Which place is cheaper, Beijing or Mombasa?
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 Mombasa or Beijing?
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 Beijing. 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 Beijing?
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.
Beijing
Beijing is the capital of China and, with 21.5 million people, it is the second most populated city in the world after Shanghai. It is a city that keeps pockets of its history hidden in old neighborhoods or back alleys, despite the constant change and modernization that goes on around it. As the capital city of China, there is plenty of history and culture. You can still get yourself lost in one of the last remaining hutongs, which are old neighborhoods that remain untouched by the city's modernization. The alleys that weave between the old homes are lined with drying clothes, corner markets, and people going about their daily lives the way they have for centuries. Surrounding these hutongs you'll find modern buildings and a booming economy, all threatening to destroying these last bits of Beijing's history. Beijing offers a glimpse into a microcosm that represents the entire country of China. Make sure you give yourself enough time in China to truly experience Beijing. You can pass a lot of time soaking up life in the city, which remains as diverse as the country it resides within.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesBeijing Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Beijing $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Beijing is $96. 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 Beijing in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Beijing $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Beijing $84
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Beijing
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Beijing? 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 Beijing Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Beijing $8.22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Diani Airport – Kenya Coast Beach Hotel Transfers: $131
- Diani Taxi and Airport Transfers: $70
- From Mombasa Airport: Diani transfer in a minivan (5 pax): $75
- Mombasa Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $72
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $36
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To South Coast Diani Hotels: $79
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Watamu Hotels: $112
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfers To Malindi Hotels: $140
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfers To Vipingo & Kilifi Hotels: $93
- Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Arrival Private Transfer: $36
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $36
- Private Day Tour of Mombasa City with Transfers: $104
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Beijing
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Beijing:
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Taxi$5.02
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Train from Airport for Two$7.35
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Taxi to Hotel$8.83
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2 Metro Passes$2.35
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Metro$0.59
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Beijing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Beijing:
- [Airport Transfer] Beijing Capital Airport ⇔ Beijing City Transfer (one way) ☆ High reputation for service! : $25
- VIP Mutianyu Great Wall Tour: Expert Guide & Private Transfer: $87
- Universal Beijing Resort Private Transfer one way, City/Airport: $45
- Universal Beijing Resort 1 Day Ticket with Optional Transfer: $149
- Transfers to Jinshanling Great Wall with professional driver: $95
- Transfer: Beijing City Center to Beijing Airport (PEK): $41
- Tianjin Port Private transfers to Beijing Hotel&optionals: $219
- Tianjin International Cruise Port to Beijing Capital Airport by private transfer: $148
- Tianjin Cruise Port to Beijing Daxing Airport by Private Transfer: $148
- Tianjin Cruise Port Private Transfer to Beijing International Airport: $153
- Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City Private Tour With Airport Transfer: $249
- Sunrise Private Transfer to Jinshanling Great Wall+Hiking 6km: $149
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Beijing?
Prices for flights to both Beijing 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 $41Beijing $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Special African Dinner: $46
- Mombasa Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Swahili Cooking Class Experience with a Local Chef: $65
- Diani Beach Sunset Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $70
Typical Food Prices in Beijing
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Beijing:
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Popcorn$0.88
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Hot Pot Dinner$7.35
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Dumpling Breakfast for Two$2.94
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Watermelon$2.06
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Peking Duck Dinner for 2$18
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Two Popsicles$0.88
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Beijing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Beijing.
