Which place is cheaper, Delhi 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 Delhi?
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 Delhi 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 Delhi?
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.
Delhi
Delhi is the largest city in northern India and is officially the country's capital. The city has a population of 11 million with the metropolitan population reaching over 16 million. The city is similar in landscape to the rest of its surrounding area. It is very flat with the river Yamuna flowing on the eastern side of the city. The Aravalii Hills are in the western portion of the city. The city's history dates back to the 6th century BC and it has served as a capital for various kingdoms and empires.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to India, and The Best Budget Tours to India.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesDelhi Prices
India Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $68Delhi $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $68, while the average daily cost in Delhi is $48. 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 Delhi in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Delhi $21
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Delhi $42
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Delhi
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Delhi? 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 Delhi Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Delhi $4.28
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$9.28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer (one Way): $80
- Airport Transfers: $40
- Airport Transfers In Nairobi: $50
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi City: $70
- Airport transfer; NBO to nairobi hotels: $27
- Airport transfers: $180
- Airport transfers in Nairobi: $60
- From JKIA Airport Nairobi Private Transfer in a Car 3 Pax Max: $35
- From Wilson Airport Nairobi Private Transfer in a Car 3 Pax: $30
- Hotel, Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $45
- Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Private Transfer: $27
- Mwashi Airport Transfer & Taxi: $27
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Delhi
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Delhi:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$0.10
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Taxi to Airport$1.68
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Subway$0.34
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Uber Cab$0.84
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Delhi Metro Smart Card$1.57
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Auto-rickshaw$1.05
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Delhi
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Delhi:
- Transfer from Delhi airport to hotel: $50
- Transfer from Delhi Airport to Agra Hotel: $80
- Transfer Delhi to Agra by AC car with Taj Mahal & Agra Fort Visit: $80
- Sunrise Taj Mahal Day Trip from Delhi with Guide & Transfers: $88
- Stroll through Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk with Private Transfer: $104
- Round trip Airport to Hotel to Airport transfers: $34
- Round Trip Delhi Airport Transfers – Arrival & Departure Both: $43
- Round Trip Airport Transfers - Delhi Airport to Hotel and back to Delhi Airport: $75
- Red Fort: Delhi with Tickets Guide and Transfer: $16
- Private transfer: Delhi hotel to Railway station: $27
- Private transfer from Delhi Indira Gandhi Intl Airport to Delhi Hotels: $59
- Private transfer Delhi to Agra: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Delhi?
Prices for flights to both Delhi 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 $13Delhi $18
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
- Popular Kenyan Food Cooking Class and Local Market Experience: $60
- Private Interactive Cooking Class and Market Tour in Kinoo: $65
- Carnivore restaurant Dinner or lunch from Nairobi: $65
- Dinner Experience with Cat Show at Safari Park Hotel: $90
- Safari Park dinner with live band music and cat dance show.: $90
- Safari Park Dinner with Safari Cats Dance Show: $97
- The Carnivore Restaurant Lunch or Dinner with transport: $97
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class in Nairobi with a Local: $98
- Nairobi National Park Afternoon Game Drive/ Dinner Carnivore Restaurant: $100
- Barbecue Lunch/ Dinner At The Carnivore Restaurant - Nairobi: $100
Typical Food Prices in Delhi
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Delhi:
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McDonalds$3.07
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Delhi
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Delhi.
- Customized Half Day and Full Day Delhi Shopping, Street Food Tour: $10
- Old Delhi Food Tour: 8 Tastings & Tuk-Tuk Ride with Local Expert: $17
- Delhi Guided Half Day Food Tour in Famous Markets: $19
- Learn Indian Cooking From A Chef - Private Cooking Class: $22
- Delhi Private Cooking Class: $25
- Old Delhi Food Tour Extravaganza!: $26
- Private Half-Day Street Food Tour in Old Delhi: $27
- Online: Indian Food Cooking Class: $29
- Evening Food Tour: $29
- Old Delhi Street Food Tour – Explore Spices in Chandni Chowk: $30
- Old Delhi Food Tour: Street Food, Rickshaw & Spice Market: $35
- Traditional Indian Cooking Class with Family Experience: $36
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Delhi $17
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:
- Nairobi City Tour: $10
- Fashion African Fabric & Souvenir Market Tour: $12
- Kibera Slum Cultural and Community Walking Tour: $15
- Ankara Fabric Shopping and Same Day Tailoring Experience: $17
- Nairobi Matatu Culture Experience: $18
- Nairobi City Tour +Pickup: $19
- Kibera Community Tour with Local Guide MC Dawn: $20
- Nairobi Walking City Tour +pick-up: $20
- Nairobi City Walk Tour +pickup: $22
- Nairobi National Museum and Snake Park Guided Tour: $22
- Kibera Chocolate City Tour: $22
- Kibera Slum Compassionate Walking Experience 3 Hours: $23
Typical Entertainment Prices in Delhi
Here are a few typical costs in Delhi for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Red Fort$9.12
Tours and Activities in Delhi
Here are a few actual costs in Delhi for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- “Old & New Delhi Discovery: Private Full-Day Guided Tour”: $59
- "Taj Mahal" Tour from Delhi by India's Fastest Train (Gatiman Express): $148
- 02 Days Amritsar and Golden Temple Tour by Train from Delhi: $264
- 02-Days Taj Mahal Sunrise & Sunset Luxury Tour with Fatehpur Sikri from Delhi: $98
- 03 Days Private Ranthambore Wildlife Safari Tour From Delhi: $230
- 03-Days private luxury Golden Triangle Tour Delhi, Agra, Jaipur: $156
- 04-Day Private Luxury Golden Triangle Tour to Agra & Jaipur: $261
- 06 Hours Old and New Delhi Private City Tour: $14
- 1 Day Agra Tour from Delhi Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Baby Taj: $61
- 1 Day Delhi City Tour & 1 Day Agra Taj Mahal Private Combo Tour: $140
- 1 Day Delhi and 1 Day Agra Tour From Delhi with Taj Mahal Sunrise - With Hotels: $166
- 1 Day Delhi and 1 Day Jaipur Tour by Car - All Inclusive Tour: $254
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Delhi $7.60
Sample the Local Flavors in Delhi
Also in Delhi, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl (3 Hours Guided Bar Hopping Tour): $29
- Pub Crawl Delhi: $34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Delhi, we can see that Nairobi is more expensive. And not only is Delhi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Nairobi is in Africa and Delhi is in Asia, 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 Delhi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Delhi 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 Delhi.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Nairobi Expensive? and Is Delhi Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Delhi?
Delhi has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Nairobi. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Delhi, 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.