Which place is cheaper, Bucharest or Nairobi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Nairobi or Bucharest?
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 Bucharest 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 Bucharest?
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.
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital and largest city in the country of Romania. With about 2 million residents living in the city and about 2.4 million in the surrounding urban area, it is also one of the largest cities in Southeastern Europe. As such, it is the economic, industrial and commercial center for the country. As a visitor, you will likely enter Romania by arriving in Bucharest. The city continues to grow and change, and there are ongoing infrastructure projects that continue to modernize the city. It is not uncommon to find historic churches on the same block as modern office buildings and Communist style apartment buildings. There are also many sights around town and the city continues to grow as a trendy and fascinating city.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bucharest, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Romania.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $63Bucharest $137
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $63, while the average daily cost in Bucharest is $137. 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 Bucharest in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Bucharest $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Bucharest $126
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Bucharest
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Bucharest? 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 Bucharest Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Bucharest $26
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$9.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $20
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $41
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $35
- Airport Transfers within Nairobi: $30
- Airport and Hotels Transfers: $40
- Bush Safaris and Airport transfers: $85
- From 7-Day Kenya Safari Trip with Meals & Transfer: $1,800
- From Kibera Community Walking Tour with Transfer: $50
- Jomo Kenyatta International Airport: Airport transfers: $50
- Mercedes Viano Private Transfer Luxury Comfort Nairobi : $250
- Mwashi Airport Transfer & Taxi: $26
- VIP AIRPORT TRANSFER: $120
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bucharest
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bucharest:
- Tulcea Bucharest Private Transfer: $173
- Transfert Privat București: $60
- Transfer from Otopeni Airport to Bucharest: $29
- Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov - Hotel Pick-up: $174
- Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov: $163
- Transfer and Full Access All Day at Therme Spa Bucharest : $109
- Transfer From Bucharest Airport To Sofia Bulgaria: $290
- Transfer Bucharest to/from Giurgiu Cruise Port: $140
- Transfer Bucharest Otopeni Airport (OTP) to/from Brasov: $244
- Transfer Bucharest Airport to Brasov: $287
- Transfer Airport Otopeni - Bucharest: $43
- Transfer Aeroport Otopeni: $64
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Bucharest?
Prices for flights to both Bucharest 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 $7.63Bucharest $58
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$5.11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Carnivore experience Lunch Or Dinner (Optional Bomas of kenya ): $40
- Nairobi:Carnivore Restaurant Dinner and Pub Crawling.: $47
- Local Market Tour and Traditional Meal Cooking Class: $53
- Enjoy Traditional Kenyan Food Cooking Class With a Host.: $53
- Nairobi Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch: $55
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour : $60
- Nairobi Cooking and Food Tasting Activity: $60
- Private Interactive Cooking Class and Market Tour in Kinoo: $65
- Carnivore Resturant Dinner Experience : $68
- Carnivore Dinner Experience: $80
- Carnivore Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Experience: $80
- The Carnivore Restaurant Experience: Lunch Or Dinner: $84
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bucharest
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bucharest.
- Bohemian Bucharest Markets and Mahallas Traditional Food Tour: $60
- Cooking Class traditional food: $65
- Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $74
- Unhealthy Food Tour of Bucharest – 4 hours: $75
- Bucharest Evening Tour and Traditional Dinner: $84
- Bucharest Evening Tour and Traditional Dinner - 3 hours: $86
- Private Walking Food Tour - Culture, History & Traditions: $98
- 4-Hour Walking Food Tour in the Old Town: $201
- Bucharest City Tour & Traditional Home-made Cooking Experience: $227
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $47Bucharest $15
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$16
Tours and Activities in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Ebike adventure Hire Nairobi (Electric mountain bike hire): $15
- Nairobi cultural shopping experience: $18
- Nairobi City;culture and historical guided tour: $19
- Nairobi City Walking and Historic Tours: $19
- Nairobi;Downtown walking tour: $20
- Kibera slums half day tour from nairobi: $25
- Private Guided Nairobi City and Cultural Walking Tour: $25
- Elephant orphanage, Giraffe center, kobe beads tour: $25
- Half-Day Tour Giraffe Center and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: $25
- Nairobi City tour: $25
- From Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Center Tour: $25
- Nairobi city walking tour : $25
Tours and Activities in Bucharest
Here are a few actual costs in Bucharest for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Bears Sanctuary, Dracula's Castle, Brasov Day Trip Private Tour from Bucharest: $248
- Bucharest Panoramic Sightseeing - Private City Tour: $92
- Transylvania Heritage Tour at Peles Bran and Cantacuzino Castles: $92
- 1 Day 4x4 Tour in Carpathian Mountains: $173
- 1 Day ATV Tour in Carpathian Mountains: $206
- 1 Day Castles Tour - Sinaia and Bran: $137
- 10h Bucharest City Tour & Snagov Monastery (Dracula's Grave): $257
- 14 Days Private Tour in Romania, Moldova & Transnistria: $4,712
- 2 Days Private Tour - The Romanian Caves from Bucharest: $557
- 2 Hour Photoshoot Experience Near Bucharest Architectural Charms: $98
- 2 Hours Private Walking Tour in Bucharest City: $87
- 2-Day Medieval Transylvania with Brasov,Sibiu and Sighisoara Tour from Bucharest: $250
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Bucharest $9.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Bucharest
Also in Bucharest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Weekend Pub Crawl: $23
- Bucharest Pub Crawl in the Old Town: $25
- Bachelors Party in Custom Bar Crawl: $37
- Private Bar Crawling in Bucharest Old City: $42
- Private Wine Tasting in Bucharest: $43
- From Romanian Wine Tasting Tour: $45
- Pub Crawl in the Old CIty and Rooftop Hopping in Bucharest: $47
- Romanian Wine Tasting: $48
- Private Romanian Wine Tasting in Urlați: $51
- Bucharest VIP Bar Crawl in Lipscani 'Old Town': $59
- Bucharest City Tour and Wine Tasting: $84
- Wine Tasting Tour at First Wine Bar: $85
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Bucharest, we can see that Bucharest 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 Bucharest 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 Bucharest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bucharest 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 Bucharest Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Bucharest?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 47% larger than the population of Bucharest. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Bucharest, 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.