Which place is cheaper, Honolulu or Nairobi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Nairobi or Honolulu?
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 Honolulu 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 Honolulu?
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.
Honolulu
Hawaii's capital city of Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is the state's center for government, finance, and transportation. It's also the home of Waikiki Beach, one of the most famous beaches in the state of Hawaii. Nearly one million people live in this Honolulu metropolitan area. This is almost 80% of the state's population. The city is not the relaxed Hawaiian destination that you might be searching for, but is instead a fast paced, cosmopolitan city. In addition to attracting many tourists every year, you'll also find international businesses, military defense and a diverse culture and population.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $61Honolulu $284
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $61, while the average daily cost in Honolulu is $284. 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 Honolulu in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $11Honolulu $183
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $22Honolulu $366
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Honolulu
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Honolulu? 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 Honolulu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $10Honolulu $26
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nairobi
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Nairobi:
-
Taxi from Airport$9.08
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From 7-Day Kenya Safari Trip with Meals & Transfer: $1,800
- Nairobi Airport: 1-Way Transfer to Maasai Mara Reserve: $495
- Nairobi Airport: 1-Way Transfer to Maasai Mara Reserve: $495
- Transport from Nairobi transfer Masai Mara gates Sekekani Talek: $250
- Mercedes Viano Private Transfer Luxury Comfort Nairobi : $250
- Private Sightseeing Tour in Lake Nakuru with Transfer Included: $189
- Private Transfers from Nairobi Airport to Hotels: $170
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or city To Maasai Mara By Road: $135
- Private Departure Transfer in Nairobi: $115
- Nairobi Airports Private Transfers: $100
- Nairobi National Park Game Drive and Transfer: $85
- Private Transfer from Nairobi to Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO): $83
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Honolulu
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Honolulu are as follows:
-
Rental Car for One Day$35
-
Airport Shuttle for Two$30
-
Hilton Parking$24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Honolulu
Also for Honolulu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 【ARRIVAL】Honolulu Airport -Private Transfer to Waikiki: $70
- VIP Transfer: Ko Olina to Honolulu Airport or Vice Versa: $199
- VIP Transfer Between Waikiki and Honolulu Airport, Vice versa: $139
- VIP Transfer Between Waikiki & Honolulu Airport, /vice versa: $136
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service Honolulu HTL-APT (HNL): $81
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Honolulu Airport to Hotel or Cruise Terminal: $39
- Shared Departure Transfer: Oahu Hotels or Cruise Terminal to Honolulu Airport: $20
- Shared Departure Transfer from Waikiki Hotels to Honolulu Airport: $18
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Honolulu Airport to Hotel or Cruise Terminal: $20
- Shared Arrival Transfer from Honolulu Airport to Waikiki Hotels: $18
- Private Transfers between HNL Airport and Honolulu City: $56
- Private Transfer: Waikiki to Honolulu Airport HNL by Sedan: $108
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Honolulu?
Prices for flights to both Honolulu 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 dayNairobi $7.35Honolulu $53
Typical Food Prices in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Dinner for Two$4.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Carnivore Restaurant: Lunch or Dinner Experience in Nairobi: $21
- Carnivore Restaurant Dinner Experience.: $32
- Nairobi:Carnivore Restaurant Dinner and Pub Crawling.: $47
- Local Market Tour and Traditional Meal Cooking Class: $48
- Enjoy Traditional Kenyan Food Cooking Class With a Host.: $54
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour : $55
- Nairobi Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch: $55
- Nairobi Cooking and Food Tasting Activity: $60
- Private Interactive Cooking Class and Market Tour in Kinoo: $65
- Cooking Lesson of Local Food $ Lunch: $68
- Carnivore Resturant Dinner Experience : $68
- Carnivore Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Experience: $80
Typical Food Prices in Honolulu
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Honolulu:
-
Dinner for Two$73
-
Lapperts Hawaii Ice Cream$5.55
-
Chai's Island Bistro (for 2)$53
-
Cheeseburger Waikiki (for 2)$34
-
Matsumoto Shave Ice (for 2)$7.50
-
Hot Dog with the Fixins'$8.30
-
Sushi Dinner for Two$73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Honolulu
For Honolulu, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hawaii Food Tour - Off The Beaten Path : $150
- Oahu Da Local's Food Tour: $150
- Lanai Tabura curated Private Aloha Plate Food Tour from Honolulu: $239
- Brewery and Local Food Tour: $480
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $45Honolulu $40
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:
- Amboseli Day tour from Nairobi Private tour: $290
- Day Tour Amboseli Park From Nairobi: $180
- Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Centre Tour: $95
- Half day tour to Elephant orphanage & Giraffe Centre Nairobi: $95
- Nairobi National Park Group Joining Daily Tour: $138
- Nairobi park Tour 6.A.M-11.AM: $70
- Private Full Day Safari Adventure at Nairobi National Park : $250
- The 42 Stories -Kenya Culture and Walk Experience with a Local: $36
- half Day TOURS/NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK/ELEPHANT & GIRAFFE CENTRE: $90
- "Nairobi's Ultimate Wildlife & Cultural Adventure: $40
- (Free Pickup) Nairobi National Park Game Drive-Half Day Tour: $44
- 1 Day Hiking Adventure At Mt Longonot From Nairobi(minimum 2 Pax): $225
Typical Entertainment Prices in Honolulu
For Honolulu, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Parking for Hike$5.00
-
Pearl Harbor Audio Tour for Two$12
-
2 hr Dinner Cruise$85
-
1 Day Kayak Rental$36
Tours and Activities in Honolulu
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Honolulu.
- Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial, small group Tour: $80
- 'Lost' and Movie Tour: $200
- 1 Hour Private Luxury Classic Car Sightseeing City Tour Honolulu: $138
- 3 Hour Sightseeing *SPECIALTY Tour: $149
- 3 Hour Sunrise Photo Tour with Malasada: $65
- 3 Hour Waikiki Waterslide and Ocean Playground Cruise: $113
- 3-Hour Adventure in Waikiki Water Park Adventure: $127
- 3-Hour Honolulu Bottom Fishing Adventure: $99,999
- 5 Hour Half Day Island Jeep Tour: $190
- 5 Hour Small Group Tour in Pearl Harbor and Honolulu: $145
- 5-Star Oahu Sightseeing with local food & shrimp plate included: $133
- 6 Hour Local Food Plate Jeep Tour: $230
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $15Honolulu $6.47
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Honolulu, we can see that Honolulu 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 Honolulu is in North America, 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 Honolulu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Honolulu 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 Honolulu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Honolulu?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Honolulu. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Honolulu, 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.