A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mombasa vs. Calgary for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Mombasa or Calgary?

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 Calgary. 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 Calgary?

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.

Calgary

Calgary is the largest city in Alberta and, located at the edge of the prairie and foothills, it is a gateway to the Rocky Mountains. If you're headed to Banff or Jasper, this is likely to be your first stop. It's also Canada's fourth largest city and worth a few days visit. Calgary's economy is diverse, but includes energy, financial services, film and television, transportation, technology, manufacturing, and much more.

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 Canada, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Calgary or Mombasa?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Calgary is $172. 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 Calgary in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mombasa $26
    Calgary $71
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mombasa $52
    Calgary $142
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Calgary

Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Calgary? 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.

Hotels in Mombasa


Hotels in Calgary


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 Calgary Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mombasa $18
    Calgary $12

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 Calgary

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Calgary:

  • Transfer from Calgary Airport: $58
  • Round Trip transfer between Calgary Airport and Banff.: $95
  • Rocky Mountain Transfer: Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Calgary: $118
  • Private transfer from Banff and surrounding area: $238
  • Private Transfer: Calgary Airport to Fairmont Banff Spring Hotel: $159
  • Private Transfer: Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary by Luxury SUV: $134
  • Private Transfer from Calgary to Calgary Airport YYC in Business Car: $115
  • Private Transfer from Calgary to Banff: $238
  • Private Transfer from Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary in Luxury SUV: $137
  • Private Transfer from Calgary Airport YYC to Calgary in Business Car: $115
  • Private Transfer from Calgary Airport (YYC) to Calgary Hotels: $97
  • Private Transfer YYC Airport to Banff Canmore Louise kananaskis: $251

Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Calgary?

Prices for flights to both Calgary 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Mombasa $41
    Calgary $52

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 Calgary

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Calgary:


  • Bread, Chips, Cheese
    $7.89

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Calgary

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Calgary.

  • Light Brunch & Food Tour at Calgary Farmers' Market WEST: $78
  • Iconic Eats of Calgary Food Tour: $124
  • Iconic Eats of Calgary Food Tour: $127
  • Asian Cooking Class (Includes 6-Course Meal): $135

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mombasa $18
    Calgary $15

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

Typical Entertainment Prices in Calgary

Here are a few typical costs in Calgary for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Stampede Admission (for 2)
    $21

Tours and Activities in Calgary

Here are a few actual costs in Calgary for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 1 Day Tour Drumheller Royal Tyrrell Museum from Calgary: $112
  • 1 Day Tour Waterton Redrock Canyon and Cameron Falls: $128
  • 1 Day Tour in Banff Lake Louise and Moraine Lake: $108
  • 1-Day Private Premium Drumheller & Badlands Tour: $246
  • 2 Day Guided Tour in Banff National Park: $236
  • 3-Day Stampede & Canadian Rockies Tour: $1,691
  • 5 Lakes Tour Louise and Moraine Emerald Peyto Takakkaw Falls: $112
  • 5 Lakes day tour: Moraine, Louise, Bow, Peyto, small groups!: $86
  • 6-Hour Private City Tour Drive to Calgary Tower: $669
  • Badlands Guided Small Group Tour: Calgary to Drumheller Dinosaurs: $96
  • Banff & Jasper: Columbia Icefield, Bow Lake Peyto Lake Tour: $70
  • Banff Big 3 Moraine Lake, Lake Louise and Emerald Lake Tour: $173

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mombasa $8.82
    Calgary $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Calgary

Also in Calgary, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • An Epic Bar Crawl: Cruisin' Calgary: $12
  • Brewery Tours at Award Winning Venues: $80
  • Brewery Tour: $85
  • Calgary to Banff Brewery Tour and Lunch: $143


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Calgary, we can see that Calgary 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 Calgary 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 Calgary would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Calgary 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 Calgary Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Calgary?

Calgary has a larger population, and is about 28% larger than the population of Mombasa. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Calgary, 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.