Which place is cheaper, Riga or Nairobi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Nairobi or Riga?
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 Riga 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 Riga?
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.
Riga
Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, and The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $63Riga $112
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $63, while the average daily cost in Riga is $112. 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 Riga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Riga $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Riga $114
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Riga
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Riga? 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 Riga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Riga $16
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$9.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Nairobi Airport Transfer, Hotel Pick up and Drop Off: $20
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $20
- Private Transfer from Airport to Accommodation: $21
- Nairobi Airport Transfers- Arrivals & Private Transfers: $24
- Nairobi Airport One-Way Transfers: $25
- Nairobi NBO Airport One-Way Transfers: $25
- Mwashi Airport Transfer & Taxi: $26
- Private One-Way Transfer from Nairobi: $27
- Nairobi Airport Transfer: $29
- Nairobi Suburb Arrival Transfer: $30
- Airport Transfers within Nairobi: $30
- Professional Airport Transfer Service in Nairobi: $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
- Transfer from Riga International Airport to Downtown: $266
- Riga Private Mercedes Benz Airport Transfer: $137
- Riga Private Mercedes Benz Airport Transfer: $107
- Riga Gun Experience: Roundtrip Transfer and 4 Firearms: $130
- Riga City to Riga Airport - Private Transfer: $52
- Riga Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Klaipeda: $38
- Riga Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Klaipeda: $38
- Riga Airport to Riga City - Private Transfer: $52
- Riga Airport to Hotel Transfer: $27
- Riga Airport to City Center Private Transfers: $59
- Riga Airport Transfer: $33
- Riga - Tallin: Transfer and Tour through beautiful landmarks: $485
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Riga?
Prices for flights to both Riga 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 $7.63Riga $36
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$5.11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Carnivore experience Lunch Or Dinner (Optional Bomas of kenya ): $40
- Nairobi:Carnivore Restaurant Dinner and Pub Crawling.: $47
- Local Market Tour and Traditional Meal Cooking Class: $53
- Enjoy Traditional Kenyan Food Cooking Class With a Host.: $53
- Nairobi Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch: $55
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour : $60
- Nairobi Cooking and Food Tasting Activity: $60
- Private Interactive Cooking Class and Market Tour in Kinoo: $65
- Carnivore Resturant Dinner Experience : $68
- Carnivore Dinner Experience: $80
- Carnivore Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Experience: $80
- The Carnivore Restaurant Experience: Lunch Or Dinner: $84
Typical Food Prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
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Fast Food Lunch$6.25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
- Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $42
- Unique Food Tour: $52
- Medieval Guided Tour & Three-Course Dinner Experience: $96
- Medieval Dinner on the 12th Century at Rozengrals: $118
- Private Cooking Master Class In The Latvian Family : $130
- Cooking Experience with Chef: Learn & Dine: $139
- Latvian Food: Cooking Masterclass with a Chef: $151
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $47Riga $23
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$16
Tours and Activities in Nairobi
For Nairobi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Ebike adventure Hire Nairobi (Electric mountain bike hire): $15
- Nairobi cultural shopping experience: $18
- Nairobi City;culture and historical guided tour: $19
- Nairobi City Walking and Historic Tours: $19
- Nairobi;Downtown walking tour: $20
- Kibera slums half day tour from nairobi: $25
- Private Guided Nairobi City and Cultural Walking Tour: $25
- Elephant orphanage, Giraffe center, kobe beads tour: $25
- Half-Day Tour Giraffe Center and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: $25
- Nairobi City tour: $25
- From Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Center Tour: $25
- Nairobi city walking tour : $25
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
- 1 Day Riga Sightseeing Red Bus Grand Tour: $27
- 2 Day Gastronomy Tour In Latgale : $239
- 2 Day Kurzeme Winery Tour: $200
- 2.5-Hour Riga Cruiser Bike Tour: $40
- 3-Hour Private Paintball Game Experience in Zīles: $86
- 5 Hour Shared Tour to Hill of Crosses from Riga: $81
- ATV Quad Off Road or City Tour in Riga: $141
- Beer Bike Experience : $36
- Best Of Riga Walking Tour: Old Town: $17
- Best of Riga Walking Tour: $180
- Boat:Cruises: $16
- City:canal:tour: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Riga $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $15
- Riga Pub Crawl Nightlife Experience: $17
- Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $37
- Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $37
- Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $53
- Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl: $54
- Latvian Wine Tasting & Monk Show: $75
- Old Town Sightseeing & Latvian Wine Tasting with Show: $96
- Riga Wine Tasting Session: $102
- Riga Pub Crawl & Party Bus Tour: $521
- Yacht Tour with Medieval Banquet and Wine Tasting: $3,308
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Riga, we can see that Riga 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 Riga is in Europe, 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 Riga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Riga 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 Riga Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Riga?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Riga. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Riga, 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.