Which place is cheaper, Halong Bay 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 Halong Bay?
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 Halong Bay. 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 Halong Bay?
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.
Halong Bay
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the north of Vietnam, near the Chinese border. Known for its thousands of beautiful limestone karsts and stalactite-filled caves, it is one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam. If you appreciate natural scenery and want an adventure at sea, you'll love cruising among more than 1,900 islands in Ha Long Bay.
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 Ho Chi Minh City, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Hanoi.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesHalong Bay Prices
Vietnam Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Halong Bay $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Halong Bay is $66. 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 Halong Bay in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Halong Bay $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Halong Bay $54
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Halong Bay
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Halong Bay? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Halong Bay $13
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 Halong Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Halong Bay:
- Transfer Ha Long and Ninh Binh by Limousine Bus: $23
- Private Transfer: From Ha Long Bay to Ninh Binh: $110
- Private Transfer from Tuan Chau to Haiphong (HPH) Airport: $55
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Port to Haiphong Airport (HPH): $62
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi hotels: $142
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Hanoi city hotels: $75
- Private Transfer from Halong Bay Cruise Port to Haiphong Hotels: $62
- PRIVATE TRANSFER BETWEEN HANOI and HAI PHONG CITY(DCAR LIMOUSINE): $200
- Oasis Bay Party Cruise for Young Travelers with Transfer Included: $185
- Hanoi Private Transfer from Tuan Chau Island to Hanoi (HAN) airport: $101
- Halong Wonder Bay Cruise 1 Day Tour from Hanoi with Limo Transfer: $68
- Halong Day Tour: Islands, Cave, Kayak. Lunch. Transfers: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Halong Bay?
Prices for flights to both Halong Bay 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 $41Halong Bay $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 Cooking Class Experience with a Local Chef: $65
- Diani Beach Sunset Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Halong Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Halong Bay.
- Sunset and Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour in Lan Ha Bay with Dinner: $37
- Authentic Hanoi Cooking Class & Local Market Tour: $39
- Halong Bay Luxury Dinner Cruise - Ambassador: $79
- Best 2D1N Lan Ha Bay Cruise: BBQ dinner, Viet Hai Ancient Village: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Halong Bay $16
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
Tours and Activities in Halong Bay
Here are a few actual costs in Halong Bay for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 07 Hours Explore Halong Bay on La Casta Cruises: $62
- 07 Hours Explore Halong Bay with Sea Octopus Cruise: $70
- 2 Days 1 Night Halong Bay Classic Wooden Cruise: $199
- 2 Days 1 Night Lan Ha Bay Adventure: $139
- 2 Days 1 Night Lan Ha Bay Adventure on Cruise from Halong: $245
- 2 Days 1 Night Lan Ha, Ha Long Bay Tour With Licensed Guide: $129
- 2 Days 1 Night Luxury Cruise in Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi: $219
- 2 Days 1 Night Rita Cruise Best Luxury Cruise in Halong Bay: $219
- 2 Days 1 Night on Lan Ha Bay at Daiichi Boutique Cruise: $131
- 2 Days Amazing Halong Bay Cruise starting from Tuan Chau Harbor: $155
- 2 Days Bai Tu Long bay luxury cruise with kayaking and swimming: $210
- 2 Days Exploring Bai Tu Long Bay on Cruise: $221
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.82Halong Bay $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Halong Bay, we can see that Mombasa is more expensive. And not only is Halong Bay much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mombasa is in Africa and Halong Bay is in Asia, 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 Halong Bay would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Halong Bay 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 Halong Bay.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mombasa Expensive? and Is Halong Bay Expensive?.
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.