Which place is cheaper, Seattle or Nairobi?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Nairobi or Seattle?
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 Seattle 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 Seattle?
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.
Seattle
Situated on the Puget Sound in the state of Washington, Seattle is the largest city in the United States Pacific Northwest. It's a beautiful city surrounded by the water and mountains and filled with evergreen trees. It's also the home of some famous American institutions including Starbucks Coffee, Amazon, and Microsoft. The population of almost 700,000 continues to grow. As of 2014, the city was considered the fastest growing major city in the United States. The entire metropolitan area has about 3.6 million residents, making it the 15th largest metro area in the US. The natural beauty, growing economy, and educational base give Seattle a youthful vibe that keep the city young and energetic.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $61Seattle $205
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $61, while the average daily cost in Seattle is $205. 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 Seattle in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $11Seattle $120
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $22Seattle $240
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Seattle
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Seattle? 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 Seattle Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $10Seattle $30
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:
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $20
- Nairobi Airport Transfer, Hotel Pick up and Drop Off: $20
- Private Airport Transfer and Service in Nairobi: $20
- Private Transfer from Airport to Accommodation: $22
- NAIROBI AIRPORT TRANSFER: $23
- Nairobi Airport Transfers to City Hotels or Wilson Airport: $24
- Nairobi Airport One Way Private Transfer: $24
- Nairobi Airport One-Way Transfers: $25
- Nairobi NBO Airport One-Way Transfers: $25
- Private One-Way Transfer from Nairobi: $27
- Nairobi Airport Transfer: $29
- Nairobi Airport Transfers: $30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seattle
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Seattle:
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Lightrail from Airport (for 2)$5.50
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Roundtrip Ferry to Bainbridge Island (for 2)$15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seattle
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seattle:
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Seattle Airport (SEA)- Seattle Downtown: $86
- Smith Cove Terminal: Private Transfer to Seattle hotels: $310
- Smith Cove Terminal to Seattle hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $149
- Smith Cove Terminal to Seattle hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $74
- Smith Cove Terminal to Seattle Tacoma Airport (SEA) - Departure Private Transfer: $74
- Smith Cove Terminal to Seattle Hotels Arrival Private Transfer : $74
- Smith Cove Terminal to Seattle Airport (SEA) - Departure Transfer: $74
- One-Way Private Transfer from Seattle Airport: $76
- Seattle, WA: Seaplane transfer to Vancouver, BC: $265
- Seattle Tacoma Airport(SEA): Transfer to Smith Cove Terminal: $310
- Seattle Tacoma Airport to Summit at Snoqualmie Arrival Transfer: $153
- Seattle Tacoma Airport (SEA): Private Transfer to Seattle: $267
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Seattle?
Prices for flights to both Seattle 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 $7.35Seattle $51
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 Seattle
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seattle are as follows:
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Expresso & cookie at Pier 70$7.00
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Cashews at Pike Place Market$6.00
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6 Mini Donuts at Pike Place Market$3.25
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Chinese Lunch in International District (for 2)$21
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Breakfast at Lowel's in Pike Place Market (for 2)$32
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Breakfast at French Cafe (for 2)$37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seattle
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seattle.
- Secret Food Tours Seattle: $65
- Seattle Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $65
- Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market- 2 Hours: $67
- Eat Around the World Seattle Food Tour: $69
- International District Food Tour: $69
- Street Food Tour of South Lake Union: $75
- Secret Food Tours: Seattle Pike Place Market: $85
- Pike Place Market Food Tour: $99
- Small Group Cooking Class: $138
- Private Seattle Cooking Class with a Chef in Her Home: $198
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $45Seattle $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:
- Ebike adventure Hire Nairobi (Electric mountain bike hire): $15
- Nairobi cultural shopping experience: $18
- Nairobi City Walking and Historic Tours: $19
- Nairobi City;culture and historical guided tour: $19
- Nairobi;Downtown walking tour: $20
- vibrant kibera slum tour: $24
- Private Guided Nairobi City and Cultural Walking Tour: $25
- Kibera slums half day tour from nairobi: $25
- Memorable Daily KIBERA Slums/Toi Market Tour with Locals (2 hours): $25
- Elephant orphanage, Giraffe center, kobe beads tour: $25
- From Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Center Tour: $25
- Half-Day Tour Giraffe Center and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: $25
Tours and Activities in Seattle
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seattle are as follows:
- 3 Hour Seattle City Tour: $90
- 2 Hour Seattle City Snapshots Tour: $85
- 2 Hour Sound Tour: $98
- 2-Hour Seattle Sailing Harbor Tour: $45
- 3 Hours Electric Bike Tour of Seattle's Waterways, Nature and Neighborhoods: $87
- 5-hour Seattle and Suburbs Attractions Tour: $185
- Beneath The Streets Underground History Tour: $29
- Best of Seattle Small Group Walking Tour W/ Space Needle: $244
- Boeing Factory Tour with Guided Transport from Seattle: $125
- Chef Guided Happy Hour Tour - Cocktails, Bubbles and Bites: $140
- CitySightseeing Seattle Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour + Bookable Extras: $43
- Customized Mount Rainier Tour from Seattle: $195
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $15Seattle $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Seattle
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Seattle:
- Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $38
- Where the Hops Grow! Yakima Brewery Tour : $40
- Woodinville Wine Country: Downtown Wine Tasting Pass: $65
- Woodinville Wine Country: Artisan Hill Wine Tasting Pass: $65
- Brewery and Restaurant Tour of Historic Seattle Neighborhood: $109
- Bon Vivant Woodinville Wine Tasting Tour : $120
- From Snoqualmie Falls & Woodinville Wine Tasting: $262
- Snoqualmie Falls + Wine Tasting: All-Inclusive Small-Group Tour: $263
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Seattle, we can see that Seattle 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 Seattle 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 Seattle would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Seattle 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 Seattle Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Seattle?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Seattle. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Seattle, 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.