A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Nairobi vs. Cairo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Nairobi or Cairo?

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 Cairo 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 Cairo?

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.

Cairo

Cairo is the chaotic capital city of Egypt. With a population of more than 16 million, it is one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East. As a traveler, you're likely to arrive and leave from here and you'll get your first orientation to the area during the chaotic and congestion filled taxi ride from the airport.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, and The Best Historical Tours in Egypt.


Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Nairobi?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $61, while the average daily cost in Cairo is $18. 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 Cairo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Nairobi $11
    Cairo $9.54
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Nairobi $22
    Cairo $19
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Cairo

Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Cairo? 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.

Hotels in Nairobi


Hotels in Cairo


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 Cairo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Nairobi $10
    Cairo $3.04
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nairobi

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Nairobi:


  • Taxi from Airport
    $9.10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi

Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Transfer in Nairobi- JKIA: $35
  • Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $47
  • Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $35
  • Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $20
  • Airport Transfers within Nairobi: $30
  • Airport VIP Transfers - Nairobi Hotels : $55
  • Airport and Hotels Transfers: $40
  • Comfortable private Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $45
  • Executive Nairobi Airport One-Way Transfer: $40
  • From 7-Day Kenya Safari Trip with Meals & Transfer: $1,800
  • Mercedes Viano Private Transfer Luxury Comfort Nairobi : $250
  • Nairobi Airport One Way Private Transfer: $27

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:


  • Metro Ride
    $0.09
  • Taxi Ride
    $0.32

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:

  • private tour to Abusimble transfer to Luxor and visiting Edfu : $175
  • one transfer from airport to Cairo Giza hotels or hotels to Cairo airport: $27
  • VIP Meet and Assist at Cairo Airport with Private Hotel Transfer: $35
  • Two-Day Private City Tour of Cairo, Giza Pyramids and Saqqara+Airport Transfer: $220
  • Transfer to Cairo & Giza Hotels From Cairo Airport: $35
  • Transfer from Hurghada to Luxor city by private Cars : $170
  • Transfer from Hurghada to Luxor (sharing ): $109
  • Transfer from Hurghada To Luxor: $110
  • Transfer from Hurghada Airport To Hotels in El Qusier: $99
  • Transfer from Cairo or Giza Hotels to Cairo Airport: $11
  • Transfer from Cairo Airports to Hotels in Cairo: $17
  • Transfer from Cairo Airport to the Hotels in Cairo or Giza : $18

Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Cairo?

Prices for flights to both Cairo 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Nairobi $7.36
    Cairo $4.84
Typical Food Prices in Nairobi

For Nairobi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Dinner for Two
    $4.93

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.: $48
  • Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour : $54
  • Enjoy Traditional Kenyan Food Cooking Class With a Host.: $54
  • Local Market Tour and Traditional Meal Cooking Class: $54
  • Nairobi Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch: $55
  • Cooking Lesson of Local Food $ Lunch: $68
  • Dinner Experience with Cat Show at Safari Park Hotel: $80
  • Carnivore Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Experience: $80
  • Carnivore Dinner Experience: $80
  • The Carnivore Restaurant Experience: Lunch Or Dinner: $84
  • Barbecue Dinner At The Carnivore Restaurant - Nairobi: $85

Typical Food Prices in Cairo

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:


  • Juice
    $0.04

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.

  • Unusual Cairo Food Tour : $12
  • Dinner Cruise on the Nile River: $13
  • Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show and Private Transfer: $16
  • Dinner Cruise on the Nile with Private Transfer from Cairo: $16
  • Cairo Dinner Cruise On The Nile River With Private Transfer: $16
  • Super Safari ATV , Drive Buggy Car, Camel Ride, Dinner, Show-Hurghada: $19
  • Giza pyramids ,Sphinx ,Valley temple and Nile Dinner cruise tours: $20
  • Dinner Cruise Cairo With Belly Dancer Show in The Nile River: $20
  • Private Tour Giza pyramids, Camel Ride, Lunch, Nile Dinner Cruise & Shopping: $20
  • local oriental food tour from Cairo or Giza hotels: $22
  • Private tour Giza pyramids and Nile dinner cruise from Giza and Cairo hotels: $23
  • Quad Bike ATV Camel Ride Nile Dinner Cruise Belly dancer show: $23

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Nairobi $45
    Cairo $5.86
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nairobi

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Nairobi's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • 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:

  • 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
  • vibrant kibera slum tour: $20
  • Nairobi City: Walking tour, story telling and travel adv: $20
  • Nairobi City tour: $25
  • Half-Day Tour Giraffe Center and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: $25
  • Nairobi city walking tour : $25
  • Nairobi City Tour: $25
  • Elephant orphanage, Giraffe center, kobe beads tour: $25

Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo

Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Entry to Camel Market for Two
    $0.86
  • Egyptian Museum Entry for Two
    $6.62

Tours and Activities in Cairo

Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 2 Days 1 Nights Tour package to Saint-Catherine from Cairo : $300
  • 2 Days White Desert and Bahariya Oasis Tour: $231
  • 2 Days in Cairo & Giza Private Tour : $80
  • 2-Day Cairo Giza Highlights Guided Tour including Camel Ride All inclusive : $40
  • 2-Day Private Tour of Cairo with Accommodation and Entrance Fees: $165
  • 2-Day Tour Ancient Egypt and Old Cairo Highlights Tour: $290
  • 2-Day Tours at Cairo & Giza: $145
  • 2-Days Tours at Cairo & Giza : $143
  • 3-Day Cairo Top Attractions Exploration Tour: $180
  • 3-Days Tour at Cairo (Customized Package): $229
  • 3-Days Tour in Siwa Oasis from Cairo : $217
  • 4-Day Tours at Cairo & Giza & Alexandria: $209

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Nairobi $15
    Cairo $1.20

Sample the Local Flavors in Cairo

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cairo:

  • Pub Crawl and Speakeasy Bar Tour with 2 Free Drinks: $57


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Cairo, we can see that Nairobi is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cairo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cairo 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 Nairobi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nairobi than you might in Cairo.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Nairobi Expensive? and Is Cairo Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Cairo?

Cairo has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Nairobi. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Cairo, 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.