Which place is cheaper, Lima 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 Lima?
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 Lima 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 Lima?
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.
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesLima Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $67Lima $95
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $67, while the average daily cost in Lima is $95. 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 Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Lima $52
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Lima $104
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Lima
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Lima? 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 Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Lima $6.06
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$9.23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Safe and Private Airport transfer in Nairobi : $20
- Private Airport Transfer and Service in Nairobi: $20
- Nairobi Airport Transfer, Hotel Pick up and Drop Off: $20
- Private Airport Transfers To or From Nairobi Airports.: $25
- Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Private Transfer: $27
- Private One-Way Transfer from Nairobi: $27
- Mwashi Airport Transfer & Taxi: $27
- Nairobi Airport Transfers to Wilson Airport or City Hotels: $28
- From Wilson Airport: Nairobi private transfer in a car (3 pax): $30
- From JKIA Airport: Nairobi private transfer in a car (3 pax max): $35
- Nairobi airport transfer: $35
- Airport Transfers: $40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.73
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Taxi Ride$5.73
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Short Taxi Ride$4.30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Lima APT-HTL (LIM) : $34
- Transfer: Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima City Center: $16
- Transfer from Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco to Airport: $18
- Transfer To Lima Airport: $20
- Tour Magic Water Park in Lima with Small Group Transfer: $38
- Round Trip Transfer from and to the Airport in Miraflores/Barranco/Sani : $33
- QuickLlama: Transfer from Miraflores Kennedy Park to Lima Airport: $5.95
- QuickLlama: Door-to-door transfer from Miraflores to Lima Airport: $5.95
- Private Transfers from/to Lima Airport (Price per Vehicle): $29
- Private Transfer to Lima Airport (LIM): $13
- Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $201
- Private Transfer from Lima hotels to Callao Cruise Port: $18
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima 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 $13Lima $32
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$5.00
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
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class and Dining Experience: $40
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour : $55
- Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch in Nairobi: $60
- Carnivore restaurant Dinner or lunch from Nairobi: $65
- Safari Park Dinner with Safari Cats Dance Show: $97
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $100
- Nairobi dinner and safari cat dancers : $100
- Authentic Local Kenyan Food Tour: $108
- Carnivore Restaurant Dinner Experience in Nairobi: $125
- Nairobi Carnivore Restaurant Lunch / Dinner Experience: $125
- Barbecue Dinner & Entertainment in Nairobi : $135
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.59
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Ice cream$3.73
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Coffee$3.15
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Donut$1.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Lima Food Tour with Ceviche, Pisco, and Grilled Chicken: $32
- Food Tour and Market Experience: 12 Peruvian Snacks: $40
- Lima Food Tour - Prepare your Anticuchos and Pisco Sour : $48
- #1 Reviewed Lima Cooking Class: $49
- Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant: $55
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
- Peru’s Most Beloved Recipes Cooking Class: $58
- Lima Market Tour & Ceviche Cooking Class with Pisco Sour: $59
- Lima Night: Cooking Experience with locals: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class, Local Market Tour & Exotic Fruit Tasting: $65
- Vegan Peruvian Food Cooking Class | Ceviche + Pisco Sour: $69
- 4 iconic restaurants of Lima / 3-hour guided food tour: $69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Lima $9.15
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 Walking City Culture Tour: $20
- Nairobi Historic Downtown City WalkingTour: $20
- Nairobi City Walk Tour : $23
- Nairobi City Tour: $25
- Mathare Community Slum Tour: $26
- Carnivore Restaurant Nairobi Dinning experience-transport: $30
- Nairobi Historical Walking Half Day Tour : $35
- Kibera Slum Tour with Lucas : $35
- Nairobi national park Elephant orphanage and giraffe center tour.: $38
- Nairobi National Park Half Day Game Drive Tour With FREE Pick up: $39
- Walking tour in Nairobi town: $40
- Nairobi National Park Half-Day Game Drive Guided Tour: $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
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Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)$17
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Movie Tickets$2.44
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Ballestas Islands + Huacachina Tour From Lima (Private Group): $190
- Cycling Tour Miraflores - Barranco - Chorrillos: $30
- Lima bike and 5 Step Food Tasting Experience: $92
- Private Classic City Tour Experience of Lima: $65
- Private Stopover Tour of Lima from the Airport: $150
- Sunset in Huacachina and Tacama: Private Tour from Lima: $220
- #1 Full Day Tour From Paracas and Huacachina Oasis: $59
- 1 Day Tour to Huacachina from Lima (Dunebuggy + Vineyards): $225
- 2 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $279
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Ballestas Island and Huacachina: $149
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Huacachina, and Pisco Vineyard: $149
- 2 Days 1 Night Paracas Ica Tour from Lima: $150
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Lima $5.95
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$7.71
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Beer$4.30
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Cocktail$3.44
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Lima Pub Crawl - Party tour: Friday Barranco/Saturday miraflores: $19
- Bar Crawl Night Tour in Miraflores: $30
- Local Wine Tour : $55
- From Paracas & Huacachina & Wine Tasting: $135
- Full Day Paracas, Huacachina and Wine Tasting from Lima : $138
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Lima, we can see that Lima 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 Lima is in South 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 Lima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lima 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 Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Nairobi. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Lima, 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.