Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Mombasa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Mombasa or Cape Town?
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 Cape Town. 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 Cape Town?
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.
Cape Town
Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.
Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $65Cape Town $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $65, while the average daily cost in Cape Town 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 Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $27Cape Town $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $54Cape Town $76
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Cape Town? 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 Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Cape Town $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: Mombasa SGR Train Station to Nyali/Bamburi: $37
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $33
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $33
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $73
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $20
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $73
- Private Transfer from Diani Beach Hotels to Moi Airport: $70
- Private One-Way Mombasa Airport Transfer: $50
- Private Luxury Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport: $33
- Private Departure Transfer in Mombasa: $80
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $22
- Mombasa Train Station Private Transfer to Kikambala/Vipingo: $59
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Whale Watching In Hermanus with Private Transfer: $242
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cape Town HTL-APT(CPT): $44
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Cape Town APT-HTL(CPT): $44
- Transport Shuttle Transfer from Constantia to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Transfer To Safari- Aquila From Cape Town Excluding Entry Fees Full Day: $155
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Simonstown to Cape Town Airport: $25
- Shuttle Transport Transfer from Cape Town City Center (CBD) to Cape Town Airport: $17
- Shopping Mall Transfers: $21
- Shark Cage Diving: Full Day Tour Transfer: $84
- Robben Island tour Return transfers PLUS famous stops before or after tour: $158
- Return Transfer to Aquila Safari The Big 5 From Cape Town Excluding Entry Fees: $147
- Private Transfer: Cape Town to International Airport (CPT): $47
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town 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 $24Cape Town $41
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Swahili Street Food Tour: $45
- Special African Dinner: $46
- Fort Jesus Mombasa Light and music Night Shows With Dinner.: $46
- Dhow Cruise Tour And Dinner Or Lunch Tours.: $51
- Experience Swahili Cuisine Cooking Class With a Local Host.: $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner At Mandela's - Cultural Township Dinner Experience: $27
- African Cooking with a Chef Founder: $27
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $39
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $41
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $54
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $57
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $58
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $60
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $73
- South African Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family: $82
- Cape Town Food tour with locals: $100
- The Cape Town Essentials Food Tour: $106
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Cape Town $23
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day Private Mombasa Tour: $170
- Mombasa Getaway with Haller Park Tours: $130
- Private Tour of Tsavo East National Park from Mombasa: $270
- The Best Of Mombasa Walking Tour: $208
- 1 Day Malindi day Tour (minimum 2 Pax): $194
- Aquatic experiences at the coastal of Mombasa-Nyali.: $90
- Day Tour To Mombasa: $145
- Day Tour to Tsavo East National Park from Mombasa: $268
- Day tour to Tsavo east national park from Mombasa: $279
- Dolphin tour and snorkeling in kisite marine park / wasini island: $70
- Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $30
- Full Day Mombasa Excursion Tour : $133
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cape Agulhas Full Day Private Tour: $187
- Cape Point Full Day Tour: $187
- Cape Point Private Tour withTable Mountain and Penguin Colony : $249
- Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope day tour Up to 10 persons: $64
- CapeWinelands Private Tour to Stellenbosch,Franschhoek and Paarl: $94
- Day Tour in Robben Island, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain : $160
- Private Tour Cape of Good Hope with Penguins : $109
- South African Traditional Braai (BBQ) Experience & Winetasting : $134
- ( Cape Town Private Tour Full-Day ) Robben Island and Cape Peninsula Penguins : $256
- ( Cape town ) Private Winelands Tasting Full Day Tour: $167
- ( Cape town Private Tour ) Hermanus Shark Cage Diving : $244
- (Cape Town Private Tour ) Whale Watching Combo on Boat : $213
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.99Cape Town $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.36
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $19
- Wine Tasting & Storytelling with SA Tapas add-on: $27
- From 3 Regions Wine Tour with 3 Estates, 15 Wines: $37
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $37
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $47
- Fullday Wine Tour: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $50
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $52
- Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour with Wine Tram: $61
- Wine Tasting Private Tour through Durbanville Winelands: $64
- Cape Town Tour with wine tasting.Full day peninsula tour.: $65
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Mombasa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Cape Town would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cape Town 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 Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Mombasa. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Cape Town, 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 Cape Town?
Cape Town 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 Cape Town in the Summer?
Both Cape Town and Mombasa are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Mombasa throughout the year.
Mombasa is a little warmer than Cape Town in the summer. The daily temperature in Mombasa averages around 24°C (75°F) in July, and Cape Town fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in Cape Town. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Mombasa. Mombasa usually receives less sunshine than Cape Town during summer. Mombasa gets 216 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 338 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Mombasa usually receives more rain than Cape Townin January. Mombasa gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryMombasa 24°C (75°F)Cape Town 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Cape Town in the Autumn?
Both Cape Town and Mombasa during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Mombasa because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, Mombasa is a little warmer than Cape Town. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Mombasa in October average around 26°C (79°F), and Cape Town averages at about 18°C (64°F)in April.
In Cape Town, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Mombasa. In the autumn, Mombasa often gets more sunshine than Cape Townin April. Mombasa gets 291 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 233 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Mombasa. Mombasa usually gets more rain in October than Cape Townin April. Mombasa gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilMombasa 26°C (79°F)Cape Town 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Cape Town in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Mombasa and Cape Town. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Mombasa year-round.
In January, Mombasa is generally much warmer than Cape Townin July. Daily temperatures in Mombasa average around 27°C (81°F), and Cape Town fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
In Mombasa, it's very sunny this time of the year. Mombasa usually receives more sunshine than Cape Town during winter. Mombasa gets 283 hours of sunny skies, while Cape Town receives 193 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Mombasa usually receives less rain than Cape Townin July. Mombasa gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyMombasa 27°C (81°F)Cape Town 13°C (55°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Cape Town in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Mombasa as well as Cape Town. Mombasa attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Mombasa is much warmer than Cape Town in the spring. The daily temperature in Mombasa averages around 27°C (81°F) in April, and Cape Town fluctuates around 16°C (61°F)in October.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Cape Town. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mombasa this time of the year. In the spring, Mombasa often gets less sunshine than Cape Townin October. Mombasa gets 230 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cape Town receives 278 hours of full sun.
Mombasa receives a lot of rain in the spring. Mombasa usually gets more rain in April than Cape Townin October. Mombasa gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Cape Town receives 33 mm (1.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberMombasa 27°C (81°F)Cape Town 16°C (61°F)
Typical Weather for Cape Town and Mombasa
| Mombasa | Cape Town | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 26°C (79°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (75°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 13°C (56°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (75°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 77 mm (3 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 17 mm (0.7 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.