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

Should you visit Mombasa or Freeport?

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 Freeport. 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 Freeport?

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.

Freeport

When you picture the Bahamas you likely picture the beaches, resorts and playgrounds of Nassau. Just to the northwest of this tourist paradise is a tropical city founded on industry. Freeport began as mostly swampland and is now the second most populous city in the Bahamas.

This city is less of a tourist attraction - a place where you'll find the true Bahaman culture mixed in with some relaxing spots to help you unwind and get into your island vacation.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Bahamas, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Bahamas.


Which place is cheaper, Freeport 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 Freeport is $290. 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 Freeport in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mombasa $26
    Freeport $141
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mombasa $52
    Freeport $282
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Freeport

Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Freeport? 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 Freeport


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 Freeport Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mombasa $18
    Freeport $59

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa

Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Mombasa Airport Transfers to Mtwapa: $130
  • Mombasa Airport Transfers: $129
  • Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Watamu Hotels: $114
  • Mombasa Kenya Minivan Airport Transfer: $100
  • 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 Freeport

Also for Freeport, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Shared Round Trip Limousine Transfer: $150
  • Roundtrip Airport Transfers Island Seas Resort Freeport: $30
  • Round-trip Airport Transfers to Castaway Resorts, Freeport: $30
  • Round-Trip Airport Transfer Viva Club Fortuna Freeport: $28
  • Private Transfer from Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Freeport Port: $67
  • Private Transfer from Freeport Port to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO): $67
  • Private Transfer from FPO to Old Bahama Bay resort: $251
  • Private Transfer from FPO to Freeport hotels or resorts: $180
  • Private One way Airport Transfer in Freeport: $180
  • Old Bahama Bay to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) - Private Transfer: $76
  • Luxury SUV Transfer from Airport, cruise port, Celebration Key: $133
  • Grand Bahama Airport(FPO) to Freeport -RoundTrip Private Transfer: $153

Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Freeport?

Prices for flights to both Freeport 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
    Freeport $110

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
  • Tamarind Dhow Dinner Cruise & Nightlife: $137

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Freeport

For Freeport, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Around Town/Bahamian Cooking Experience: $200

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mombasa $18
    Freeport $40

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
  • Day Tour To Shimba Hill Reserve From Mombasa: $270
  • Day tour to Shimba hills National Reserve from Mombasa/Diani: $336
  • Diani: Full-day Guided Mombasa City Tour from Diani: $110
  • Elky Shimba Hills and Sheldrick Waterfall Day Tour: $180
  • Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $40
  • Fort Jesus and Mombasa Old Town City Tour: $80
  • Full Day Group Joining Tour In Mombasa From Kilindin Harbour Port: $144
  • Full Day Group Joining Tour of Mombasa: $107
  • Full Day Mombasa Excursion Tour: $162

Typical Entertainment Prices in Freeport

For Freeport, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • 10 Dive Package
    $299
  • 4 Hr. Kayak Tour
    $70
  • 1/2 Day Snorkel Trip
    $75

Tours and Activities in Freeport

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Freeport.

  • Bahamas Sea Scooter Snorkeling Adventure: $120
  • Clear Kayak Tour: $120
  • Coopers Castle and Port Lucaya Marketplace Tour: $60
  • East End Private Day Trip Experience Tour: $270
  • Eleuthera Adventure: Swings, Pigs, and Reefs: $600
  • Freeport Shore Excursion: Garden of the Groves and City Tour: $127
  • Freeport Shore Excursion: Garden of the Groves and City Tour: $126
  • Grand Bahama Culture, History & Local Flavors Tour: $280
  • Junkanoo Adventure with Bahamian Cuisine Tasting: $850
  • Grand Bahama Catamaran Sunset Cruise with Drinks and Snacks: $89
  • Grand Bahama Foodie Tour: $120
  • Jet Ski Tour Freeport for 2 Persons @CreativeEcoAdventures: $242

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mombasa $8.83
    Freeport $30

Sample the Local Flavors in Freeport

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Freeport:

  • Brewery & Taste with Beach & Shop at Largest Market on Freeport 4-hrs: $85
  • Grand Bahama Brewery and Distillery Tour: $120


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


Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Freeport?

Mombasa has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Freeport. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Freeport, 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.

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