Which place is cheaper, Penang 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 Penang?
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 Penang 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 Penang?
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.
Penang
Just off the northwestern coast of Malaysia is the charming and diverse island state of Penang. As the link between the ancient kingdoms of Asia and Europe's colonial empire, this area is enriched with Malay, Chinese, Indian and European influences. This exciting culture is centered in George Town, the main city of the state.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Tours for Seniors to Malaysia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Malaysia.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesPenang Prices
Malaysia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $67Penang $148
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $67, while the average daily cost in Penang is $148. 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 Penang in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Penang $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Penang $114
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Penang
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Penang? 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 Penang Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Penang $14
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$9.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer in Nairobi- JKIA: $30
- Airport Transfers: $40
- Airport Transfers In Nairobi: $50
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $28
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi City: $70
- Airport VIP Transfers - Nairobi Hotels: $55
- Airport transfers in Nairobi: $60
- Beyond Boundaries Tours and Transfers: $30
- From JKIA Airport Nairobi Private Transfer in a Car 3 Pax Max: $35
- Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Private Transfer: $27
- Mwashi Airport Transfer & Taxi: $27
- Nairobi Airport Transfers: $50
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Penang
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Penang:
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Local Bus$1.47
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Island Ferry$0.59
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Bus From Airport to George Town$0.66
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Taxi From Airport to George Town$11
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Motorbike Rental (One Day)$7.34
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Bicycle Rental (One Day)$2.45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Penang
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Penang:
- Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal, Penang to Kuala Lumpur Hotel (Door to Door) Transfer: $120
- Swettenham Pier Cruise Port to Penang Island hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Swettenham Cruise Port to Penang Island hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
- Private Transfer: Penang International Airport to or from Hotel: $49
- Private Transfer from Swettenham Cruise Terminal to Penang Island: $21
- Private Transfer from Penang Island to Swettenham Cruise Terminal: $21
- Private Transfer from Penang International Airport to Your Hotel: $18
- Private Transfer : Penang Hotel/Port to Kuala Lumpur Hotel: $174
- Private Transfer - Swettenham Cruise Port to Penang Airport (PEN): $21
- Private Half Day Tour to Penang Island with Transfer Included: $80
- Private Economy Penang Airport Transfer-Arrival: $48
- ATV Ride in Balik Pulau with Snacks and Transfers: $66
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Penang?
Prices for flights to both Penang 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 $13Penang $66
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
- Karibu Kitchens Nairobi Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour: $55
- Popular Kenyan Food Cooking Class and Local Market Experience: $60
- Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch in Nairobi: $60
- Cooking Lesson of Local Food $ Lunch: $68
- Private Kenyan Cooking Class in Nairobi with a Local: $76
- Safari Park dinner with live band music and cat dance show.: $90
- Dinner Experience with Cat Show at Safari Park Hotel: $90
- The Carnivore Restaurant Lunch or Dinner with transport: $97
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class in Nairobi with a Local: $98
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $100
Typical Food Prices in Penang
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Penang:
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Snack$1.96
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Dinner at The Suffolk House (for 2)$84
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Lunch at Sakae Sushi (for 2)$71
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Lassy Juice$1.71
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Dinner for 2$3.67
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Street Stall Food$0.69
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$4.65
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Italian Lunch (for Two)$12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Penang
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Penang.
- Penang Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Good Morning Penang Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Private Half-Day Hawker Trails Food Tour in George Town: $51
- Penang Food Tour : A Feast That Taste Like History : 17+ Tasting: $54
- Local Street Food Tour in Georgetown Penang: $62
- 3-Hour Heritage on a Plate Dinner Hop in George Town Penang: $65
- Eat Like A Local: Penang Street Food Tour: $65
- Penang Forest Island Catamaran Cruise with Dinner and Activities: $80
- Authentic Local Food Tour with Scenic Walk: $89
- Authentic Indian Penang Cooking Class: $92
- Penang Cooking Class:Dive into Malaysian Cuisine with PenangChiak: $94
- Private Half Day Penang Tasty Local Street Food Tour: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Penang $57
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:
- Fashion African Fabric & Souvenir Market Tour: $12
- Ebike adventure Hire Nairobi (Electric mountain bike hire): $15
- Nairobi Matatu Culture Experience: $18
- Nairobi City Tour +Pickup: $19
- Nairobi’s ultimate Walking City Tour with Hotel pickup: $20
- Nairobi City Walk Tour +pickup: $22
- Cultural Discovery Tour of Unfiltered Mathare: $23
- Nairobi Green Bus City Sightseeing Tour 4 Hours: $23
- Kibera Slum Compassionate Walking Experience 3 Hours: $23
- Giraffe Center Karen Blixen and Kobe Beads Day Tour: $25
- Nairobi City Tour: $25
- Memorable Daily KIBERA Slums/Toi Market Tour with Locals (2 hours): $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Penang
Here are a few typical costs in Penang for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Butterfly Gardens$7.59
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Trishaw Tour (One Hour)$7.34
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Fort Cornwallis Entrance$0.49
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Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Entrance$2.45
Tours and Activities in Penang
Here are a few actual costs in Penang for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3 Hour of Penang Street Food Walkabout Tour The Heritage Site: $59
- 4-Hour Heritage Walking Tour of Georgetown: $60
- 4-Hour Private Heritage Tour in George Town: $70
- 8 Hours of Penang Tour: $60
- All-Inclusive Penang George Town Private Tour: $158
- Back of the Bike Street Food Experience – Real Penang!: $119
- Balik Pulau Bicycle Tour: $33
- Best of Historical George Town Half Day Tour: $80
- Bujang Valley Sharing Tour Old Civilization in South East Asia: $78
- Bukit Merah Orang Utan and Penang City Private Tour: $140
- Chinese Clan Secrets and History Guided Walking Tour in Penang: $56
- Colors of George Town Walking Tour: $161
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Penang $18
Sample the Local Flavors in Nairobi
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Nairobi:
- Food and Wine Tasting Experience at Five Senses Restaurant: $155
Typical Alcohol Prices in Penang
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Penang:
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Beer$1.96
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Penang, we can see that Penang 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 Penang 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 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 Penang would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Penang 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 Penang Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Penang?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Penang. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Penang, 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.