Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Masai Mara?
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 Masai Mara or Rio de Janeiro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Masai Mara and Rio de Janeiro. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Masai Mara or Rio de Janeiro?
Masai Mara
Masai Mara National Reserve is a beautiful, scenic, nature reserve in southwest Kenya, just west of the capital city, Nairobi. The reserve belongs to the Masai people and was created in order to protect the land and the people and animals living on it. Masai Mara is considered to be one of the best reserves in all of Africa, offering the quintessential African safari experience.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesRio de Janeiro Prices
Brazil Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $132Rio de Janeiro $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $132, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is $115. 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 Masai Mara and Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Rio de Janeiro $64
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Rio de Janeiro $128
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Rio de Janeiro? 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: Masai Mara Hotel Prices and Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Rio de Janeiro $7.65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:
- Nairobi Airport (NBO) Private Transfer to Nairobi City/Hotels: $17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.82
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Private transfer Economico GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 3 pax to Zona Sul: $21
- One Way Shared Transfer from Airport to hotels in Rio de Janeiro: $25
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer Rio de Janeiro HTL-APT (SDU): $25
- Private transfer Minivan GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 6 pax to Zona Sul: $27
- Roundtrip Private Transfer Rio de Janeiro Airport (GIG) (SDU): $31
- Transfer from Rio de Janeiro Galeao International Airport: $32
- Private transfer from Galeão Airport to Hotel or Address in Copacabana: $35
- Transfer in Rio: $35
- Private One-way Airport Transfer From Galeao Airport To Rio: $37
- Transfer of 4 Tickets in Rio de Janeiro: $37
- Buzios Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $40
- National Theater & National Library Guided Tour, Admission & Transfer: $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro and Masai Mara 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 dayMasai Mara $57Rio de Janeiro $34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Masai Mara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Masai Mara.
- Carnivore experience Lunch Or Dinner (Optional Bomas of kenya ): $40
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn$0.56
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Corn on the Cob$0.75
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Hamburger$0.94
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner and Live Music in Rio de Janeiro: $46
- Hands-On Cooking Class in Rio: Iconic Street Foods & Caipirinhas: $75
- Authentic Brazilian BBQ & Wine: A Guided Dinner Experience in Rio: $79
- Roxy Show - Brazilian Rhythms with optional Barbecue Dinner: $85
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Family Cooking Class in Rio Make 9 Brazilian Dishes Together: $95
- LGBTQ+ Cooking Class in Rio: Cook, Toast & Celebrate Together: $95
- Brazilian BBQ Cooking & Drinks Class + Patio Party in Copacabana: $95
- Dinner and Show at the Official Roxy Dinner Show - Rio de Janeiro: $122
- Brazilian Dinner Show: Cultural Experience in Rio de Janeiro: $126
- Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $130
- Flavors of Cooking Class and Caipirinhas: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Rio de Janeiro $21
Tours and Activities in Masai Mara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:
- Half Day Giraffe Center,Baby Elephant&Karen Blixxen Guided Tour: $38
- Nairobi African Shopping Tour: $55
- Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
- Giraffe Center Half-Day Guided Tour from Nairobi: $75
- Nairobi City Tour and Afternoon Visit to Bomas of Kenya: $80
- Half Day Private Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $80
- Ngong Hills Adventure from Nairobi: $85
- Private Day Tour to Nairobi Arboretum and Nairobi National Museum: $109
- Nairobi Museum KICC Tower Kobe and Bomas of Kenya Day Tour: $115
- Fairview Coffee Farm Day Tour in Nairobi: $120
- Amboseli national park full day tour: $160
- Airport Layover Tour to Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center: $225
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $4.51
- Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $4.51
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $10
- Rocinha Local Tour: $19
- Rocinha favela walking tour with a local guide: $20
- Favelas do Vidigal or Rocinha's experience: $23
- Tour of the Heart of Historic Rio de Janeiro : $23
- Rio de Janeiro Tour with App – No Guide, Start When You Want: $24
- Carnival Backstage Tour - Visit a traditional Samba School : $25
- Carnaval Experience: Backstage Tour at Samba City with Cocktail : $26
- Favela Tour Rio de Janeiro - Vidigal Walking Tour by Russo Guide: $29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Rio de Janeiro $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $40
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $40
- Rio Pub Crawl: Taste Caipirinhas & Local Bar Snacks: $95
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
When comparing the travel costs between Masai Mara and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Masai Mara is in Africa and Rio de Janeiro is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Masai Mara Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
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.