Which place is cheaper, Panama City 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 Panama City?
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 Panama City. 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 Panama City?
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.
Panama City
Panama City is the cosmopolitan capital city of the country of Panama. With a population of almost 900,000 and almost 1.5 million in the metropolitan area, it's a very diverse city with expat residents from all over the world. You don't have to search far to find someone who speaks English, and many Panamanians are quite helpful and friendly.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesPanama City Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Panama City $101
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Panama City is $101. 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 Panama City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Panama City $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Panama City $70
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Panama City
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Panama City? 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 Panama City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Panama City $11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Mombasa Airport Transfers: $129
- Mombasa Kenya Minivan Airport Transfer: $100
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To South Coast Diani Hotels: $80
- From Mombasa Airport Diani Transfer in a Minivan 5 Pax: $75
- Mombasa Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $73
- Diani Taxi and Airport Transfers: $70
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA): $57
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $57
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $57
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $42
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $42
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Travel in Comfort Airport Transfer Pty: $30
- Transfers to Riu Playa Blanca, The Buenaventura Golf, Rio hato: $45
- Transfers from PTY Airport to Playa Bonita or Gamboa and Back: $27
- Transfer to or from the airport / Min 2 pax: $20
- Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
- Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca Hotels: $85
- Transfer from Playa Bonita or Gamboa to PTY Airport: $35
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from PTY/Panama City to Cruise Terminal or Back: $32
- Transfer from Downtown Panama City to PTY Airport: $24
- Transfer Tocumen International Airport - Playa Blanca, Rio Hato, Buena Ventura: $75
- Transfer Tocumen Airport (PTY) to Playa Bonita (Westin and Dreams): $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Panama City?
Prices for flights to both Panama City 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 $41Panama City $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 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
- Tamarind Dhow Dinner Cruise & Nightlife: $136
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
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Sandwich$8.24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Panama City
For Panama City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Italian-Panamanian Ravioli Cooking Class + meal in Panama City: $44
- Panama City Market Food Tour & Lunch by Paradox Experience: $50
- Panama City FOOD Tour: $65
- 3.5 -hour Afropanamanian Cooking Experience in Panama: $70
- 4h Cooking Class in 10 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $95
- Street Food Tour Panama City (25+ tastings) By Paradox Experience: $95
- Embera Village Cooking Class Experience in Chagres National Park: $125
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Panama City $66
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
- City Tour with Ghalib: $76
- Day Tour Experience to Tsavo East National Park: $190
- Day Tour To Shimba Hill Reserve From Mombasa: $270
- Day Tour To Shimba Hills Park from Mombasa: $264
- Diani Beach Village Tour and Wildlife Park Day Trip: $218
- Elky Shimba Hills and Sheldrick Waterfall Day Tour: $250
- Full Day Group Joining Tour In Mombasa From Kilindin Harbour Port: $140
- Full Day Mombasa City Tour with a Local Guide: $130
- Full Day Mombasa Excursion Tour: $162
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour ": $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 1st Mysteries and FreeMasons Tour: $38
- 2 Days Island Hopping Adventure San Blas Islands - Private Cabin: $265
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City with WiFi: $260
- 4-hour tour in Panama: $105
- 5 Hours Private Panama City Tour: $200
- 5 hours Whale Watching Experience from Panama City: $100
- 5hour tour of Panama City and Panama Canal - Shared or Private: $65
- 5hrs Panama City and Canal Tour + Amenities: $65
- 6-Hour Culture and Nature Tour in Embera Tribe - All Included: $155
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.84Panama City $18
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Panama City, we can see that Panama City 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 Panama City is in Central America, 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 Panama City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Panama City 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 Panama City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Panama City?
Mombasa has a larger population, and is about 96% larger than the population of Panama City. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Panama City, 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.