Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas 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 Cabo San Lucas?
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 Cabo San Lucas. 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 Cabo San Lucas?
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.
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas ("Cabo") is on the far southern end of the Baja Peninsula. It has countless resorts and activities for visitors. There are world class golf courses, fine dining options, and five star resorts. Prior to the 1980s, Cabo was a quiet fishing village but with the construction of a nearby airport in 1977, the city rapidly grew into one of Mexico's most popular resort vacation spots. Today, Cabo has one of the country's most vibrant nightlife scenes. It also has plenty of water sport activities, and a great beach scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesCabo San Lucas Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Cabo San Lucas $169
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $169. 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 Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Cabo San Lucas $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Cabo San Lucas $122
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Cabo San Lucas
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Cabo San Lucas? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Cabo San Lucas $27
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
- DianiBeach: Private Transfer from Airport or Railway Station: $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 Transfer to Diani Beach: $81
- 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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Transfer to Cabo San Lucas from Round Trip Airport: $281
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Los Cabos International Airport to Hotel: $27
- San Jose Del Cabo hotels to Cabo San Lucas Port - Departure Private Transfer: $140
- Roundtrip Luxury Private Airport and City Transfers.: $170
- Round Trip Private SUV Transfer SJD Airport to Cabo San Lucas: $232
- Private transfer SJD Airport to San Jose del Cabo Hotels One Way: $100
- Private or Luxury One Way Transfer Airport Los Cabos SJD CSL: $185
- Private Transfer to Cabo San Lucas from Cabo Airport: $220
- Private Transfer from San Jose Del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas Port: $98
- Private Transfer from SJD to Cabo San Lucas / San Jose del Cabo: $98
- Private Transfer from Los Cabos Airport (SJD) to Cabo San Lucas hotels: $140
- Private Transfer from Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cruise Port: $72
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas 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 $41Cabo San Lucas $84
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cabo San Lucas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cabo San Lucas.
- Seafood Galore, Los Cabos Food Tour: $80
- San Jose del Cabo Tacos and Food Tour: $88
- Catch of the day dinner in your private villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $90
- Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise and Live Music in Cabo San Lucas: $95
- Cabo San Lucas Sunset Dinner Catamaran Cruise to the Arch: $99
- Jumbo Shrimp Dinner in Your Private Villa or Condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $99
- Cabo Escape Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Open Bar: $99
- Pirate Ship Sunset Dinner and Show in Los Cabos: $99
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music & Open Bar on Cabo Wave: $99
- Cabo Pirate Adventure: Family Sunset Dinner & Show: $99
- Sunset E-bike Beach Ride with Mexican Dinner and Margaritas: $109
- Mexican Beer and Seafood Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $109
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Cabo San Lucas $41
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 Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- "Exclusive Cabo San Lucas Trimaran Experience with Snorkeling": $180
- 1 Hour Jet Ski Adventure: $180
- 2 Hours Horseback Riding Adventure in Cabo: $130
- 2-Hour Camel Ride Beach and Desert Adventure Experience: $120
- 2-Hour Whale Watching Tour in Cabo with Breakfast: $130
- 2-Hours Sunset Experience at Los Cabos with Jazz and Bar! from Los Cabos: $165
- 4-Hour Snorkeling Tour in Cabo San Lucas and Corridor: $109
- 4x4 ATV Adventure with Tequila Tasting and Mexican Buffet Lunch: $75
- A Full-Day Baja Adventure: La Paz, Balandra Beach & Todos Santos: $130
- ATV Adventure: $135
- ATV Adventure from Cabo San Lucas: $115
- ATV Adventure in Rancho San Cristobal Cabo San Lucas: $189
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.82Cabo San Lucas $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
- Wine Tasting Sunset Cruise Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $280
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas 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 Cabo San Lucas 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 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 Cabo San Lucas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cabo San Lucas 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 Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Cabo San Lucas?
Mombasa has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Cabo San Lucas. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Cabo San Lucas, 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.