Which place is cheaper, Essaouira 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 Essaouira?
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 Essaouira. 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 Essaouira?
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.
Essaouira
Essaouira is a beautiful beach town on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The city has a pleasant medina that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site and is interesting to explore. It's an 18th century fortified town with a lot of character and charm. The city is rich and culture and you'll find a handful of art galleries throughout the town. The city is also a gathering place for artists and musicians, particularly during the Gnaoua Festival of World Music, which takes place the last week of June. This event attracts about 450,000 visitors yearly.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesEssaouira Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Essaouira $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Essaouira is $61. 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 Essaouira in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Essaouira $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Essaouira $56
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Essaouira
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Essaouira? 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 Essaouira Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Essaouira $2.18
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
- Mombasa Airport Transfers to Mtwapa: $130
- Mombasa Airport Transfers: $129
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Watamu Hotels: $114
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer to Diani Beach: $81
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To South Coast Diani Hotels: $80
- Private Departure Transfer in Mombasa: $80
- From Mombasa Airport: Diani transfer in a minivan (5 pax): $75
- Mombasa Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $73
- DianiBeach: Private Transfer from Airport or Railway Station: $70
- Diani Taxi and Airport Transfers: $70
- Private Arrival Transfer in Mombasa: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Essaouira
Also for Essaouira, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- private transfer essaouira to casablanca or casablanca-essaouira: $288
- Transferts Marrakech à Essaouira ou Essaouira à Marrakech: $99
- Transfert Marrakech to Essaouira Or Essaouira to Marrakech: $113
- Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech city or Marrakech airport: $126
- Private transfer Marrakech to Essaouira or Essaouira toMarrakech: $117
- Private transfer Marrakech airpot - Essaouira: $117
- Private transfer Essaouira Taroudant.: $200
- Private Transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira 1 to 4 people: $109
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakesh Menara (RAK) Airport: $137
- Private Transfer from Essaouira to Marrakech: $114
- Private Transfer Essaouira-Agadir: $129
- From Agadir : Day in Essaouira with Transfer: $33
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Essaouira?
Prices for flights to both Essaouira 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 $41Essaouira $26
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 Street Food Tour: $55
- Swahili Cooking Class Experience with a Local Chef: $65
- Diani Beach Sunset Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $71
- Tamarind Dhow Dinner Cruise & Nightlife: $137
Typical Food Prices in Essaouira
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Essaouira:
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Baklava$1.52
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Breakfast Crepes$0.54
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Fish for Lunch$16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Essaouira
For Essaouira, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Agadir Cooking Class Experience with Local Market Visit: $31
- Traditional Moroccan Cooking Class: $39
- Cooking class: How To Be a Real Moroccan Chef: $41
- Essaouira Sunset Tour: Sidi M’barek Waterfall,Coastal Walk&Dinner: $48
- Moroccan cooking class in Essaouira city: $53
- Al Aaila Farm Moroccan Natural And Healthy Cooking Experience: $59
- Essaouira Street Food Tour: $69
- Essaouira Walking Food Tour: $70
- l'Atelier - Moroccan Cooking Workshop in Essaouira: $70
- 3 Hours Horse Riding with Dinner and Overnight Berber Camp: $217
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Essaouira $13
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 Malindi day Tour (minimum 2 Pax): $194
- 1 Day Wasini Dolphin Tour: $150
- 1 Day Wasini Dolphin Tour From Diani Beach: $110
- 4 Hours Guided Mombasa City Tour: $45
- Day Tour To Shimba Hill Reserve From Mombasa: $270
- Day tour to Shimba hills National Reserve from Mombasa/Diani: $336
- Diani Beach: Kaya Kinondo Sacred Forest Guided Tour: $75
- Diani: Full-day Guided Mombasa City Tour from Diani: $110
- Elky Shimba Hills and Sheldrick Waterfall Day Tour: $144
- Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $40
- Fort Jesus and Mombasa Old Town City Tour: $80
Tours and Activities in Essaouira
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Essaouira.
- 1 Day Horseback Riding Tour with Overnight Stay in Berber Tent: $294
- 1-Day Quad Adventure in Essaouira near Marrakech: $208
- 1-hour buggy tour in Essaouira desert (2 places/buggy): $78
- 2 – Hours Quad Bike Adventure in Essaouira Desert with Moroccan Tea: $55
- 2-Hours Buggy Adventure in Essaouira desert (2 places per buggy): $93
- 3-Days Desert Tour From Fes to Marrakech: $249
- Beginners surf experience in Essaouira: $34
- Big Cap Sim dunes and forest 3 hours tour.: $75
- Big dunes and atlantic coast tour 2 HOURS: $61
- Day Tour on Dromedary and Overnight Stay Near Essaouira Morocco: $294
- Discovery Tour around Essaouira by Electric Motorcycle: $114
- Electric Scramblers Motorcycle Tours from Sidi Kaouki: $141
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.83Essaouira $10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Essaouira, we can see that Mombasa is more expensive. And not only is Essaouira much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Essaouira would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Essaouira 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 Mombasa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mombasa than you might in Essaouira.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mombasa Expensive? and Is Essaouira Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Essaouira?
Mombasa has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Essaouira. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Essaouira, 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.