Which place is cheaper, Masai Mara or Mombasa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Mombasa or Masai Mara?
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 Masai Mara. 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 Masai Mara?
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.
Masai Mara
Masai Mara National Reserve is a beautiful, scenic, nature reserve in southwest Kenya, just west of the capital city, Nairobi. The reserve belongs to the Masai people and was created in order to protect the land and the people and animals living on it. Masai Mara is considered to be one of the best reserves in all of Africa, offering the quintessential African safari experience.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Adventure Tours to Kenya, and The Best Camping Tours in Kenya.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $65Masai Mara $111
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $65, while the average daily cost in Masai Mara is $111. 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 Masai Mara in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $27Masai Mara $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $54Masai Mara $76
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Masai Mara
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Masai Mara? 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 Masai Mara Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Masai Mara $48
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $20
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $22
- Mombasa Airport Private Arrival Transfer: $28
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City Hotels to Mombasa Cruise Port: $33
- Private Luxury Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport: $33
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $33
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $33
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer to Nyali, Bamburi & Shanzu: $33
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $34
- Private Transfer: Mombasa SGR Train Station to Nyali/Bamburi: $37
- Mombasa Town: Private Airport Transfer to Hotel and AirBnB: $40
- Mombasa Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:
- Private One-Way Nairobi Airport Transfer: $29
- Airport Transfers: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Masai Mara?
Prices for flights to both Masai Mara 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 $24Masai Mara $34
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 Masai Mara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Masai Mara.
- Safari Park Dinner with Safari Cats Dance Show: $91
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Masai Mara $61
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Holy Ghost Cathedral (1914) entry and guided tour: $10
- Mombasa walking tour: $16
- Mombasa walking tour: $20
- 2 hour Authentic Cultual Experience: $25
- Mombasa:Street food Experience: $27
- Mombasa Fun and hidden Gems tour: $30
- Mombasa Old Town Walking Tour: $30
- Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $30
- Private Canoe Tour to Experience the Gorgeous Kongo River Estuary: $30
- Mombasa City Tour,Fortjesus,Oldtown,Tusks and Spice Market.: $35
- Mombasa City: Children's Homes Visit And Donation Tour.: $36
- Mombasa City Half Day Walking Tour And Street Food Tasting.: $38
Tours and Activities in Masai Mara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:
- 1Day Tour Nairobi Park ,Giraffe Center,karen Blixxen Guided tour: $45
- 3-Days Maasai Mara Camping Safari on 4x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $285
- A day tour to Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center: $52
- Amboseli Day Tour from Nairobi: $220
- Day Tour To Mt. Kenya : $285
- Day tour to Hell's gate and optional boat ride at lake naivasha : $98
- Day trip - Lake Nakuru National Park Tour From Nairobi: $130
- Full Day Tour Nairobi National Park, Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Center: $275
- Giraffe Center, Elephant Orphanage, Beads Center & Bomas of Kenya Tour Nairobi: $115
- Half Day Giraffe Center,Baby Elephant&Karen Blixxen Guided Tour: $35
- Half Day Tour Elephant Orphanage,Giraffe CenterKobe Beads Factory: $38
- Karen Blixen Museum & Giraffe Centre Half day tour: $90
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.99Masai Mara $27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Masai Mara, we can see that Masai Mara 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 Masai Mara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Masai Mara 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 Masai Mara 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.