Which place is cheaper, Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen?
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 Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen?
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.
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is in Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula. It's a popular resort town and is about seventy kilometers south of Cancun. It has a European atmosphere with many small hotels and a nice relaxed feel. It was originally a small fishing town but tourism began with the introduction of a passenger ferry to Cozumel. The area developed rapidly and there are many luxury hotels, condos, and resorts. There are also American chains and a variety of shopping opportunities nearby.
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 PricesPlaya del Carmen Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $67Playa del Carmen $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $67, while the average daily cost in Playa del Carmen is $90. 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 Playa del Carmen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Playa del Carmen $36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Playa del Carmen $72
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Playa del Carmen
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Playa del Carmen? 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 Playa del Carmen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Playa del Carmen $22
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 (one Way): $80
- Airport Transfers: $40
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $28
- Airport transfer; NBO to nairobi hotels: $27
- Airport transfers in Nairobi: $60
- 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: $69
- Nairobi Airport Transfers: $50
- Nairobi Airport Transfers to Wilson Airport and Hotels: $40
- Nairobi National Park Tour with Game Drive and Transfer: $95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Playa del Carmen
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Playa del Carmen:
- Xcaret Eco-Park with Round-Trip Transfers and Entrance Tickets: $168
- Wedding Transfers Services in Round Trip Playa del Carmen: $180
- Transfer from Playa del Carmen to the airport and hotels in Tulum: $72
- Transfer from Playa del Carmen to the airport and hotels in Cancun: $66
- RoundTrip Private Transfer: Cancun/Costa Mujeres↔Akumal/Tulum: $295
- Round Trip Private Transfer (Costa Mujeres): $210
- Puerto Aventuras to Cancún Airport (CUN) - Private Departure Transfer: $84
- Private van transfer for groups of up to 14 passengers: $75
- Private transfer from Playa del Carmen to Chiquila: $126
- Private Transfer: Akumal to Cancun Airport CUN in SUV: $120
- Private Transfer to Xplor/Xplor fire/Xenses, roundtrip from PDC: $160
- Private Transfer to Chiquila one-wey, from Cancún and Playa: $260
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Playa del Carmen?
Prices for flights to both Playa del Carmen 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 $13Playa del Carmen $37
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
- Kenyan Cooking Class & Authentic Dining Experience with a Local: $40
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour: $55
- Popular Kenyan Food Cooking Class and Local Market Experience: $60
- Carnivore restaurant Dinner or lunch from Nairobi: $65
- Private Interactive Cooking Class and Market Tour in Kinoo: $65
- Carnivore Resturant Dinner Experience: $68
- Dinner Experience with Cat Show at Safari Park Hotel: $90
- Safari Park Dinner with Safari Cats Dance Show: $97
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class in Nairobi with a Local: $98
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $100
- Traditional Kikuyu Cooking Class In My Village: $100
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Playa del Carmen
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Playa del Carmen.
- Christmas Eve Dinner in a magical jungle setting: $45
- Cenotes by Bike and Mayan Cooking Class Half-Day Guided Tour: $56
- Carmen Cocina Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $65
- Flavors of Playa del Carmen, Mexican Food Tour: $67
- Dinner and Show at the Mayan Planetarium of Chichen: $68
- Playa Del Carmen Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $75
- Cooking Class in 9 Recipes & Drinks: $77
- local walking food tour Inlakech Playa del Carmen: $78
- Playa del Carmen Food Tour Discover Hidden Mexican Culinary Gems: $80
- Playa del Carmen Food Tour with 8+ Authentic Yucatan Dishes: $81
- Food Tour Through Markets with 7 Tastings: $82
- Playa del Camen Vegan Mexican Food Tour: $85
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Playa del Carmen $16
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
- Nairobi Matatu Culture Experience: $18
- Nairobi City Tour +Pickup: $19
- Nairobi Walking City Tour +pick-up: $20
- Nairobi’s ultimate Walking City Tour with Hotel pickup: $20
- Kibera Chocolate City Tour: $22
- Nairobi City Walk Tour +pickup: $22
- Nairobi Green Bus City Sightseeing Tour 4 Hours: $23
- Nairobi City Tour: $25
- Giraffe Center Karen Blixen and Kobe Beads Day Tour: $25
- Discover Nairobi City with Student Led Walking Tour: $25
- Mathare Community Slum Tour: $26
Tours and Activities in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few actual costs in Playa del Carmen for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3 Cenotes & Kaan Luum Lagoon Adventure from Playa del Carmen: $148
- 3 in 1 Private Tour Tulum Cenote and Snorkeling in the reef: $210
- 3-Stop Snorkel Tour: Reef, Shipwreck & Sea Grass from Cancún: $117
- 3-in-1 Tour to Tulum, Cenote and Maya Village Riviera Maya: $99
- 4 ADVENTURES 1 DAY Tulum Coba Cenote and Playa del Carmen: $16
- 4 Casa Tortugas Cenotes Tour from Playa del Carmen: $148
- AQUA WONDER (Half-Day Aquatic Tour in Tulum with Snorkeling and Meals): $129
- ATV & Speed Boat Combo Tour: $119
- ATV Extreme and Snorkel Adventure from the Riviera Maya: $149
- ATV Jungle Adventure, Cenotes & Zipline – Riviera Maya: $67
- ATV Mayan Jungle Adventure: $180
- ATV Xtreme and Zipline Adventure from Riviera Maya: $129
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Playa del Carmen $19
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Playa del Carmen:
- Playa del Carmen Local Brewery and Tacos Experience: $54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Playa del Carmen, we can see that Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Playa del Carmen?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Playa del Carmen. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Playa del Carmen, 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.