Which place is cheaper, Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu?
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 Kathmandu. 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 Kathmandu?
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.
Kathmandu
Kathmandu is the capital and largest city in the country of Nepal. Its metropolitan area forms one large urban area that includes the area of Patan to the south. As of 2011 there were 2.5 million residents in the Kathmandu metropolis and over 3 million in the entire metropolitan area. Kathmandu is likely to be your entry point into Nepal and is a great place to pick up supplies and arrange the details for any treks you hope to do. Many travelers rush through Kathmandu, turned off by the pollution and crowds, but to skip Kathmandu is to miss a major cultural, financial, and influential part of what defines the country of Nepal. The city itself is quite fun to explore if you allow it enough time and an open mind.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesKathmandu Prices
Nepal Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Kathmandu $55
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Kathmandu is $55. 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 Kathmandu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Kathmandu $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Kathmandu $70
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Kathmandu
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Kathmandu? 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 Kathmandu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Kathmandu $6.07
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $22
- Transfer From Mombasa (Moi Airport/SGR) To Diani: $35
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $36
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $36
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $42
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $42
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $57
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $57
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA): $57
- Diani Taxi and Airport Transfers: $70
- Mombasa Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $72
- From Mombasa Airport Diani Transfer in a Minivan 5 Pax: $75
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kathmandu
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Kathmandu:
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Taxi Ride$1.31
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:
- Yoga Experience Day Trip with Private Transfer From Kathmandu: $152
- Tribhuvan International Airport Transfer Service: $20
- Private car transfer from Kathmandu Airport to hotels in Kathmandu: $15
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu International Airport to Hotel: $25
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu Domestic Airport to Hotel Vehicle: $20
- Private Transfer to Syabrubesi from Kathmandu or Pokhara: $170
- Private One-Way Transfer: Kathmandu to Pokhara/Chitwan/Lumbini: $80
- Private Luxury Car Transfer all over Nepal: $88
- Private Car Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara or Chitwan or Vv: $90
- Private Arrival Transfer Kathmandu Airport to Kathmandu, Nepal: $45
- Pokhara:Paragliding & River Rafting Adventure with Transfers: $139
- Nagarkot to Kathmandu One Way Transfer by Private AC Car: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Kathmandu?
Prices for flights to both Kathmandu 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 $41Kathmandu $13
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
- Swahili Cooking Class Experience with a Local Chef: $65
- Diani Beach Sunset Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $70
- Tamarind Dhow Dinner Cruise & Nightlife: $135
Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Dessert$1.18
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Dinner for Two$2.62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kathmandu.
- Saturday Hidden Kathmandu Walk and Food Tour: $9.50
- Dinner with Cultural Show Kathmandu: $17
- Cultural Stay in Kathmandu and experience dinner with family: $18
- Local Women Lead Nepali Cooking & Momo-Making Class: $20
- Cook and Eat: Cooking Class in Kathmandu near Thamel: $24
- Best Nepali Cooking Class in Thamel with Local Market Trip: $30
- Patan Food Tour Walking and Food Testing: $35
- Momo Cooking Class -The Art Of Making MoMo with Home Chef: $35
- Walking Food Tour in Hidden Local Eateries of Kathmandu: $36
- Everest Eats Kathmandu Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $39
- Kathmandu Kitchens Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $39
- Exotic Food Tour Newari Flavors and Evening Trails 15 Tastings: $40
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Kathmandu $7.01
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Sunset Canoe Tour on a River within the Mangroves: $24
- Mombasa Guided City Tour Experience: $25
- Mombasa city tour: $30
- Mombasa walking tour: $30
- Elky Diani Glass Bottom Tour to Robinson Island: $35
- Mombasa old town Walking Tour and Fort Jesus: $38
- Private Mombasa Food & Sightseeing Tour: $39
- Walking Tour Through Old Town Mombasa and Fort Jesus: $40
- Mombasa City Tour: $40
- Half day city tour of mombasa: $40
- Private Mombasa City Tour Watamu Diani and Malindi: $40
- Haller Park Tour observing hippos, giraffes, birds, monkeys, crocs & others: $45
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Monkey Temple for Two$1.31
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Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two$3.28
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Swayambhunath Stupa$1.31
Tours and Activities in Kathmandu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:
- 1 Day Gay Tour Nepal: $155
- 1 Day Kathmandu 7 UNESCO Heritage Tour: $70
- 1 Day Kathmandu Heritage 4 UNESCO Tour with Lunch: $99
- 1 Day Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing Tour: $35
- 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour from Pokhara or Kathmandu: $141
- 1 Nights 2 Days Private Nagarkot Tour Package from Kathmandu: $150
- 2 Day Kathmandu Sightseeing with Panauti, Namobuddha Tour from Kathmandu: $163
- 2 Day Poon Hill Trek with 2 Day Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour: $731
- 2 Days and 1 Night Chitwan Safari Tour: $125
- 20 Ponds Walking Heritage Tour in Bhaktapur: $110
- 3 Major Buddhists Pilgrimage Private Tour in Kathmandu.: $128
- 3 Old Royal Durbar Square Tour in Kathmandu: $95
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.84Kathmandu $5.00
Sample the Local Flavors in Kathmandu
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kathmandu:
- Kathmandu Nightlife and Pub Crawl Tour: $50
- Bar Tour & Pub Crawl -Sip, Stroll, Repeat Thamel's Night: $75
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Kathmandu, we can see that Mombasa is more expensive. And not only is Kathmandu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mombasa is in Africa and Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mombasa Expensive? and Is Kathmandu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Kathmandu?
Kathmandu has a larger population, and is about 80% larger than the population of Mombasa. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Kathmandu, 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.