Which place is cheaper, Mexico City 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 Mexico City?
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 Mexico City 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 Mexico City?
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.
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesMexico City Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $67Mexico City $212
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $67, while the average daily cost in Mexico City is $212. 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 Mexico City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Mexico City $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Mexico City $76
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Mexico City
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Mexico City? 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 Mexico City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Mexico City $12
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 Transfers from Nairobi Airport to Hotels: $100
- Private Transfer from Nairobi to Naivasha: $70
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or city To Maasai Mara By Road: $135
- Private Transfer from Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) to Nairobi: $42
- Private Road Transfer from Nairobi to Amboseli national park: $197
- Private One-Way Transfer from Nairobi: $27
- Private Luxury airport Taxi transfer Services Nairobi JKIA to City Hotels: $50
- Private Airport and Hotel Transfer in Nairobi: $40
- Private Airport Transfers To or From Nairobi Airports.: $25
- Private Airport Transfer and Service in Nairobi: $20
- Airport and Hotel Private Transfers.: $59
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.09
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Uber Ride$3.80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Mexico APT-HTL (MEX) : $36
- Transfer from Mexico City Airport to Puebla: $245
- Transfer Mexico city Airport - Mexico city Downtown hotels: $16
- Transfer Mexico City Airport to Downtown and Zona Rosa Hotels: $80
- Transfer & assistance one-way from/to Mexico City Airport/hotel : $34
- Toluca to Toluca Int Airport (TLC) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Toluca Int Airport(TLC) to Toluca - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $98
- Teotihuacan: Private Balloon Flight with optional Transfer: $293
- Six Flags Ticket + Hassle-Free Transfers: $116
- Shared Balloon Flight in Teotihuacan with transfer: $274
- San Miguel De Allende City Tour with Transfer from Mexico City: $156
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Mexico City Airport (MEX): $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Mexico City?
Prices for flights to both Mexico City 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 $13Mexico City $43
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 Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$12
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Coffee and Snacks$4.24
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Dinner for 2$25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated : $35
- Coyoacán Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $52
- San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $52
- Art and Food Tour with Lunch: $54
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- Mexico City Vegan & Veggie Market Explorer plus Cooking Lesson: $55
- Private Half-Day Traditional Markets Street Food Tour in Mexico City: $57
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $61
- Lunch Food Tour: Taste Mexico like a local: $62
- Old Town Food Tour of 7 Tastings & Secret Dish: $66
- Breakfast Food Tour: Taste Mexico like a local: $68
- Frida Kahlo Museum & Coyoacan Tacos & Food Tour: $69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Mexico City $14
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:
- Day Tour Amboseli Park From Nairobi: $180
- Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Centre Tour: $95
- Lake Naivasha Full day Tour With Boat Rides: $156
- Local Lunch and Beer Tasting Experience: $90
- Nairobi National Park Morning Or Evening Game Drive 4x4 Tour Van: $50
- Nairobi park Tour 6.A.M-11.AM: $70
- Private 4WD Lake Nakuru Day Tour from Nairobi: $190
- 1 Day Bike Tour to Hell’s Gate And Lake Naivasha : $139
- 1 Day Tour Hiking Mt. Longonot and lake Naivasha Boat ride : $75
- 1 Day Tour Nairobi National Park,Giraffe Center&Karen Blixen: $46
- 1-Day Hiking Adventure at Mount Longonot from Nairobi: $170
- 2 Days Group Safari to Amboseli using a Landcruiser 4x4 Jeep: $260
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Frida Kahlo Tour with Admission Tickets: $76
- Hiking Tour on the Iztaccíhuatl Volcano from Puebla (private): $176
- Mexico City Tour and Visit Chapultepec Castle. Private service: $180
- Private Tour Teotihuacan Essentials: $140
- Private Tour from your Hotel to the Pyramids of Teotihuacan: $168
- San Andres Mixquic Car Tour Experience: $145
- Sunrise HotAir Balloon Adventure Over Teotihuacan's Pyramids: $160
- "Guided Tour Plus" EN Ruins "TEMPLE MAJOR" with OFFICIAL GUIDES: $33
- 1 Day Hot Air Balloon Tour to the Pyramids in Teotihuacan: $280
- 100% Private Tour in Teotihuacán Pyramids from Mexico City: $95
- 100% private tour in Chapultepec Castle & around (with transport): $72
- 100% private tour in Guadalupe's Basilica with transport: $80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Mexico City $19
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $23
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $94
- Cavas Freixenet Wine Tour from Mexico City: $222
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $479
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Mexico City, we can see that Mexico City 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 Mexico City 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City 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 Mexico City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Mexico City?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Nairobi. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Mexico City, 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.