- Online Cooking Class Orange Chicken by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Handmade Noodles by Sunflower Li: $20
- Online Cooking Class Kungpao Chicken: $25
- Beijing Dumpling Cooking Class Private Courtyard Cafe: $40
- Beijing Food Tour: $40
- Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $45
- Beijing Hutong Breakfast Food Tour: $45
- Beijing Acrobatic Show Tickets w/ Optional Dinner or Transfer: $48
- 3.5-Hour Walking Food Tour: A Bite of History at Beijing Niujie Street: $49
- Temple of Heaven Private Tour w/Option Show &Dinner: $54
- China's Favourite Street Food Cooking Workshop: $55
- Experience Beijing Walking Food Tour Private: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Beijing $26
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Mombasa Guided City Tour Experience: $25
- Sunset Canoe Tour on a River within the Mangroves: $28
- Mombasa city tour: $30
- Kongo River Sunset Experience in Canoe: $32
- Mombasa walking tour: $35
- Elky Diani Glass Bottom Tour to Robinson Island: $35
- Mombasa old town Walking Tour and Fort Jesus: $38
- Private Mombasa Food & Sightseeing Tour: $39
- Mombasa City Tour: $40
- Half day city tour of mombasa: $40
- Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $40
- Half day Mombasa City Tour: $45
Typical Entertainment Prices in Beijing
Here are a few typical costs in Beijing for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Summer Palace for Two$8.83
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Two Opera Tickets$63
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Temple of Heaven Park Entrance (for 2)$10
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Forbidden City (for 2)$18
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Forbidden City Tickets$18
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Audio Guides at Forbidden City$12
Tours and Activities in Beijing
Here are a few actual costs in Beijing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1-Day Beijing Private Tour to Forbidden City and Mutianyu Great Wall: $150
- 1-Day Beijing Private Tour to Lama Temple,Summer Palace and Hutong Rickshaw: $120
- 1-Day Beijing Private Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Hutong Rickshaw Riding: $277
- 1-Day Beijing tour to Temple of Heaven,Hutong Tour,Lama Temple & Summer Palace: $240
- 1-Day Great Wall of China Tours from Beijing Capital Airport to Mutianyu: $269
- 1-Day Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Irrigation System Tour: $175
- 1-Day Mutianyu Great Wall and Beijing Airport Drop off Tour: $235
- 1-Day Private Tour: Huanghuacheng Great Wall Hiking with the lunch from Beijing: $213
- 1-Day Private Tour: Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Tour from Beijing: $256
- 1-Day Self-Guided Simatai and Gubei Town Night Tour from Beijing: $149
- 1Day Beijing Palace Museum City park Tour: $120
- 2 Day Private Xian Tour from Beijing: $268
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.82Beijing $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Beijing
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Beijing:
- Tipsy Travel: Beijing Local Food and Bar Crawl night in Hutong: $138
- 5-Hour Private Changyu Chateau Wine Tasting Tour from Beijing: $178
- Beijing Brewery Bike Tour: $199
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Beijing, we can see that Beijing is more expensive. And not only is Mombasa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mombasa is in Africa and Beijing is in Asia, 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 Mombasa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mombasa 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 Beijing would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Beijing than you might in Mombasa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mombasa Expensive? and Is Beijing Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Beijing?
Beijing has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Mombasa. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Beijing, 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.
When is the best time to visit Mombasa or Beijing?
Beijing has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Mombasa experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Mombasa or Beijing in the Summer?
Both Beijing and Mombasa during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Mombasa because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Beijing because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Mombasa is cooler than Beijing. Typically, the summer temperatures in Mombasa in July average around 24°C (75°F), and Beijing averages at about 27°C (80°F).
In Beijing, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Mombasa. In the summer, Mombasa often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Beijing. Mombasa gets 216 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Beijing receives 224 hours of full sun.
Beijing gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Mombasa usually gets less rain in July than Beijing. Mombasa gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Beijing receives 176 mm (6.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyMombasa 24°C (75°F)Beijing 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Beijing in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Mombasa and Beijing. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Mombasa year-round. Also, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Beijing this time of year.
In October, Mombasa is generally much warmer than Beijing. Daily temperatures in Mombasa average around 26°C (79°F), and Beijing fluctuates around 14°C (56°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Beijing this time of the year. In Mombasa, it's very sunny this time of the year. Mombasa usually receives more sunshine than Beijing during autumn. Mombasa gets 291 hours of sunny skies, while Beijing receives 227 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Mombasa gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Mombasa usually receives more rain than Beijing. Mombasa gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Beijing receives 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberMombasa 26°C (79°F)Beijing 14°C (56°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Beijing in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Mombasa as well as Beijing. Mombasa attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, many travelers come to Beijing for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Beijing. Mombasa is much warmer than Beijing in the winter. The daily temperature in Mombasa averages around 27°C (81°F) in January, and Beijing fluctuates around -4°C (26°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Beijing. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mombasa this time of the year. In the winter, Mombasa often gets more sunshine than Beijing. Mombasa gets 283 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Beijing receives 201 hours of full sun.
Mombasa usually gets more rain in January than Beijing. Mombasa gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Beijing receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryMombasa 27°C (81°F)Beijing -4°C (26°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Beijing in the Spring?
Both Beijing and Mombasa are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Mombasa throughout the year. Also, many visitors come to Beijing in the spring for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In the spring, Mombasa is much warmer than Beijing. Typically, the spring temperatures in Mombasa in April average around 27°C (81°F), and Beijing averages at about 14°C (57°F).
It's quite sunny in Beijing. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Mombasa. Mombasa usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Beijing during spring. Mombasa gets 230 hours of sunny skies, while Beijing receives 247 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in Mombasa. In April, Mombasa usually receives more rain than Beijing. Mombasa gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Beijing receives 26 mm (1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilMombasa 27°C (81°F)Beijing 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for Beijing and Mombasa
| Mombasa | Beijing | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | -4°C (26°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | -1°C (30°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 26 mm (1 in) |
| May | 26°C (79°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (75°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 25°C (76°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (75°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 25°C (78°F) | 182 mm (7.2 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 14°C (56°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | -1°C (29°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
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.