Which place is cheaper, Vancouver 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 Vancouver?
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 Vancouver 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 Vancouver?
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.
Vancouver
Vancouver is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city in Western Canada. It is also the largest city in British Columbia, and is dramatically positioned between the coast and mountains. It's a very international city, with a high level of energy and countless activites that you can enjoy while you're in town. In addition to offering all of the activities and entertainment of a modern city, it is also in jumping off distance to any number of outdoor activities.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Safaris in Kenya, The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best 10-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.
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Nairobi Prices
Kenya PricesVancouver Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNairobi $67Vancouver $165
The average daily cost (per person) in Nairobi is $67, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is $165. 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 Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNairobi $12Vancouver $87
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNairobi $24Vancouver $174
Compare Hotels in Nairobi and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Nairobi or Vancouver? 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 Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Nairobi $11Vancouver $15
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$9.23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nairobi
Also for Nairobi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Road Transfer from Nairobi to Amboseli national park: $197
- Private Transfer from Nairobi Airport or city To Maasai Mara By Road: $135
- Private Transfers from Nairobi Airport to Hotels: $100
- Nairobi National Park Game Drive and Transfer: $95
- Airport/hotel/transfers In Van/bus/sedan Car Within Nairobi: $80
- Private Transfer from Nairobi to Naivasha: $70
- Airport Transfers In Nairobi City: $67
- Nairobi - Maasai Mara Shuttle Transfers. : $61
- Airport and Hotel Private Transfers.: $59
- Airport VIP Transfers - Nairobi Hotels : $55
- Private Luxury airport Taxi transfer Services Nairobi JKIA to City Hotels: $50
- Private Transfer from Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) to Nairobi: $42
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
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SkyTrain from Airport$6.35
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Taxi from Airport to Downtown$21
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15 min Taxi Ride$8.71
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SkyTrain DayPass$6.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver
Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- White Rock to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $108
- Whistler: Vancouver YVR Airport to Whistler Private Transfer: $118
- YVR Airport Transfer to Squamish: $411
- YVR Airport Transfer to Fraser Valley: $618
- Transfer Downtown - Canada Place Cruise Terminal: $136
- Private Transfer to Whistler with Sightseeing: $538
- Private Transfer to Whistler: $462
- Private Transfer to Ferry Terminal: $172
- Private Transfer - Canada Place Cruise Terminal: $72
- Private Airport Transfer to/from YVR Airport: $45
- North Shore Mountains Snowshoeing with Transfer: $108
- City Highlights Tour with Hotel Transfers: $63
Is it cheaper to fly into Nairobi or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver 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 $13Vancouver $54
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$5.00
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
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class and Dining Experience: $40
- Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class & Local Market Tour : $55
- Private Traditional Kenyan Cooking Class with Lunch in Nairobi: $60
- Carnivore restaurant Dinner or lunch from Nairobi: $65
- Safari Park Dinner with Safari Cats Dance Show: $97
- Safari Cat Dancers Show And Dinner: $100
- Nairobi dinner and safari cat dancers : $100
- Authentic Local Kenyan Food Tour: $108
- Carnivore Restaurant Dinner Experience in Nairobi: $125
- Nairobi Carnivore Restaurant Lunch / Dinner Experience: $125
- Barbecue Dinner & Entertainment in Nairobi : $135
Typical Food Prices in Vancouver
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:
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All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch$8.79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver
For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Vancouver Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $75
- Mt Pleasant Food Tour from Vancouver: $81
- A Wok Around Food Tour of the Granville Island Public Market: $82
- Vancouver Street Food Tour in Mount Pleasant Neighborhood: $92
- Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $96
- Food Tours Gastown & Downtown with 6+ tastings: $98
- Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $98
- Vancouver Local Taste Trail Food Tour: $100
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $114
- Granville Island Market VIP Walking Food Tour : $114
- Private Granville Island Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $132
- Vancouver Chinatown Tour and Dumpling-Making Cooking Class : $135
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Nairobi $46Vancouver $36
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:
- Day Tour Amboseli Park From Nairobi: $180
- Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Centre Tour: $95
- Lake Naivasha Full day Tour With Boat Rides: $156
- Local Lunch and Beer Tasting Experience: $90
- Nairobi National Park Morning Or Evening Game Drive 4x4 Tour Van: $50
- Nairobi park Tour 6.A.M-11.AM: $70
- Private 4WD Lake Nakuru Day Tour from Nairobi: $190
- 1 Day Bike Tour to Hell’s Gate And Lake Naivasha : $139
- 1 Day Tour Hiking Mt. Longonot and lake Naivasha Boat ride : $75
- 1 Day Tour Nairobi National Park,Giraffe Center&Karen Blixen: $46
- 1-Day Hiking Adventure at Mount Longonot from Nairobi: $170
- 2 Days Group Safari to Amboseli using a Landcruiser 4x4 Jeep: $260
Tours and Activities in Vancouver
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vancouver.
- 2 Hours Private Tour of City of Vancouver: $146
- Cruise Ship Terminal to Vancouver Airport Private Transport: $150
- Guided Bike /E-bike Tour in Whistler From Vancouver: $216
- Half-day Hike and Bike Tour in Vancouver: $128
- Spirit Of Vancouver Bike or Ebike Tour: $99
- Sunshine Coast Escape (Around Vancouver) Small Group Tour: $158
- Victoria 1-Day Tour From Vancouver: $190
- $99 Vancouver 2 Hours City Tour Private: $99
- 1 Day Victoria Tour with Butchart Gardens | from Vancouver: $190
- 1 day Whistler Tour from Vancouver Experience (chn&eng): $87
- 2 Hours Private Tour of Stanley Park Vancouver: $131
- 3 Days of Adventure in Vancouver – Activities-Only Tour: $1,650
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNairobi $16Vancouver $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Vancouver
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Vancouver:
- Vancouver British Columbia Bar Crawl: $15
- Gastown Pub Crawl: $22
- Gastown Pub Crawl: $26
- 3.5-Hour Craft Brewery Tour: $86
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour: $88
- North Vancouver Elite Walking Brewery Tour: $95
- Vancouver Wine Tour (Fraser Valley): $121
- From Fraser Valley Wine Tour with Local Tastings: $129
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour from Vancouver with a Light Lunch : $132
- From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $135
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour with Tastings: $161
- Stawamus Chief Hike and Local Brewery Tasting: $169
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Nairobi and Vancouver, we can see that Vancouver 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 Vancouver 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 Vancouver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vancouver 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 Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Nairobi or Vancouver?
Nairobi has a larger population, and is about 50% larger than the population of Vancouver. When comparing the sizes of Nairobi and Vancouver, 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.