Which place is cheaper, Quito 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 Quito?
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 Quito. 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 Quito?
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.
Quito
Nestled between two mountain ranges lies the world's highest capital city, Quito, Ecuador. For history lovers, Quito is a very desirable destination as it's home to the Quito Historic Center – one of the largest and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas.
Even though Quito is full of people – in fact, it's the second most populous city in the country – very few of its inhabitants speak English. Luckily, however, the citizens of Quito tend to speak a slower and more clear Spanish than surrounding areas. This is the perfect place to practice what you read in your Intro to Spanish book.
Before visiting Quito, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, give yourself a few days to grow accustomed to the elevation. Staying 9,350 feet above sea level takes some getting used to. Second, don't be fooled into thinking that just because you're visiting a town on the equator that you'll need all your summer clothes. Because of the city's elevation, the area keeps a relatively cool climate year round.
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 Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesQuito Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Quito $66
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Quito is $66. 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 Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Quito? 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 Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfers to Watamu and Malindi: $75
- Diani Taxi and Airport Transfers: $70
- From Mombasa Airport Diani Transfer in a Minivan 5 Pax: $75
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Nyali/bamburi/shanzu: $36
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To South Coast Diani Hotels: $78
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Watamu Hotels: $110
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfers To Malindi Hotels: $137
- Mombasa Airport Transfers: $129
- Mombasa Airport Transfers to Mtwapa: $130
- Mombasa Kenya Minivan Airport Transfer: $100
- Private Arrival Transfer in Mombasa: $60
- Private Day Tour of Mombasa City with Transfers: $104
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:
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Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel$10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:
- Unique Quito Transfer Mariscal Sucre Airport to Hotel: $43
- Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
- Transfer from or to UIO Airport to any Hotel in Quito: $25
- Transfer from or to Airport Mariscal Sucre (one way): $75
- Transfer Quito → Papallacta (one way / round trip): $85
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel with bilingual driver: $43
- Transfer Airport Quito-Hotel or vice versa with bilingual driver-guide: $43
- Transfer Airport → Quito (one way / round trip): $50
- Private Transfer from/to Airport: $35
- Private Transfer from the Airport to the city: $32
- Private City Tour & Intiñam Museum Visit w/ Transfer: $89
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito 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 $41Quito $34
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 Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- Ecuadorian Gastronomy Tasting and Cooking Class in Quito: $15
- 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $38
- Quito Eats Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55
- Quito Cooking Class Shared Experience: $59
- From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
- Food Tour in quaint old town with tastings and lunch: $71
- 3-hour Andean Cooking Class in Quito with a Local Host: $75
- Street Food Tour with Private Transport: $79
- Hidden Gems Food Tour with Cacao Tasting and Culture: $87
- Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with Chef, Market Tour & Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Quito $16
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
- Fort Jesus & Mombasa Old Town Walking CityTour: $38
- Private Mombasa Food & Sightseeing Tour: $39
- Half day city tour of mombasa: $40
- Mombasa City Tour: $40
- Haller Park Tour observing hippos, giraffes, birds, monkeys, crocs & others: $45
- Half day Mombasa City Tour: $45
- 4 Hours Guided Mombasa City Tour: $45
- Private Walking Tour in Old Town: $45
Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito
Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to Guyasimine Museum for Two$8.00
Tours and Activities in Quito
Here are a few actual costs in Quito for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- “Adventure in Baths: Waterfalls, End of the World Swing and More”: $190
- 1-Day Adventure to the Andean Choco Experience the Forest: $125
- 2 day 1 night tour to Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon all included: $280
- 2-Day Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel: $222
- 3-Day Adventure: Quito, Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños, Jungle: $897
- 3-Day Antisana & Amazon comunities, Caves, Baños Guided Tour: $734
- 6-Day Ecuador Heritage Tour: Art, Culture and Otavalo: $1,847
- Adventure and Relaxation in Baños de Agua Santa: $236
- Amazon Adventure: 4 Days of Nature & Culture from Quito: $1,770
- Andean Wonders Otavalo Tour Full Day: $231
- Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $210
- Antisana Volcano Private Day Tour from Quito: $266
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.80Quito $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:
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Beers for Two$9.00
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Quito, we can see that Mombasa is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mombasa is in Africa and Quito is in South 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 Quito would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Quito 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 Quito.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mombasa Expensive? and Is Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 75% larger than the population of Mombasa. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Quito, 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.