Which place is cheaper, Queenstown 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 Queenstown?
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 Queenstown. 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 Queenstown?
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.
Queenstown
Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Bicycle Tours in New Zealand, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesQueenstown Prices
New Zealand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Queenstown $123
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Queenstown is $123. 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 Queenstown in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Queenstown $52
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Queenstown $104
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Queenstown
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Queenstown? 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 Queenstown Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Queenstown $9.63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Mombasa: $22
- Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $34
- Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $34
- Transfer From Mombasa (Moi Airport/SGR) To Diani: $35
- Mombasa to Mombasa Airport (MBA) - Departure Private Transfer: $35
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $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 Hotels to Mombasa Cruise Port: $56
- Private Arrival Transfer in Mombasa: $60
- Airport Transfers to Watamu and Malindi: $75
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:
- ZQN Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $27
- Tasman Glacier Helihike with Flight Transfers: $1,016
- Milford Sound Cruise with Helicopter Transfer: $901
- Queenstown/Wanaka Airport Transfer: $200
- Queenstown to Wanaka Transfer: $218
- Queenstown to Mt Cook One Way Scenic Transfer: $121
- Queenstown private transfer: $76
- Queenstown Private Airport Transfer: Door to Door Service: $28
- Queenstown Premium Private Airport and Departure Transfers: $103
- Queenstown International Airport to City Hotels Transfer: $37
- Queenstown International Airport To and From City Center Transfer: $43
- Queenstown Airport to Towncenter Transfer: $75
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Queenstown?
Prices for flights to both Queenstown 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 $41Queenstown $59
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
- Diani Beach Sunset Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $69
- Tamarind Dhow Dinner Cruise & Nightlife: $133
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Queenstown
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.
- Bar Crawl with 5 Free Shots and Pizza: $17
- Skyline Queenstown Gondola with Lunch or Dinner: $80
- Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $108
- Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch: $129
- Queenstown Wine & Food Tour: Scenery, Tastings & Delicious Lunch!: $157
- Queenstown Dinner & Wine Experience (Adults Only) 3 Iconic Venues: $280
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Queenstown $20
Tours and Activities in Mombasa
For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Guided tour in Fort Jesus,Mombasa old town,spice market with Dido: $20
- Sunset Canoe Tour on a River within the Mangroves: $28
- Mombasa city tour: $30
- Elky Diani Glass Bottom Tour to Robinson Island: $35
- Diani Giriama Cultural Dance Show and Local Village Tour: $35
- Fort Jesus & Mombasa Old Town Walking CityTour: $38
- Private Mombasa Food & Sightseeing Tour: $39
- Mombasa City Tour: $40
- Private Mombasa City Tour: $40
- Half day city tour of mombasa: $40
- Half day Mombasa City Tour: $45
- Haller Park Tour observing hippos, giraffes, birds, monkeys, crocs & others: $45
Typical Entertainment Prices in Queenstown
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:
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Skyline Gondola (for 2)$28
Tours and Activities in Queenstown
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:
- 1-Hour Jet Boat Adventure Queenstown with Music: $91
- 25-Minute Remarkables Helicopter Tour from Queenstown: $247
- 5 Day South Island New Zealand Private Tour from Queenstown: $2,767
- Ale Trail: Wharehuanui Adventure with Queenstown Shuttles: $63
- Arrowtown & Queenstown Kiwi Special Tour, Local discovery tour.: $57
- Arrowtown and Wanaka Highlights Tour from Queenstown: $120
- Arrowtown to Queenstown Full-Day Bike Adventure: $60
- Bike The Wineries (Full-Day) - Bike & Wine Adventure: $66
- Boutique Winery Half-Day Tour & Vineyard Platter-Style Lunch: $158
- Cardrona Valley Mountain Quad Experience from Wanaka: $206
- Coach Farm Tour and Milford Sound Nature Cruise from Queenstown: $201
- Coronet Peak Snow Sightseeing Tour: $203
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.80Queenstown $8.41
Sample the Local Flavors in Queenstown
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:
- Kinross Winery: Classic Central Otago Wine Tasting Experience: $17
- Ice Bar Crawl: $23
- Marlborough Wine Tour: Self-Guided GPS Audio Driving Guide: $23
- Kinross Winery: Valli Wine Tasting Experience: $26
- Queenstown NZ Wine Tour: Self-Guided Drive or Bike Audio Guide: $29
- Queenstown Wine Tour: $68
- Bike & Wine Tour: Arrowtown to Valley of the Vines: $70
- Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours: $73
- Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $95
- Queenstown's Original Premium Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour: $101
- Queenstown Electric Bike and Wine Tour: $126
- Small Group Highlights Tour with Wine Tasting: $129
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown 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 Queenstown is in Pacific, 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 Queenstown would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Queenstown 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 Queenstown Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Queenstown?
Mombasa has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Queenstown. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Queenstown, 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.