Which place is cheaper, Tulum 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 Tulum?
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 Tulum 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 Tulum?
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.
Tulum
When you think of ancient ruins you probably picture dusty archaeological digs surrounded by sand and professors in khaki shorts. What if I told you there is a way to see ancient ruins and visit a tropical beach? That's exactly what you find in Tulum, Mexico.
Built near the end of Mayan era, the ruins of Tulum served as a port before the arrival of the Spanish. It may have been called Zama, meaning City of Dawn, given that these ruins face the sunrise. Because of Tulum's access to both land and sea routes, this spot was an important hub for the trade industry. It may have had another claim to fame, too. According to some murals and other works around the site, it seems this spot was an important site for the worship of the Diving or Descending God. Today, the area is the third most visited archaeological site in all of Mexico with daily tour buses dropping off visitors.
This area is usually packed with people looking to get a glimpse of the seaside ruins. To avoid crowds and capture the best view of the day, try to arrive as early as possible.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesTulum Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $67Tulum $141
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $67, while the average daily cost in Tulum is $141. 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 Tulum in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Tulum $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Tulum $114
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Tulum
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Tulum? 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 Tulum Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Tulum $27
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$9.26
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
- Private Airport Transfer and Service in Nairobi: $20
- Safe and Private Airport transfer in Nairobi: $20
- Nairobi Airport Transfers to City Hotels or Wilson Airport: $24
- Airport transfer; NBO to nairobi hotels: $27
- Nairobi Airport Transfers to Wilson Airport or City Hotels: $28
- Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $28
- Private One-Way Nairobi Airport Transfer: $29
- From Wilson Airport: Nairobi private transfer in a car (3 pax): $30
- Airport Transfer in Nairobi- JKIA: $30
- Professional Airport Transfer Service in Nairobi: $33
- From JKIA Airport: Nairobi private transfer in a car (3 pax max): $35
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tulum
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tulum:
- Xcaret to Tulum - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $82
- Tulum to Xcaret - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $112
- Tulum to Playa del Carmen - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $118
- Tulum to Chetumal - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $245
- Tulum to Bacalar - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $195
- Tulum Archaeological Zone: Cenote, Lunch & Transfer: $203
- Tulum Archaeological Zone and El Jaguar Park, with Transfer and Lunch: $163
- Tulum Airport: One-Way or Roundtrip Private Transfer: $302
- Tulum Airport Private Transfer to Hotels and Airbnbs: $73
- Transfer from Hotel and Airbnb to Tulum Airport: $63
- Round-trip Private Transfer Cancun Airport to TULUM Downtown: $275
- Round Trip Transfer from Tulum Airport to Hotels: $167
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Tulum?
Prices for flights to both Tulum 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 $13Tulum $57
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:
- Kenyan Cooking Class & Authentic Dining Experience with a Local: $40
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour: $55
- Private Interactive Cooking Class and Market Tour in Kinoo: $65
- Dinner/Lunch Eating Experience Carnivore Restaurant & Transport: $75
- Safari Park dinner with live band music and cat dance show.: $90
- 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
- Nairobi National Park Afternoon Game Drive/ Dinner Carnivore Restaurant: $100
- Nairobi dinner and safari cat dancers: $100
- Authentic home dinner with a local Family in Nairobi: $108
- Authentic Local Kenyan Food Tour: $108
Typical Food Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of dining costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Lunch$2.89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tulum
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tulum.
- Salsa Class,Mezcalita Workshop & Mexican Dinner: $87
- Tulum Local Walking Food Tour: $93
- Tortilla & Taco Cooking Class – Mexican Cuisine from scratch: $93
- Mexican Cooking Class with Tacos, Ceviche and Margaritas in Tulum: $100
- Private Authentic Mayan Cooking Class with Tulum Hotel Transfers: $280
- Private Mayan Food Cooking Class, Cenote and Coba Ruins: $289
- Private transfer for 5 hours (go dinner,cenotes, shopping and more): $299
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Tulum $30
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
- Private Tour in Kibera the Largest Slum: $15
- Kibera Slum Tour with a Local: $15
- Nairobi Matatu Culture Experience: $18
- Nairobi Walking City Tour +pick-up: $20
- Nairobi City Tour and Pickup: $20
- Kibera Chocolate City Tour: $22
- Nairobi History and Modern Culture Walking Tour: $22
- Nairobi City Walk Tour +pickup: $22
- Cultural Discovery Tour of Unfiltered Mathare: $23
- Experience Nairobi Night Life Partying in the City and Beyond: $25
- Giraffe Center Karen Blixen and Kobe Beads Day Tour: $25
Tours and Activities in Tulum
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tulum are as follows:
- 2 tanks Cenote Diving Adventure in Tulum for Certified Divers: $200
- 3 Cenotes & Hidden Lagoon Tour from Tulum: $134
- ATV Cenote and Zipline Adventure from Tulum: $129
- ATV Extreme Adventure Single with Ziplines and Cenote Swim: $156
- ATV Extreme Adventure Single with Ziplines and Cenote Swim: $151
- ATV cenote tour Tulum – Mayan Jungle ATV & Cavern Experience: $80
- Adventure and Snorkel with the Whale Shark from Tulum: $250
- Adventure at Chichen Itza! Cenote and Valladolid from Tulum City: $98
- Akumal Private Tour: Turtles, Coral Reef, Cenote, Beach, Lunch: $203
- All-Inclusive Catamaran Cruise Deluxe Tour to Isla Mujeres: $99
- Authentic Mexican Tacos Flavors and 5th Av Tour: $129
- Bacalar Full day Experience Kayacs from Tulum: $138
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Tulum $24
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Tulum, we can see that Tulum 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 Tulum 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 Tulum would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tulum 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 Tulum Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Tulum?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 330 times larger than the population of Tulum. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Tulum, 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.