Which place is cheaper, Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa?
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 Puerto Princesa. 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 Puerto Princesa?
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.
Puerto Princesa
The island of Palawan is known the Philippines' last frontier and its capital, Puerto Princesa, is considered the greenest city in the Philippines. With plenty of land that has yet to be explored and inundated with tourists, Puerto Princesa, also known as "The City of the Living God," is a nature buff's dream. Whether you want to swim with starfish, walk among the mangrove treetops, or visit the world's largest saltwater crocodile at the Palawan Nature Conservation Center, Puerto Princesa and its surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities to get into the great wide open.
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 Philippines, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Philippines.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesPuerto Princesa Prices
Philippines Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Puerto Princesa $79
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Puerto Princesa is $79. 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 Puerto Princesa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Puerto Princesa $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Puerto Princesa $44
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Puerto Princesa
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Puerto Princesa? 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 Puerto Princesa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Puerto Princesa $46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer From Mombasa (Moi Airport/SGR) To Diani: $35
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA): $56
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA) to Mombasa Port: $56
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $56
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $34
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City Hotels to Mombasa Cruise Port: $56
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $22
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $34
- Mombasa Airport Transfers to Mtwapa: $130
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfers To Malindi Hotels: $138
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To South Coast Diani Hotels: $78
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Princesa
Also for Puerto Princesa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $17
- Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: $18
- Shared Transfer Puerto Princesa/Port Barton: $17
- Puerto Princesa:El Nido – Shared Van Transfer: $14
- Van Transfers to/from Sabang or Astoria: $116
- Transfers to/from Port Barton: $14
- Shared Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $7.11
- Relaxing Massage with optional transfers: $23
- Private Airport Transfers to/from hotel: $21
- One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido: $16
- Astoria Water Park Day Pass & Transfers: $232
- Puerto Princesa City Van Transfers: $23
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Puerto Princesa?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Princesa 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 $41Puerto Princesa $31
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 Street Food Tour: $55
- Diani Beach Sunset Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $69
- Tamarind Dhow Dinner Cruise & Nightlife: $133
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Firefly Watching Paddle Boat Tour & Dinner: $27
- Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner: $32
- Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner: $34
- Firefly Watching with Dinner: $39
- Firefly Watching Tour with Dinner: $53
- Seafood Lunch or Dinner with transfers: $59
- Underground River with Dinner at Kalui: $80
- Underground River and Firefly Watching with Dinner: $87
- Balayong People's Park with Dinner and Show: $116
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Puerto Princesa $6.16
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: $98
- 4 Hours Guided Mombasa City Tour: $45
- City Tour with Ghalib: $74
- Day Tour Experience to Tsavo East National Park: $190
- Diani Giriama Cultural Dance Show and Local Village Tour: $35
- Elky Diani Glass Bottom Tour to Robinson Island: $35
- Fort Jesus & Mombasa Old Town Walking CityTour: $38
- Fort Jesus and Mombasa Old Town City Tour: $80
- 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 Puerto Princesa
For Puerto Princesa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2in1 City tour + museum & transportation from cruise port /hotel: $25
- 3D2N El Nido Experience: $250
- 3d2n ELNIDO Package tour: $280
- 5D4N Puerto Princesa & El Nido Experience: $299
- City tour of Puerto Princesa Palawan (hotel & cruiseship pick up): $20
- El Nido Day Tour: $80
- From Honda Bay Island Hopping Full-Day Tour: $40
- Full Day Excursion: UNESCO Underground River Tour: $48
- Full-Day UNESCO Underground River Tour: $60
- Half Day City Joiners Tour | Puerto Princesa: $34
- Half-Day City Tour | Puerto Princesa: $53
- Half-day Puerto Princesa City Tour: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.80Puerto Princesa $13
When comparing the travel costs between Mombasa and Puerto Princesa, we can see that Mombasa is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Mombasa is in Africa and Puerto Princesa is in Asia, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mombasa Expensive? and Is Puerto Princesa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Puerto Princesa?
Mombasa has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Puerto Princesa. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Puerto Princesa, 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.