Which place is cheaper, Aswan or Mombasa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Mombasa or Aswan?
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 Mombasa and Aswan. 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: Mombasa or Aswan?
Mombasa
Mombasa is a beautiful, large city on the eastern coast of Kenya, bordering the Indian Ocean. The city is famous for its stunning beaches, friendly locals, and diverse marine life. Mombasa experiences a tropical climate year round, meaning temperatures rarely drop below 70° Fahrenheit. The rainiest months of the year are April and May and the driest months are January and February. Temperatures tend to be more mild from May through October, usually in the 70's and 80's. Temperatures get much warmer from November through April, with daily averages reaching the high 90's.
Aswan
Lounging along the Nile like Egyptian royalty is a fantasy for most world travelers. If you want to do it without the hustle and bustle of Cairo, there's always Aswan. This city in the south of Egypt is the smallest of the three major cities on the Nile. Located just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, Aswan's 275,00 people include a large portion of Nubians – mostly resettled from their flooded homeland.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best 10-Day Tours in Egypt, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $65Aswan $16
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $65, while the average daily cost in Aswan is $16. 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 Mombasa and Aswan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $27Aswan $6.75
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $54Aswan $14
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Aswan
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Aswan? 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: Mombasa Hotel Prices and Aswan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Aswan $4.34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $20
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $22
- Mombasa Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City Hotels to Mombasa Cruise Port: $33
- Private Luxury Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport: $33
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $33
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $33
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer to Nyali, Bamburi & Shanzu: $33
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $34
- Private Transfer: Mombasa SGR Train Station to Nyali/Bamburi: $37
- Mombasa Town: Private Airport Transfer to Hotel and AirBnB: $40
- Mombasa Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- VIP Aswan Airport Transfer to Luxury Retreats: $35
- Transfer to Luxor from Aswan and visit Kom Ombo and Edfu Temples: $64
- Transfer from Aswan to Luxor: $79
- Transfer from Aswan Train Station to your hotel or the opposite : $30
- Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels or Nile Cruise in Aswan: $8.00
- Sunset Departure Evening Aswan Airport Transfer: $32
- Station Aswan Transfer To hotel: $8.00
- Shared Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels : $20
- Private transfer from aswan to luxor with visits: $93
- Private transfer from anywhere Aswan to Aswan Airport: $13
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $10
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $6.40
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Aswan?
Prices for flights to both Aswan and Mombasa 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 dayMombasa $24Aswan $5.73
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Swahili Street Food Tour: $45
- Special African Dinner: $46
- Fort Jesus Mombasa Light and music Night Shows With Dinner.: $46
- Dhow Cruise Tour And Dinner Or Lunch Tours.: $51
- Experience Swahili Cuisine Cooking Class With a Local Host.: $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.
- Dinner at Soleih restaurant by vehicle: $33
- Nubian Dinner in Nubian Village Of Aswan: $40
- Nubian lunch Or Dinner at Nubian village : $75
- Private 3-Hour Nubian Party with Dinner and Pickup in Aswan: $77
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan : $90
- Dinner In Nile Cruise in Aswan: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Aswan $6.11
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Holy Ghost Cathedral (1914) entry and guided tour: $10
- Mombasa walking tour: $16
- Mombasa walking tour: $20
- 2 hour Authentic Cultual Experience: $25
- Mombasa:Street food Experience: $27
- Mombasa Fun and hidden Gems tour: $30
- Mombasa Old Town Walking Tour: $30
- Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $30
- Private Canoe Tour to Experience the Gorgeous Kongo River Estuary: $30
- Mombasa City Tour,Fortjesus,Oldtown,Tusks and Spice Market.: $35
- Mombasa City: Children's Homes Visit And Donation Tour.: $36
- Mombasa City Half Day Walking Tour And Street Food Tasting.: $38
Typical Entertainment Prices in Aswan
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Aswan are as follows:
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Temple Kom Ombo for Two$1.26
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- Abu Simbel Private Tour from Aswan : $110
- Abu Simbel Temples Full Day Tour From Aswan With Entry Tickets : $99
- Aswan : Full Day Private Guided Tour to the Legend of Abu Simbel Temples: $125
- Full Day Tour to Luxor from Aswan by Car: $200
- Philae Temple Night Experience (Sound and Light show). : $65
- Philae Temple and Aswan High Dam Tour: $44
- Private Abu Simbel Temple tour : $123
- Private Day Tour to Luxor from Aswan: $65
- Private Luxor Day Tour from Aswan: $140
- Sharing Tour To Abu Simbel From Aswan with Tour Guide : $50
- 1 Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: $128
- 2 Days Luxor Private Guided Tour From Aswan: $110
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.99Aswan $1.24
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Aswan, we can see that Mombasa is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Aswan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Aswan 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 Mombasa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mombasa than you might in Aswan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mombasa Expensive? and Is Aswan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Aswan?
Mombasa has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Aswan. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Aswan, 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.