Comparison · Johannesburg vs Nairobi · South Africa / Kenya
Johannesburg vs Nairobi
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Mark Hillary, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Choose Johannesburg for Apartheid Museum, Soweto, lower day-to-day costs and free sights; choose Nairobi for Nairobi National Park and Elephant orphanage. Johannesburg is generally less expensive, and the two are about 2,925 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 2,925 km
- Less expensive
- Johannesburg
- Best time for Johannesburg
- April–May and September–October
- Best time for Nairobi
- January–February and June–September
Side by side
| Johannesburg | Nairobi | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | South Africa | Kenya |
| Known for | Apartheid Museum, Soweto and Constitution Hill | Nairobi National Park, Elephant orphanage and Giraffe Centre |
| Best time to visit | April–May and September–October | January–February and June–September |
| Ideal stay | 3 days | 3 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $100–$200 | $120–$250 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | January, 26°C (79°F) | February, 26°C (79°F) |
| Coldest month | June, 16°C (61°F) | June, 21°C (70°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 6 | 3 |
| Day trips in our guide | 5 | 6 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | JNB, HLA | NBO, WIL |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Johannesburg for…
Apartheid Museum, Soweto, lower day-to-day costs and free sights. Johannesburg grew out of the 1886 Witwatersrand gold rush and is now South Africa's largest city, sprawling across the Highveld at about 1,750 metres. Its essential sights are about history: the Apartheid Museum, the prison complex at Constitution Hill and…
Choose Nairobi for…
Nairobi National Park and Elephant orphanage. Nairobi sits at about 1,795 metres on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, and its biggest surprise is Nairobi National Park, where lions, black rhinos and giraffes roam grassland about 7 km south of the city centre. Most visitors spend one to three days…
Top sights compared
| # | Johannesburg | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apartheid Museum | Nairobi National Park |
| 2 | Constitution Hill | Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage |
| 3 | Vilakazi Street and Mandela House | Giraffe Centre |
| 4 | Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum | Karen Blixen Museum |
| 5 | Soweto by bicycle or with a local guide | Nairobi National Museum |
Food compared
| Johannesburg | Nairobi |
|---|---|
| Braai | Nyama choma |
| Boerewors roll | Ugali |
| Pap and chakalaka | Sukuma wiki |
| Kota | Kachumbari |
Which is cheaper?
Johannesburg is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $100–$200 per person there, against $120–$250 in Nairobi (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Johannesburg on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 2,925 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 7 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Johannesburg or Nairobi cheaper?
Johannesburg is usually less expensive: about $100–$200 a day mid-range against $120–$250 (estimates).
+Is Johannesburg or Nairobi better for a first trip?
Pick Johannesburg for Apartheid Museum, Soweto, lower day-to-day costs and free sights, or Nairobi for Nairobi National Park and Elephant orphanage.
+How far is Johannesburg from Nairobi?
About 2,925 km in a straight line.