Which place is cheaper, San Juan 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 San Juan?
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 San Juan 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 San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, and The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $68San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $68, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or San Juan? 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 San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11San Juan $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$9.27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Nairobi City Taste Experience with Minivan Transfer: $245
- Road Transfer from Nairobi to Amboseli: $200
- Private Road Transfer from Nairobi to Amboseli national park: $197
- Airport transfers: $180
- Private Transfer in Nairobi: $180
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or city To Maasai Mara By Road: $135
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or City to Mara by road: $135
- Nairobi Airports Private Transfers: $100
- Nairobi National Park Tour with Game Drive and Transfer: $95
- Nairobi National Park Game Drive Tour With Transfer: $95
- Nairobi Airport to Hotel Transfers with city tour: $80
- Private Transfer to Naivasha from Nairobi: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from San Juan to Rincon or Rincon to San Juan: $167
- Transfer from San Juan to Dorado or Dorado to San Juan: $80
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Transfer SJU Airport to Dorado. Hotels and Airbnb. Vice Versa One Way Trip.: $140
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $118
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU)- Departure Transfer: $30
- San Juan PR Transfer in Luxury SUV (Airports,Ports,Hotel,Airbnb): $103
- San Juan Luxury Private Round-Trip Transfer: SJU Airport - Cruise Pier - Hotel: $80
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port Arrival Private Transfer: $59
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $118
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Arrival Private Transfer: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $13San Juan $62
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$5.02
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
- Cooking Lesson of Local Food $ Lunch: $68
- Dinner/Lunch Eating Experience Carnivore Restaurant & Transport: $75
- Barbecue Lunch/ Dinner At The Carnivore Restaurant - Nairobi: $85
- Safari Park dinner with live band music and cat dance show.: $90
- BBQ Dinner & Cat Dancers Experience 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
- Nairobi dinner and safari cat dancers: $100
- Nairobi National Park Afternoon Game Drive/ Dinner Carnivore Restaurant: $100
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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- Morning Old San Juan Food Tour: $169
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46San Juan $49
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:
- 1 Day Bike Tour to Hell’s Gate And Lake Naivasha: $139
- 1 Day Hell's Gate Bicycle Tour (minimum 2 Pax): $280
- 1 Day Pure Adrenaline Adventure with Kenyan BBQ Lunch Experience: $200
- 1 Day Purple Farm Tour from Nairobi Tea Tasting and Lunch: $295
- 1 Day Tour Hiking Mt. Longonot and lake Naivasha Boat ride: $75
- 1-Day Mount Longonot Hiking Adventure From Nairobi: $145
- 2 Days Amboseli Safari using a 4x4 Landcruiser jeep(with options): $160
- 2 Days Tour :Mt.Longonot Hiking TOUR &Hells Gate Bicycle Riding: $200
- 3 Day Maasai Mara Group Joining Safari With Guided Tour: $250
- 3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Tour with 4x4 Jeep: $210
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Camping Safari on 4x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $285
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari on 4x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $295
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- 1 Hour Bull Maze Adventure at Toroverde Urban Park San Juan: $45
- 1 Hour Historical UTV Tour in San Juan: $200
- 1)El Yunque Rainforest and Famous Luquillo Beach Experience: $96
- 2 Tours in 1 Day: Rainforest Waterslides & Beach Tour w/Transport: $60
- 3 Tours in 1 Day: Old San Juan, Rainforest, Beach with Transport: $65
- ATV Double Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $221
- ATV Single Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $149
- Adventure Water Bike in Condado Lagoon, San Juan: $60
- Arecibo Cave Cliffside Waterfall Adventure: $139
- Arecibo Indian Cave Coastal Adventure: $65
- Bio Bay Night Kayak Tour with Transport from San Juan: $125
- Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure Tour from San Juan: $110
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Puerto Rico Tobacco Farm and Local Brewery Tour: $109
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or San Juan?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and San Juan, 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.