Which place is cheaper, Queenstown 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 Queenstown?
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 Queenstown 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 Queenstown?
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.
Queenstown
Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Bicycle Tours in New Zealand, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesQueenstown Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $68Queenstown $127
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $68, while the average daily cost in Queenstown is $127. 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 Queenstown in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Queenstown $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Queenstown $108
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Queenstown
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Queenstown? 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 Queenstown Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Queenstown $9.93
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$9.28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Airport Transfer in Nairobi Kenya: $20
- Safe and Private Airport transfer in Nairobi: $20
- Private One-Way Transfer from Nairobi: $27
- Mwashi Airport Transfer & Taxi: $27
- Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Private Transfer: $27
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $28
- Nairobi Airport One Way Transfers: $30
- Safe Private Airport transfer in Nairobi: $30
- Private Airport Transfers To or From Nairobi Airports.: $30
- From Wilson Airport Nairobi Private Transfer in a Car 3 Pax: $30
- Professional Airport Transfer Service in Nairobi: $33
- Nairobi Private Airport Transfer: $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:
- ZQN Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $27
- Tasman Glacier Helihike with Flight Transfers: $1,016
- Milford Sound Cruise with Helicopter Transfer: $901
- Queenstown/Wanaka Airport Transfer: $207
- Queenstown to Mt Cook One Way Scenic Transfer: $121
- Queenstown private transfer: $76
- Queenstown Airport to Towncenter Transfer: $77
- QUEENSTOWN Best Private Airport Transfer:1 Way from/to Hotel: $51
- Private Transfer from Wanaka to Queenstown Airport: $175
- Private Transfer from Queenstown Central to Wanaka: $175
- Private Queenstown Airport to Hotel Transfers: $72
- One way transfer to Remarkable or Coronet Peak Ski Fields: $192
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Queenstown?
Prices for flights to both Queenstown 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 $13Queenstown $60
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$5.03
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Karibu Kitchens Nairobi Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $55
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour: $55
- Carnivore restaurant Dinner or lunch from Nairobi: $65
- Cooking Lesson of Local Food $ Lunch: $68
- Nairobi Nightlife and Safari Park Hotel Dinner Experience: $90
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $100
- Barbecue Lunch/ Dinner At The Carnivore Restaurant - Nairobi: $100
- Authentic Local Kenyan Food Tour: $108
- The Carnivore Restaurant Experience in Lunch or Dinner: $116
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $120
- Carnivore Restaurant: Lunch or Dinner Experience in Nairobi: $125
- Flavors of Brazilian Churrascaria Dinner Eating Experience: $125
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Queenstown
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.
- Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza: $17
- Skyline Queenstown Gondola with Lunch or Dinner: $80
- Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $112
- Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch: $129
- Queenstown Dinner & Wine Experience (Adults Only) 3 Iconic Venues: $284
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Queenstown $21
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 Heritage Tour with Key Landmarks: $10
- Fashion African Fabric & Souvenir Market Tour: $12
- Kibera Slum Cultural and Community Walking Tour: $15
- Ankara Fabric Shopping and Same Day Tailoring Experience: $17
- Nairobi Matatu Culture Experience: $18
- Kibera Community Tour with Local Guide MC Dawn: $20
- Nairobi City Tour and Pickup: $20
- Nairobi Walking City Tour +pick-up: $20
- Kibera Chocolate City Tour: $22
- Nairobi City Walk Tour +pickup: $22
- Nairobi National Museum and Snake Park Guided Tour: $22
- Kibera Slum Compassionate Walking Experience 3 Hours: $23
Typical Entertainment Prices in Queenstown
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:
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Skyline Gondola (for 2)$29
Tours and Activities in Queenstown
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:
- 25-Minute Remarkables Helicopter Tour from Queenstown: $184
- 30-Minute High-Speed Thrill Queenstown Jet Boat Adventure: $65
- 5 Day South Island New Zealand Private Tour from Queenstown: $2,767
- Ale Trail: Wharehuanui Adventure with Queenstown Shuttles: $65
- Arrowtown & Queenstown Kiwi Special Tour, Local discovery tour.: $59
- Arrowtown and Wanaka Highlights Tour from Queenstown: $124
- Boutique Winery Half-Day Tour & Vineyard Platter-Style Lunch: $158
- Cardrona Valley Mountain Quad Experience from Wanaka: $213
- Coach Farm Tour and Milford Sound Nature Cruise from Queenstown: $230
- Coronet Peak Snow Sightseeing Tour: $203
- Coronet Peak Snow Touch Experience from Queenstown: $59
- Cromwell: Lake Dunstan & Carrick Winery: Boat and eBike Adventure: $222
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Queenstown $8.67
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 Queenstown
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:
- Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $18
- Ice Bar Crawl: $23
- Hop on Hop off Wine Tours Queenstown: $62
- Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours: $73
- Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $95
- Queenstown's Original Premium Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $101
- Queenstown Classic Wine Tour: 3 Winery Visits, Cave Tour & Cheese: $127
- Small Group Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $129
- Classic Wine Tour: $135
- Arrowtown Wine Tour: $141
- Queenstown Boutique Wine Tour - All-Inclusive 4 Wineries & Lunch: $149
- Small Group Wine Tasting Tour with 18+ tastings: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown 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 Queenstown is in Pacific, 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 Queenstown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Queenstown 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 Queenstown Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Queenstown?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 260 times larger than the population of Queenstown. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Queenstown, 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.