Which place is cheaper, Cairo or Nairobi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $63Cairo $17
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $63, while the average daily cost in Cairo is $17. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Cairo $9.27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Cairo $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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Cairo $2.96
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$9.44
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer (one Way): $75
- Airport Transfer in Nairobi- JKIA: $30
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $28
- Airport VIP Transfers - Nairobi Hotels : $55
- Airport/hotel/transfers In Van/bus/sedan Car Within Nairobi: $80
- Mercedes Viano Private Transfer Luxury Comfort Nairobi : $250
- Mwashi Airport Transfer & Taxi: $27
- Nairobi Airport Private Transfers: $35
- Nairobi Airport Transfer, Hotel Pick up and Drop Off: $20
- Nairobi Airport Transfers : $69
- Nairobi Airport Transfers to City Hotels or Wilson Airport: $24
- Nairobi Airport and Hotel Private Vehicle Transfer: $40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
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Metro Ride$0.08
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Taxi Ride$0.31
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
- transfer from Cairo airport, Cairo & Giza hotels to Alexandria: $50
- transfer from Cairo airport to the hotel in Cairo or Giza: $20
- private transfer from Cairo to Alexandria: $70
- private tour to Abusimble transfer to Luxor and visiting Edfu : $175
- one transfer from airport to Cairo Giza hotels or hotels to Cairo airport: $22
- VIP Meet and Greet Private Hotel Transfer from Cairo Airport: $38
- Two-Day Private City Tour of Cairo, Giza Pyramids and Saqqara+Airport Transfer: $220
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cairo HTL-APT (CAI): $33
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cairo APT-HTL (CAI): $33
- Transfer to Cairo & Giza Hotels From Cairo Airport: $35
- Transfer from Luxor to Hurghada : $226
- Transfer from Hurghada to Luxor city by private Cars : $170
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
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Food Meals for one dayNairobi $7.63Cairo $4.70
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
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour : $55
- Nairobi Cooking and Food Tasting Activity: $60
- Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch in Nairobi: $60
- Cooking Lesson of Local Food $ Lunch: $68
- Dinner Experience with Cat Show at Safari Park Hotel: $80
- Barbecue Dinner At The Carnivore Restaurant - Nairobi: $85
- Safari Park Dinner with Safari Cats Dance Show: $91
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $92
- The Carnivore Restaurant Lunch or Dinner with transport: $97
- Barbecue Dinner & Entertainment in Nairobi : $98
- Traditional Kikuyu Cooking Class In My Village: $100
Typical Food Prices in Cairo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:
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Juice$0.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.
- Cairo Dinner Cruise With Belly Dancer Show: $10
- Giza Dinner Cruise With Belly Dancer Show: $10
- Cairo Nile dinner cruise night show with belly dancer: $10
- Dinner Nile Cruise belly dancer open buffer tanora show sailing on Nile: $11
- Food Tour in Local Cairo Life with Egyptian tea: $11
- 2-hours night dinner cruise show : Eat , Dance and Sing : $13
- night-tour Nile dinner cruise with open buffet and belly dancer: $13
- Private "Cairo Sunset Dinner Cruise on the Nile" with Pickup: $13
- Private Cairo food tour and Egyptian tea: $14
- food tour private tour from cairo or giza hotel: $14
- Experience Magic A 4Star Cairo Dinner Cruise with Belly Dancer: $15
- Local Oriental Food Tour from Cairo or Giza hotels: $15
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $47Cairo $5.69
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
- Private Guided Nairobi City and Cultural Walking Tour: $25
- Nairobi City Tour: $25
- Nairobi city walking tour : $25
- Mathare Community Slum Tour: $26
- Private Historical Walking Tour in Innercity Nairobi: $27
- Nairobi City and Cultural ShoppingTour: $29
- Nairobi Historical Walking City Tour: $32
- Souvenir Crafts, Fabric Shopping & Hair Braiding & City Tour : $35
- Nairobi Arusha shuttle bus ticket book bus online Tickets: $35
- Coffee farm tour, coffee roasting and tasting experience: $35
- The 42 Stories -Kenya Culture and Walk Experience with a Local: $36
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo
Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Camel Market for Two$0.83
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Egyptian Museum Entry for Two$6.43
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2-Day Cairo Giza Highlights Guided Tour including Camel Ride All inclusive : $40
- 2-Day Tours at Cairo & Giza: $145
- 2-Days tour at Cairo & Giza: $80
- 3-Day Tour at Cairo & Giza : $200
- 3-Days Tour at Cairo (Customized Package): $229
- 3-Days Tour in Siwa Oasis from Cairo : $217
- 8 Hours Private Cairo Tour: A Journey Back in Time: $45
- 8-Hour Private Tour to Giza Pyramids, Memphis and Sakkara: $67
- All Inclusive Private Tour to Giza pyramids With Tickets and Camel Ride : $80
- Antiquities in the Egyptian Museum with Private Guided Tour : $35
- Bedouin Desert Safari Tours By Jeep 4x4 In Hurghada: $55
- Cairo 2-Day Private Tours Pyramids Museum Citadel Khan El Khalili With Lunch: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Cairo $1.16
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.
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.