Slum Tour:
$26
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Kibera Slum Tour:
$30
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David Sheldrick Half-Day Tour:
$30
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Nairobi Historical Walking City Tour:
$31
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Carnivore Restaurant: A Unique Eating Experience in Nairobi:
$31
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Half-Day Trip David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Centre Tour in Nairobi:
$35
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Riverside shuttle bus daily Nairobi Arusha Moshi Kilimanjaro shuttle bus Ticket:
$35
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Nairobi African Shopping Tour:
$35
Tours and Activities in Accra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Accra are as follows:
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(Year Of Return)One Day Tour To Cape Coast, Elmina Castle, Kakum National Park:
$325
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1 Day Accra City Tour:
$51
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1 Day Accra Tour:
$249
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1 Day Cape Coast Experience Beyond the Return:
$205
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1 Day Tour Monkey Sanctuary (Volta Region):
$220
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1 Day Traditional naming Ceremony and Black history Experience:
$210
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1 Day cocoa farm tour:
$249
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12-Day Cultural Tour of Ghana with Accommodation:
$3,450
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12-Day Guided Walking Tour of Ghana and Togo from Accra:
$3,711
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12-Day Wildlife and Cultural Tour of Northern Ghana from Accra:
$3,396
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15 days 10 regions tour of Ghana:
$1,986
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2 Days Accra And Cape Coast Tour ( BEYOND OF RETURN EXPERIENCE):
$359
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Nairobi spend on average $15 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $8.63 on alcoholic beverages in Accra per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When comparing the travel costs between Nairobi and Accra, we can see that Accra is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Africa, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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