Which place is cheaper, Philadelphia or Nairobi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Nairobi or Philadelphia?
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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia?
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.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia is the fourth largest urban area, and the fifth largest city in the United States. It's located in southeastern Pennsylvania and has a rich history, having once been the capital of the United States. The city has very impressive architecture, museums, universities, and entertainment venues. It's a cultural and artistic center for the country and it continues to climb as a top travel destination.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage, and The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $61Philadelphia $188
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $61, while the average daily cost in Philadelphia is $188. 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 Philadelphia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $11Philadelphia $119
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $22Philadelphia $238
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Philadelphia
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Philadelphia? 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 Philadelphia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $10Philadelphia $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$9.08
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transport from Nairobi transfer Masai Mara gates Sekekani Talek: $250
- Safe Private Airport transfer in Nairobi : $37
- Professional Airport Transfer Service in Nairobi: $33
- Private Transfers from Nairobi Airport to Hotels: $170
- Private Transfer to Naivasha from Nairobi: $70
- Private Transfer from Nairobi to Naivasha: $70
- Private Transfer from Nairobi to Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO): $83
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or city To Maasai Mara By Road: $135
- Private Transfer from Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) to Nairobi: $83
- Private Sightseeing Tour in Lake Nakuru with Transfer Included: $189
- Private One-Way Transfer from Nairobi: $27
- Private Luxury airport Taxi transfer Services Nairobi JKIA to City Hotels: $50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Philadelphia
Also for Philadelphia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: Philadelphia to Philadelphia Airport PHL in in Business Car: $95
- Private Transfer: Philadelphia to Philadelphia Airport PHL in Luxury SUV: $105
- Private Transfer: Philadelphia Airport PHL to Philadelphia in Business Car: $95
- Philadelphia to Philadelphia Airport (PHL) - Departure Private Transfer: $66
- Philadelphia to Newark International Airport (EWR) - Departure Private Transfer : $170
- Philadelphia to New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) - Departure Private Transfer : $163
- Philadelphia to New York J.F. Kennedy Airport(JFK) - Departure Private Transfer : $173
- Philadelphia to New York Airport (LGA) Departure Transfer : $180
- Philadelphia to New York Airport (JFK) Departure Transfer : $191
- Philadelphia City to Washington City - Private Car Transfer: $135
- Philadelphia Airport (PHL): Private Transfer to Philadelphia: $355
- Philadelphia Airport (PHL) to Philadelphia - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $131
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Philadelphia?
Prices for flights to both Philadelphia 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 $7.35Philadelphia $49
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$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 Philadelphia
For Philadelphia, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Casual Lunch (for 3)$27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Philadelphia
For Philadelphia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Locals' Favorites Food Tour: $52
- Best of Philly Food Tour: $55
- Best of Philadelphia Food Tour-Small Group Walking Tour: $59
- 9th Street Italian Market Walking Food Tour: $61
- Locals' Favorites Food Tour: $65
- Bites and Booze: Walking Food Tour in Philadelphia : $65
- Flavors of Philly Food Tour: $65
- Philadelphia's Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $65
- Buffet Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner Cruise: $66
- Secret Food Tour: $84
- Highlights of East Passyunk Food Tour: $85
- Chef-Led Taste of the Italian Market Food Tour: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $45Philadelphia $28
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:
- 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 Philadelphia
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Philadelphia's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Big Bus Tour (family of 3)$99
Tours and Activities in Philadelphia
For Philadelphia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Hour Philadelphia Private Guided Tour by Deluxe Electric Car: $150
- 2 Hours Ben Franklin Yacht Brunch Cruise with Buffet: $65
- 3-Hour Private Favorite & Secret Bars Walking Tour Philadelphia: $35
- A Golden Girls Murder Mystery Ticket: $45
- A Magical Christmas Tour in Philadelphia: $558
- Amazing Philadelphia Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $44
- Art and Controversy: An audio tour of Philadelphia's most infamous art scandals: $5.40
- BYOB Historically Hilarious Trolley Tour of Philadelphia: $49
- Best of Philadelphia Small Group Walking Tour: $104
- Beyond the [Liberty] Bell History Walking Tour: $59
- Black Be Beautiful Mural Tour in Philadelphia: $44
- City Sightseeing Philadelphia Double Decker Hop-On Hop-Off (24, 48, 72 Hours): $68
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $15Philadelphia $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Philadelphia
Also in Philadelphia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Liberty History Tour Pub Crawl: $45
- Guided Tour with Pub Crawl: $45
- Half-Day Philadelphia's Brewery Bike Tour with Tastings: $100
- Philly Signature Guided Brewery Tour: $105
- Guided Craft Brewery Tours with a Snack: $120
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Philadelphia, we can see that Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Philadelphia?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 81% larger than the population of Philadelphia. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Philadelphia, 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.