Which place is cheaper, Cancun 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 Cancun?
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 Cancun. 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 Cancun?
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.
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesCancun Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Cancun $162
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Cancun is $162. 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 Cancun in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Cancun $94
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Cancun $188
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Cancun
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Cancun? 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 Cancun Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Cancun $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer From Mombasa (Moi Airport/SGR) To Diani: $35
- Safe Private Airport Transfer in Mombasa: $19
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA): $58
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $58
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $58
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $42
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City Hotels to Mombasa Cruise Port: $58
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $22
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $42
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $36
- Mombasa Airport Transfers to Mtwapa: $130
- Mombasa Airport Transfers: $129
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.61
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$16
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- transfers between hotels in Cancun hotel strip: $20
- Xplor Tickets with Transfer: $195
- Transfers in Luxury Sedan from Cancun Airport: $97
- Transfer priv. Cancun Airport to Costa Mujeres / Playa Mujeres: $95
- Transfer hotel Cancun to Cancun Airport up to 8 people: $50
- Transfer from chiquila-holbox to airport and hotels in cancun: $157
- Transfer from Puerto de Chiquila to Cancun Airport: $178
- Transfer from Cancun Airport (CUN) to Cancun/El Dorado Maroma: $59
- Transfer Redondo Private Airport Cancun to Playa del Carmen: $178
- Transfer Airport Cancun Hotel Zone: $89
- Super Combo ATV in Cancun with Zipline, Snorkel, Cenote, transfer: $110
- Sunset Sailing Adventure to Isla Mujeres Unlimited + Transfer from Cancún: $78
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Cancun?
Prices for flights to both Cancun 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 $41Cancun $48
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
- Sultan's Spoon Mombasa Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Mombasa Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $49
- Swahili Street Food Tour: $55
- Diani Beach Sunset Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $71
- Tamarind Dhow Dinner Cruise & Nightlife: $136
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in Cancun with a Local Guide: $61
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Cancun Food Tour: Market 23, Local Flavors & Downtown Culture: $69
- Cancun Food Tour - Taco Attack: Street Food & Tequila Tasting: $69
- Salsa Streets Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $69
- Tortilla Trails Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $69
- Cancun Historic Downtown Food Tour with 7+ Authentic Tastings: $76
- Cancun Hands-On Mexican Cooking Class: $79
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Couples Special Price! Cancun Pirate Show with Dinner & Drinks: $80
- Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show at Cancun Couples Special: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Cancun $34
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day Group tour to Tsavo East National Park with Buffet Lunch: $160
- 1 Day Wasini Dolphin Tour From Diani Beach: $110
- 4 Hours Guided Mombasa City Tour: $45
- City Tour with Ghalib: $76
- Day Tour Experience to Tsavo East National Park: $190
- Day Tour To Shimba Hills Park from Mombasa: $264
- Diani Beach: Kaya Kinondo Sacred Forest Guided Tour: $75
- Elky Shimba Hills and Sheldrick Waterfall Day Tour: $250
- Fort Jesus & Mombasa Old Town Walking CityTour: $38
- Full Day Group Joining Tour In Mombasa From Kilindin Harbour Port: $140
- Full Day Group Joining Tour in Mombasa from Kilindini Harbour: $149
- Full Day Mombasa City Tour with a Local Guide: $130
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.58
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$98
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day ATV, Horse Ride, Ziplines and Cenote Adventure from Cancun: $40
- 1 Day Tour to Bacalar, Cenotes and 7 color Lagoon with lunch from Cancun: $125
- 1-Day Tour to Bacalar with Kayaking, Marmol Beach Club and Cenote: $119
- 1-hour Clear Boat Tour in Nichupte Lagoon from Cancun: $23
- 2 Day Deluxe Tour Tulum and Chichén Itzá: $120
- 2 Islands Tour - Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen: $160
- 2 in 1 Catamaran to Isla Mujeres Tour from Cancun with Open Bar: $50
- 2-day tour: Isla Mujeres catamaran and Chichen Itzá: $119
- 20 minutes Jet Pack flight experience in Cancun!: $119
- 2x1 Tulum tour and Chichen Itza tour for 1 price in 2 days: $139
- 3 Hidden Cenotes Experience & Puerto Morelos Reef Snorkeling: $89
- 3 adrenaline activities Atvs Zipline and a swim experience in a cenote: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.83Cancun $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $115
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Cancun, we can see that Cancun 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 Cancun 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun 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 Cancun Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Cancun?
Mombasa has a larger population, and is about 48% larger than the population of Cancun. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Cancun, 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.