Which place is cheaper, Phnom Penh 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 Phnom Penh?
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 Phnom Penh. 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 Phnom Penh?
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.
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city in the country of Cambodia. It is located at the edge of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap rivers and is the nation's center of economics and industry. The metropolitan area has a population of about 2.2 million.
Phnom Penh was once called the "Pearl of Asia." In the 1920s it was one of the most impressive French built cities in the region and was an important tourist destination. During the Vietnam War, refugees fled to the city and by 1975 the city's population was between 2 and 3 million, most of them being refugees. The city fell to the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and they cut off supplies to the population for over a year. Journalists reported torture and mutilation of the trapped civilians and the Khmer Rouge forcibly evacuated the city in what is known as the death march. The Khmer Rouge was driven from the city by the Vietnamese in 1979 and reconstruction began.
Today, tourism continues to grow in the city and those who visit are greeted by a welcoming and friendly population, a rich culture, and truly rewarding travel experience.
Phnom Penh has a tropical wet and dry climate. It is hot year around with very little temperature variation. Lows are usually in the low 70s Fahrenheit and highs are in the mid to high 90s Fahrenheit. The southwest monsoon brings rains between May and October and the northeast monsoon brings the dry season from November to March.
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 in Cambodia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Cambodia.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesPhnom Penh Prices
Cambodia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $80Phnom Penh $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $80, while the average daily cost in Phnom Penh is $50. 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 Phnom Penh in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Phnom Penh $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Phnom Penh $24
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Phnom Penh
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Phnom Penh? 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 Phnom Penh Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Phnom Penh $7.87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- DianiBeach: Private Transfer from Airport or Railway Station: $56
- Mombasa Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $74
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Watamu Hotels: $114
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer to Diani Beach: $82
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer to Nyali, Bamburi & Shanzu: $37
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer to Vipingo and Kilifi: $95
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfers To Vipingo & Kilifi Hotels: $95
- Mombasa Airport Transfers : $129
- Mombasa Airport Transfers to Mtwapa: $130
- Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Arrival Private Transfer: $37
- Mombasa Private Airport Transfer: Cheap & Comfortable: $33
- Mombasa SGR Train Station Private transfer to Shanzu/Mtwapa: $57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phnom Penh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phnom Penh:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service Phnom Penh HTL-APT (PNH): $200
- Techo International Airport Private Transfer: $25
- PrivateTransfer: PhnomPenh Airport(PNH/KTI) to Hotel in PhnomPenh: $27
- Private taxi transfer Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $129
- Private intercity transfer ! From Phnom Penh to any cities in Cambodia (One Way): $55
- Private Van Transfer From Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $50
- Private Transfer: PhnomPenh's Hotel to PhnomPenh Airport(PNH/KTI): $27
- Private Transfer/ Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville by VIP Alphard 2010: $180
- Private Transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by VIP Alphard 2010: $190
- Private Transfer from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by VIP Alphard 2005: $165
- Private Transfer from Phnom Penh To Sihanoukville : $65
- Private Transfer From or to Phnom Penh <=> Sihanoukville: $56
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Phnom Penh?
Prices for flights to both Phnom Penh 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 $41Phnom Penh $23
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: $50
- Fort Jesus Light and music Night Shows With Dinner.: $51
- Swahili food Cooking Class Experience: $51
- Savor Mombasa Food Safari with Dinner: $99
- Spicy Food Tour in Mombasa Streets And City tour: $150
Typical Food Prices in Phnom Penh
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Phnom Penh:
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Dinner for Two$10
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Breakfast for Two$4.84
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phnom Penh
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phnom Penh.
- Buffet Dinner Cruise Experience with Live Music: $12
- Cooking Class in Phnom Penh: $31
- Phnom Penh Morning Market & Food Tour by Tuktuk - Includes All Food & Drinks!: $45
- Half Day - Phnom Penh Food Tour: $45
- Phnom Penh Local Market & Morning Food Tour Include Drinks: $49
- Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour - Inclusive 5 stops local Tastings: $49
- Evening Food Tour By Tuk-Tuk in Phnom Penh: $59
- Phnom Penh Food Tour By Night With Hotel Pickup: $59
- Evening Cambodian Food Tour: $60
- Phnom Penh Authentic Evening Food Tour 100% By Local: $69
- Ultimate Phnom Penh Food Tour by Tuk Tuk: 20 Tastings and Drinks: $69
- Cambodia Food Tour: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Phnom Penh $7.65
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Mtwapa Creek: romantic Sunset Cruise in calm waters: $25
- Mombasa Guided City Tour Experience: $25
- Mombasa Full Day City tour & Nguuni Nature Sanctuary: $28
- Mombasa Half Day City Tour: $30
- Tusks, Fort Jesus, Old Town, Beach and City Tour: $30
- Mombasa city tour: $30
- Mombasa Old Town Walking Tour: $30
- City, Fort Jesu, Old Town and Spice Market Tour: $32
- Mombasa City Tour,Fortjesus,Oldtown,Tusks and Spice Market.: $35
- MOMBASA:FortJesus,OldTown,SpiceMarket, Shiva Temple DayTour.: $35
- Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $35
- Historical Guided city tour. Old town, Fort Jesus: $35
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Tours and Activities in Phnom Penh
Here are a few actual costs in Phnom Penh for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Killing field and Toul Sleng genocide museum Tour: $19
- Phnom Penh Full Day Private Tours: $155
- Phnom Penh Private Tour with Luggage Storage: $7.92
- ( Free eSim) Classic Phnom Penh Full Day Tour : $45
- 2 Day SUV and Minivan Tour Phnom Penh and Siem Reap: $145
- 2 Days Phnom Penh Cyclo and Cycling Tour: $128
- 2 Days Private Guide Tour Phnom Penh Heritage: $282
- 5-Hour Biking Tour in Mekong Island: $49
- 6-8 Hours Phnom Penh Private Guided Tour : $15
- A Day Trip Sightseeing of Phnom Penh With Private Tour Guide : $65
- A Full Day Tour for Royal Palace, S21, Killing Fields & More : $35
- A day Trip Sightseeing Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Private English Speaking Driver : $105
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.79Phnom Penh $4.33
Sample the Local Flavors in Mombasa
Also in Mombasa, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Coastal Pub Crawl - Bamburi Drunk Tour: $25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Phnom Penh, we can see that Mombasa is more expensive. And not only is Phnom Penh much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mombasa is in Africa and Phnom Penh 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 Phnom Penh would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Phnom Penh 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 Phnom Penh.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mombasa Expensive? and Is Phnom Penh Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh has a larger population, and is about 97% larger than the population of Mombasa. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Phnom Penh, 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.