Which place is cheaper, Busan (Pusan) 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 Busan (Pusan)?
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 Busan (Pusan). 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 Busan (Pusan)?
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.
Busan (Pusan)
An important port city in South Korea, Busan is known for its beaches, mountains, and temples. With a thriving harbor, the city's main revenue comes from international shipping, although the area is quite popular with tourists from all over the globe, too. The place is bustling with sailors from around the world as well as tourists who come to enjoy the culture of this modern and dynamic city.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Tours for Seniors to South Korea, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Seoul.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesBusan (Pusan) Prices
South Korea Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Busan (Pusan) $95
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Busan (Pusan) is $95. 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 Busan (Pusan) in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Busan (Pusan) $36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Busan (Pusan) $72
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Busan (Pusan)
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Busan (Pusan)? 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 Busan (Pusan) Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Busan (Pusan) $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $22
- Transfer From Mombasa (Moi Airport/SGR) To Diani: $35
- Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Arrival Private Transfer: $36
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $36
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $36
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $42
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $42
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $57
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $57
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA): $57
- DianiBeach: Private Transfer from Airport or Railway Station: $70
- Diani Taxi and Airport Transfers: $70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Busan (Pusan)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Busan (Pusan):
- Private Transfer from Busan hotels to Busan Cruise Port: $64
- Private Transfer from Busan Gimhae Int Airport(PUS) to Busan Port: $64
- Private Transfer from Busan Cruise Port to Busan city hotels: $64
- Private Transfer from Busan Cruise Port to Busan Int Airport(PUS): $64
- Private Transfer from Busan Cruise Port to Busan Hotels: $64
- Private Transfer from Busan City Hotels to Busan Cruise Port: $64
- Private Transfer Gaimhae Airport to Busan City: $85
- Private Transfer From Busan to Incheon or Seoul or GyeongJu city: $100
- Busan Private Transfer: Airport & KTX Stn. to/from Hotel in Busan: $79
- Busan Gimhae Airport (PUS) to Busan - Arrival Private Transfer: $66
- Busan Airport to Busan Hotels Round-Trip Private Transfer: $121
- Busan Airport and KTX Station Transfer Service: $79
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Busan (Pusan)?
Prices for flights to both Busan (Pusan) 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 $41Busan (Pusan) $40
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 Busan (Pusan)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Busan (Pusan) are as follows:
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McDonald's$4.05
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Carp Bread$0.66
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Busan (Pusan)
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Busan (Pusan).
- Kimchi Kitchens Busan Food Tour with 10+ Tastings: $88
- Busan Local Food Cooking Class with Market Tour: $103
- Korean cooking class in Haeundae, Busan: $104
- Busan Tailored Korean cooking class (Vegan OK)with market tour: $120
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Busan (Pusan) $18
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
- Tusks, Fort Jesus, Old Town, Beach and 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
- Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $40
- Half day city tour of mombasa: $40
- Mombasa City Tour: $40
Tours and Activities in Busan (Pusan)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Busan (Pusan) are as follows:
- (Guaranteed Return) Busan Shore Excursion for Cruise Guests: $65
- (On-Time Return) Busan Cruise Shore Excursion for Small Group: $89
- (Return Assurance) Busan Small Group Cruise Shore Excursion: $84
- 1 Day Private Busan Guided Tour: $300
- A Comprehensive Small-Group Busan Tour with Hotel Pickup: $58
- Authentic Busan Full-Day City Highlights Tour: $31
- Autumn Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival & Pink Muhly Tour fr Busan: $59
- Busan 9 Highlights Tour: $40
- Busan City Tour - Haedong Yonggung Temple And Shopping in Lotte Premium Outlet: $289
- Busan Cruise Port – Premium Small Group Tour (Max 6 Guests): $99
- Busan Dynamic Maze Discount Ticket Foreigner Only: $12
- Busan Food Market Tour Seafoods and Street Foods: $52
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.82Busan (Pusan) $11
Sample the Local Flavors in Busan (Pusan)
Also in Busan (Pusan), these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Busan Pub Crawl with Traditional Korean Pub Experience: $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Busan (Pusan), we can see that Busan (Pusan) 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 Busan (Pusan) 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 Busan (Pusan) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Busan (Pusan) 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 Busan (Pusan) Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Busan (Pusan)?
Busan (Pusan) has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Mombasa. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Busan (Pusan), 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 Busan (Pusan)?
Busan (Pusan) 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 Busan (Pusan) in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Mombasa as well as Busan (Pusan). Mombasa attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Mombasa is around the same temperature as Busan (Pusan) in the summer. The daily temperature in Mombasa averages around 24°C (75°F) in July, and Busan (Pusan) fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mombasa this time of the year. In the summer, Mombasa often gets more sunshine than Busan (Pusan). Mombasa gets 216 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Busan (Pusan) receives 166 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Busan (Pusan). Mombasa usually gets less rain in July than Busan (Pusan). Mombasa gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Busan (Pusan) receives 257 mm (10.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyMombasa 24°C (75°F)Busan (Pusan) 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Busan (Pusan) in the Autumn?
Both Busan (Pusan) and Mombasa are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Mombasa throughout the year.
In the autumn, Mombasa is a little warmer than Busan (Pusan). Typically, the autumn temperatures in Mombasa in October average around 26°C (79°F), and Busan (Pusan) averages at about 18°C (65°F).
It's quite sunny in Busan (Pusan). The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Mombasa. Mombasa usually receives more sunshine than Busan (Pusan) during autumn. Mombasa gets 291 hours of sunny skies, while Busan (Pusan) receives 202 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It's quite rainy in Mombasa. In October, Mombasa usually receives more rain than Busan (Pusan). Mombasa gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Busan (Pusan) receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberMombasa 26°C (79°F)Busan (Pusan) 18°C (65°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Busan (Pusan) in the Winter?
Both Busan (Pusan) and Mombasa during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Mombasa because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It's quite cold in Busan (Pusan) in the winter. In January, Mombasa is generally much warmer than Busan (Pusan). Daily temperatures in Mombasa average around 27°C (81°F), and Busan (Pusan) fluctuates around 3°C (38°F).
In Busan (Pusan), it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Mombasa. In the winter, Mombasa often gets more sunshine than Busan (Pusan). Mombasa gets 283 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Busan (Pusan) receives 200 hours of full sun.
Mombasa usually gets more rain in January than Busan (Pusan). Mombasa gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Busan (Pusan) receives 32 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryMombasa 27°C (81°F)Busan (Pusan) 3°C (38°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Busan (Pusan) in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Mombasa and Busan (Pusan). Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Mombasa year-round.
Mombasa is much warmer than Busan (Pusan) in the spring. The daily temperature in Mombasa averages around 27°C (81°F) in April, and Busan (Pusan) fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
In Mombasa, it's very sunny this time of the year. Mombasa usually receives more sunshine than Busan (Pusan) during spring. Mombasa gets 230 hours of sunny skies, while Busan (Pusan) receives 196 hours of full sun in the spring.
Busan (Pusan) receives a lot of rain in the spring. Mombasa gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Mombasa usually receives around the same amount of rain as Busan (Pusan). Mombasa gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Busan (Pusan) receives 148 mm (5.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilMombasa 27°C (81°F)Busan (Pusan) 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for Busan (Pusan) and Mombasa
| Mombasa | Busan (Pusan) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 3°C (38°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) |
| May | 26°C (79°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (75°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (75°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 257 mm (10.1 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 204 mm (8 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 187 mm (7.4 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 24 mm (0.9 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.