A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Serengeti National Park vs. Nairobi for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Serengeti National Park or Nairobi?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Serengeti National Park or Nairobi, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Serengeti National Park or Nairobi?

Serengeti National Park

Sprawling across 5,700 square miles of northern Tanzania in East Africa, Serengeti National Park makes up one of the oldest ecosystems in the world-one whose climate, vegetation, and fauna has barely changed over the past million years.  Today the park is a major wildlife destination, especially during the Great Migration when over a million hoofed animals are on the move.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Tanzania, The Best Cultural Tours in Tanzania, The Best Safaris in Kenya, and The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya.


Which place is cheaper, Nairobi or Serengeti National Park?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Serengeti National Park is $123, while the average daily cost in Nairobi is $63. 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 Serengeti National Park and Nairobi in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Serengeti National Park $56
    Nairobi $12
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Serengeti National Park $112
    Nairobi $24
Compare Hotels in Serengeti National Park and Nairobi

Looking for a hotel in Serengeti National Park or Nairobi? 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.

Hotels in Serengeti National Park


Hotels in Nairobi


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Serengeti National Park $21
    Nairobi $11

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nairobi

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Nairobi:


  • Taxi from Airport
    $9.43

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi

Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $20
  • Airport Transfers in Nairobi: $41
  • Airport Transfers within Nairobi: $30
  • Airport and Hotels Transfers: $40
  • Airport/hotel/transfers In Van/bus/sedan Car Within Nairobi: $40
  • Chauffeur, Airport Pickups And Transfers Within Nairobi: $22
  • From 7-Day Kenya Safari Trip with Meals & Transfer: $1,800
  • Jomo Kenyatta International Airport: Airport transfers: $50
  • Mercedes Viano Private Transfer Luxury Comfort Nairobi : $250
  • Mwashi Airport Transfer & Taxi: $26
  • Nairobi Airport One Way Private Transfer: $24
  • Nairobi Airport One Way Private Transfer: $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Serengeti National Park or Nairobi?

Prices for flights to both Nairobi and Serengeti National Park 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Serengeti National Park $38
    Nairobi $7.63

Typical Food Prices in Nairobi

For Nairobi, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • 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 Restaurant: Lunch or Dinner Experience in Nairobi: $21
  • Nairobi:Carnivore Restaurant Dinner and Pub Crawling.: $47
  • Enjoy Traditional Kenyan Food Cooking Class With a Host.: $53
  • Local Market Tour and Traditional Meal Cooking Class: $53
  • Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour : $55
  • Nairobi Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch: $55
  • Carnivore Resturant Dinner Experience : $68
  • Private Kenyan Cooking Class in Nairobi with a Local: $76
  • Carnivore Dinner Experience: $80
  • Carnivore Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Experience: $80
  • Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $87
  • The Safari Cats Show Tickets & Buffet Dinner: $89

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Serengeti National Park $52
    Nairobi $47

Typical Entertainment Prices in Nairobi

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Nairobi's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • 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 Walking and Historic Tours: $19
  • Nairobi City;culture and historical guided tour: $19
  • Nairobi;Downtown walking tour: $20
  • Kibera slums half day tour from nairobi: $25
  • From Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Center Tour: $25
  • Nairobi City tour: $25
  • Half-Day Tour Giraffe Center and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: $25
  • Elephant orphanage, Giraffe center, kobe beads tour: $25
  • Memorable Daily KIBERA Slums/Toi Market Tour with Locals (2 hours): $25
  • Private Guided Nairobi City and Cultural Walking Tour: $25

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Serengeti National Park $15
    Nairobi $16


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Serengeti National Park and Nairobi, we can see that Serengeti National Park is more expensive. And not only is Nairobi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Serengeti National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Serengeti National Park 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 Serengeti National Park Expensive? and Is Nairobi Expensive?.