Which place is cheaper, Budapest 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 Budapest?
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 Budapest 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 Budapest?
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.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. It has been called the "Paris of the East" because of its impressive architecture and general beauty. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its cultural importance, its location on the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrassy Avenue. In addition to its rich history, Budapest still has a young vibe with a lot of energy. There's an active night life, an impressive music scene, and a good reputation with European youth.
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 Budapest, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Budapest.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesBudapest Prices
Hungary Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $67Budapest $132
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $67, while the average daily cost in Budapest is $132. 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 Budapest in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Budapest $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Budapest $126
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Budapest
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Budapest? 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 Budapest Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Budapest $13
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$9.26
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
- Airport transfers: $180
- Private Transfer in Nairobi: $180
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or City to Mara by road: $160
- Private Shuttle Van Transfer: $100
- Nairobi Airports Private Transfers: $100
- Nairobi National Park Tour with Game Drive and Transfer: $95
- Nairobi National Park Tour with Game Drive and Transfer: $95
- Airport Transfer (one Way): $80
- Private Transfer from Nairobi to Naivasha: $70
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi City: $70
- Airport Transfers In Nairobi City: $67
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
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Short Taxi Ride$8.31
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Metro Pass$4.56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest
Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Vienna: Private transfer to Budapest or Budapest to Vienna: $314
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Budapest HTL-APT (BUD): $68
- Transfer Budapest City to Ferenc Liszt Airport(BUD): $23
- Szentendre: Self-guided Bicycle Tour with optional boat transfer: $34
- SuperCar Airport Transfer Budapest: $175
- Private transfer from Budapest to Prague: $1,152
- Private arrival OR departure transfer in Budapest (hotel OR airport pick-up): $113
- Private Transfer in Budapest: $111
- Private Transfer from Budapest to Vienna with 2h of Sightseeing: $291
- Private Transfer from Budapest to Vienna with 2h of Sightseeing: $232
- Private Transfer from Budapest to Liszt Ferenc Airport: $86
- Private Transfer from Budapest city to Budapest Airport - departure: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Budapest?
Prices for flights to both Budapest 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 $13Budapest $48
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$5.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Kenyan Cooking Class & Authentic Dining Experience with a Local: $40
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour: $55
- Private Interactive Cooking Class and Market Tour in Kinoo: $65
- Dinner/Lunch Eating Experience Carnivore Restaurant & Transport: $75
- Safari Park dinner with live band music and cat dance show.: $90
- Nairobi Nightlife and Safari Park Hotel Dinner Experience: $90
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $100
- Barbecue Lunch/ Dinner At The Carnivore Restaurant - Nairobi: $100
- Nairobi National Park Afternoon Game Drive/ Dinner Carnivore Restaurant: $100
- Nairobi dinner and safari cat dancers: $100
- Authentic home dinner with a local Family in Nairobi: $108
- Authentic Local Kenyan Food Tour: $108
Typical Food Prices in Budapest
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:
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Lunch$4.06
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner and Live Hungarian Music: $1.51
- Pizza Tasting Experience at Deci Pub: $20
- Hungarian Folk Dance & Concert with Dinner Option: $22
- Folklore Revue Show with Unlimited Dinner & Drinks: $33
- Catamaran Pizza Cruise: $41
- Sir Lancelot Medieval Dinner with Drink and Show: $50
- Traditional Hungarian Dinner with Live Gypsy Music: $52
- Budapest Danube Cruise and Dinner Options, Live Music and Dance: $57
- Tipsy Food Tour - Wines, Small Group & Local Guide: $65
- Food Tour Market to Tavern: 14+ Tasters & Wines: $65
- Guided Food Tour with Wine, Beer, and Shots: $69
- Budapest Small Group Local Flavors Food Tour: $69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Budapest $26
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:
- 1 Day Bike Tour to Hell’s Gate And Lake Naivasha: $139
- 1 Day Hell's Gate Bicycle Tour (minimum 2 Pax): $280
- 1 Day Hiking Adventure At Mt Longonot From Nairobi(minimum 2 Pax): $225
- 1 Day Purple Farm Tour from Nairobi Tea Tasting and Lunch: $295
- 1-Day Mount Longonot Hiking Adventure From Nairobi: $195
- 3 Day Maasai Mara Group Joining Safari With Guided Tour: $250
- 3 Days 8th Wonder Of The World with Maasai Mara Great Tour: $242
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari on 4x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $295
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Shared Tour with Private Accommodation: $250
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari in a 4 x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $220
- 3 Days and 2 Night Maasai Mara Group Safari Tour: $295
- 3 Hour Nairobi National Museum and Snake Park Tour: $95
Typical Entertainment Prices in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Entrance to the Baths for Two$8.15
Tours and Activities in Budapest
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.
- 1 Hour Budapest Segway Tour - Parliament Hightails: $45
- 101 things in Budapest - Full Day Tour with Lunch & Metro Pass: $198
- 2 Hours Buda Castle Walking Tour - Walk with a Historian: $48
- 2 Hours Private Scenic Photo Tour Around Budapest: $233
- 2-Hour Budapest Fisherman Bastion and Castle District Segway Tour: $70
- 3 Hours Private Guided Tour In Budapest: $171
- 3-Hour Orientation Walking Tour of Buda and Pest: $41
- 365 Oldtimer Museum Entry Ticket: $20
- 4 hour The Treasures of Budapest Private Walking Tour: $175
- 5 Hours Private Budapest First Class Tour with Parliament option: $251
- 6 hour Budapest walking tour: $221
- A Journey through Jewish Budapest - Walking Tour: $122
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Budapest $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Nairobi
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Nairobi:
- Food and Wine Tasting Experience at Five Senses Restaurant: $155
Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest
Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Guided Ruin Bar Pub Crawl VIP Entry & 6 Free Shots: $8.73
- Pub Crawl & Ruin Bar Tour –6 Free Shots VIP Entry: $12
- Ruin Bar Pub Crawl with Entry Tickets: $12
- Guided Pub Tour to Ruin Bars with Games & 6 Shots: $16
- Unmissable Bar Crawls with Shots & VIP Club Entry: $21
- 'Hungarian Wine Tasting Experience' in Budapest by Bortársaság: $21
- Bingo Bar Crawl: $21
- Budapest Original Ruin Pub Crawl Including 5 Shots: $23
- Budapest's Ruin Bar Pub Crawl, Free Shots, Games & VIP Club Entry: $23
- Brewery Tour at "First Craft Beer" & Beer Tasting: $26
- Budapest Pub Crawl & Ruin Bar Tour – Free Shots & VIP Entry: $27
- Hidden Gem Wine Tasting: $29
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Budapest, we can see that Budapest 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 Budapest 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 Budapest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Budapest 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 Budapest Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Budapest?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 62% larger than the population of Budapest. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Budapest, 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.