Which place is cheaper, Athens or Nairobi?
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 Nairobi or Athens?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Nairobi and Athens can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Nairobi or Athens?
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.
Athens
Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesAthens Prices
Greece Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $67Athens $181
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $67, while the average daily cost in Athens is $181. 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 Nairobi and Athens in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Athens $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Athens $148
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Athens
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Athens? 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: Nairobi Hotel Prices and Athens Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Athens $32
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nairobi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Nairobi:
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Taxi from Airport$9.23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Road Transfer from Nairobi to Amboseli national park: $197
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or city To Maasai Mara By Road: $135
- Private Transfers from Nairobi Airport to Hotels: $100
- Nairobi National Park Game Drive and Transfer: $95
- Airport/hotel/transfers In Van/bus/sedan Car Within Nairobi: $80
- Private Transfer from Nairobi to Naivasha: $70
- Airport Transfers In Nairobi City: $67
- Nairobi - Maasai Mara Shuttle Transfers. : $61
- Airport and Hotel Private Transfers.: $59
- Airport VIP Transfers - Nairobi Hotels : $55
- Private Luxury airport Taxi transfer Services Nairobi JKIA to City Hotels: $50
- Private Transfer from Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) to Nairobi: $42
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
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Airport Bus for Two$7.51
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Metro$1.76
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Metro$2.35
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Metro from Airport to City Center$9.39
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Taxi from Airport$41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Vip Transfer From/To Athens Center - Rafina Port : $240
- Vip Transfer From /To Athens Center - Athens Airport : $240
- VIP VAN Athens Airport Transfer 1 - 8 persons: $156
- VIP Transfer from Athens Airport to City Center Hotel: $180
- VIP Ferry Ticket From Piraeus Port To Santorini & Private Transfer Included: $275
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Athens HTL-APT (ATH): $63
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Athens APT-HTL (ATH): $63
- Transfers and Guided Tours in all over Greece, sightseeing and Private hire!!: $108
- Transfer services everywhere in Mykonos with Jeep Renegade: $60
- Transfer from/to Piraeus Port and Athens International Airport: $156
- Transfer from Piraeus port to Athens Airport and Vice Versa 22:30PM - 06:29AM: $168
- Transfer from PIRAEUS PORT to NAFPLIO, up to 4 customers: $271
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Athens?
Prices for flights to both Athens 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayNairobi $13Athens $76
Typical Food Prices in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dinner for Two$5.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Carnivore Restaurant: Lunch or Dinner Experience in Nairobi: $21
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class and Dining Experience: $40
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour : $55
- Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch in Nairobi: $60
- Carnivore restaurant Dinner or lunch from Nairobi: $65
- Safari Park Dinner with Safari Cats Dance Show: $97
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $100
- Nairobi dinner and safari cat dancers : $100
- Authentic Local Kenyan Food Tour: $108
- Carnivore Restaurant Dinner Experience in Nairobi: $125
- Nairobi Carnivore Restaurant Lunch / Dinner Experience: $125
- Barbecue Dinner & Entertainment in Nairobi : $135
Typical Food Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
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Ice cream$3.52
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Souvlaki$2.58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens
For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Lunch or Dinner: $30
- Street Food Tour - Sample the Food the Locals Love: $71
- Koukaki Food Tour with a Local Friend: $78
- Athens's original vegan food tour: $78
- Small Group, Delicious Athens Food Tour: $81
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $81
- Get a Taste of Athens Food Tour: $82
- Athens, Greek food tour including market visit: $83
- Eat like an Athenian food tour of Athens: $83
- Athens Walking Food Tour with Visit to Varvakios Central Market: $83
- Athens Evening Food Tour: $88
- Greek Cooking Class by Poseidon’s Temple in Sounio with Antonia: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Athens $42
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nairobi
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Nairobi's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Village Visit$15
Tours and Activities in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Day Tour Amboseli Park From Nairobi: $180
- Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Centre Tour: $95
- Lake Naivasha Full day Tour With Boat Rides: $156
- Local Lunch and Beer Tasting Experience: $90
- Nairobi National Park Morning Or Evening Game Drive 4x4 Tour Van: $50
- Nairobi park Tour 6.A.M-11.AM: $70
- Private 4WD Lake Nakuru Day Tour from Nairobi: $190
- 1 Day Bike Tour to Hell’s Gate And Lake Naivasha : $139
- 1 Day Tour Hiking Mt. Longonot and lake Naivasha Boat ride : $75
- 1 Day Tour Nairobi National Park,Giraffe Center&Karen Blixen: $46
- 1-Day Hiking Adventure at Mount Longonot from Nairobi: $170
- 2 Days Group Safari to Amboseli using a Landcruiser 4x4 Jeep: $260
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Acropolis/Athens Highlights Private Evening Tour (5 hours) from Athens, Piraeus: $162
- Apostle Paul's missionary journys in Athens Private Tour 4Hours: $158
- Athens Gems & Charms for the First Time Cruise Passengers: $95
- Island Swimming Day Cruise—DJ, Lunch & Drinks incl.: $107
- DISCOVER ATHENS IN 6HRS Private Tour BEST INTRODUCTION-FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS : $240
- Mycenae Epidaurus Nafplio Isthmus Canal Private Luxury Tour : $239
- Olive Oil Tasting Farm Experience, Corinth Canal, Nafplio: $188
- Seaside Flavors of Athens Sounio Tour: $228
- Traditional Villages Full day Tour in Santorini: $65
- "A Must-See" Anc. Epidaurus, Mycenae & Nafplion Premium Full Day Tour By Locals: $216
- "Athens Highlights Tour : Acropolis, Acropolis Museum and more.": $180
- "Private tour in Athens": $180
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Athens $26
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- The Original Athens Pub Crawl: $11
- Greek Honey Tasting Experience at our Old Distillery: $14
- Saturday Night Pub Crawl for Professionals in Athens, Greece: $25
- Experience Ouzo Tasting at Athens Oldest Distillery: $26
- Athens Ultimate Bar Crawl: $48
- 2 Hours Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $59
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting : $59
- Greek Wine Tasting with Acropolis view: $59
- Acropolis Private Wine Tasting @ Finewine store : $67
- Greek food and wine tasting: $71
- Noble Greeks Acropolis Wine Tasting with Private Sommelier: $72
- Athens by Night Walking and Wine Tasting Experience: $84
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Athens, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Nairobi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Nairobi is in Africa and Athens 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 Nairobi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nairobi 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 Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Nairobi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Nairobi Expensive? and Is Athens Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Athens?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Athens. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Athens, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.