Which place is cheaper, Vancouver or Mombasa?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Mombasa or Vancouver?
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 Vancouver. 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 Vancouver?
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.
Vancouver
Vancouver is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city in Western Canada. It is also the largest city in British Columbia, and is dramatically positioned between the coast and mountains. It's a very international city, with a high level of energy and countless activites that you can enjoy while you're in town. In addition to offering all of the activities and entertainment of a modern city, it is also in jumping off distance to any number of outdoor activities.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best 10-Day Tours from Vancouver, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada.
-
Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesVancouver Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $81Vancouver $161
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $81, while the average daily cost in Vancouver is $161. 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 Vancouver in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Vancouver $84
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Vancouver $168
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Vancouver
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Vancouver? 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 Vancouver Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Vancouver $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa
Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfers To Malindi Hotels: $140
- Diani Airport – Kenya Coast Beach Hotel Transfers: $131
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Watamu Hotels: $112
- Private Day Tour of Mombasa City with Transfers: $104
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfers To Vipingo & Kilifi Hotels: $93
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer to Diani Beach: $81
- Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To South Coast Diani Hotels: $79
- From Mombasa Airport: Diani transfer in a minivan (5 pax): $75
- Mombasa Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $72
- DianiBeach: Private Transfer from Airport or Railway Station: $70
- Diani Taxi and Airport Transfers: $70
- Private Transfer from Mombasa Port to Mombasa Moi Airport (MBA): $57
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vancouver
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vancouver are as follows:
-
SkyTrain from Airport$6.18
-
Taxi from Airport to Downtown$20
-
15 min Taxi Ride$8.48
-
SkyTrain DayPass$6.36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vancouver
Also for Vancouver, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- YVR Airport Transfer to Cruise Terminal and Hotels City Highlight: $180
- White Rock to Vancouver Airport (YVR) - Departure Private Transfer: $105
- Whistler: YVR Airport Private Transfer to/from Whistler: $118
- YVR Airport Transfer to Squamish: $411
- YVR Airport Transfer to Fraser Valley: $618
- YVR Airport Private Transfer to/from Vancouver: $29
- Private Transfer to Whistler with Sightseeing: $669
- Private Transfer to Whistler: $454
- Private Airport Transfer to/from YVR Airport: $45
- Private Airport Transfer and City Tour: $281
- Post-Cruise Highlights Tour with Airport Transfer: $130
- North Shore Mountains Snowshoeing with Transfer: $106
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Vancouver?
Prices for flights to both Vancouver 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
-
Food Meals for one dayMombasa $41Vancouver $52
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 Cooking Class Experience with a Local Chef: $65
- Diani Beach Sunset Dhow Cruise with Dinner: $70
Typical Food Prices in Vancouver
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Vancouver:
-
All You Can Eat Sushi Lunch$8.56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vancouver
For Vancouver, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Fun Pizza Making Class With a Local Chef in Vancouver: $85
- Dim Sum Cooking Class with Chef Renée in Vancouver: $94
- Vancouver Local Taste Trail Food Tour: $98
- Vancouver Gastown's Elite Walking Food Tour Experience: $100
- Experience Gastown Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $101
- 6 Tastings Food Tour of Gastown District: $102
- Vancouver Foodie Tour: Granville Island Market Food Tour: $106
- A Wok Around Granville Island Public Market Food Tour: $108
- Gastown Historical Walking Food Tour: $117
- Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour: $120
- Private Granville Island Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $130
- Private Granville Island Vancouver's Elite Walking Food Tour: $133
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Vancouver $35
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
- City Tour with Ghalib: $75
- Day Tour Experience to Tsavo East National Park: $190
- Day tour to Shimba hills National Reserve from Mombasa/Diani: $336
- Diani: Full-day Guided Mombasa City Tour from Diani: $110
- Elky Diani Glass Bottom Tour to Robinson Island: $35
- Elky Shimba Hills and Sheldrick Waterfall Day Tour: $250
- Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $40
- Full Day Group Joining Tour In Mombasa From Kilindin Harbour Port: $144
- Full Day Group Joining Tour in Mombasa from Kilindini Harbour: $139
- Full Day Mombasa City Tour with a Local Guide: $130
Tours and Activities in Vancouver
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vancouver.
- 2 Hours Private Tour of City of Vancouver: $143
- 3 Days of Adventure in Vancouver – Activities-Only Tour: $1,620
- 3 Hours Private Tour of City of Vancouver: $215
- 3hr Private Sightseeing Tour-Vancouver City (fr YVR/Cruise): $611
- 4-Hour Private Tour of Vancouver's Gardens: $291
- 5 Days of Adventure in Vancouver – Activities-Only Tour: $2,113
- 5hr Private Sightseeing Tour-Vancouver City (fr YVR/Cruise): $879
- 6 hour Private Tour of Vancouver & North Vancouver: $317
- 7hr Private Sightseeing Tour-Vancouver City (fr YVR/Cruise): $1,160
- All-Day Luggage Storage for 2 Bags at Vancouver Cruise Terminal: $12
- Ancient Trees of Vancouver Walking Tour: $54
- Ancient Trees of Vancouver Walking Tour: $53
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.82Vancouver $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Vancouver
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Vancouver:
- Amazing Bar Crawl in Vancouver BC: $15
- Gastown Pub Crawl: $21
- Guided BC Wine Tasting at Vancouver Park: $36
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Neighbourhood Walking Tour: $64
- 3.5-Hour Craft Brewery Tour: $85
- Vancouver Craft Brewery Tour: $86
- From Fraser Valley Wine Tour with Local Tastings: $127
- From Half-Day Fraser Valley Wine Tour: $133
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour from Vancouver with a Light Lunch: $137
- Fraser Valley Wine Tour with Tastings: $158
- Stawamus Chief Hike & Local Brewery Tasting: $169
- Fraser Valley and White Rock Wine Tour: $171
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Vancouver, we can see that Vancouver 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 Vancouver is in North 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 Vancouver would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vancouver 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 Vancouver Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Mombasa. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Vancouver, 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.
When is the best time to visit Mombasa or Vancouver?
Vancouver has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Mombasa experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Mombasa or Vancouver in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Mombasa and Vancouver. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Mombasa year-round. Furthermore, the hiking, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Vancouver this time of year.
In July, Mombasa is generally a little warmer than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Mombasa average around 24°C (75°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Vancouver this time of the year. In Mombasa, it's very sunny this time of the year. Mombasa usually receives less sunshine than Vancouver during summer. Mombasa gets 216 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 296 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Mombasa usually receives more rain than Vancouver. Mombasa gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain each month for the summer.
-
Summer Average Temperatures JulyMombasa 24°C (75°F)Vancouver 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Vancouver in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Mombasa as well as Vancouver. Mombasa attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, many travelers come to Vancouver for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Mombasa is much warmer than Vancouver in the autumn. The daily temperature in Mombasa averages around 26°C (79°F) in October, and Vancouver fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mombasa this time of the year. In the autumn, Mombasa often gets more sunshine than Vancouver. Mombasa gets 291 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 124 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Vancouver. Mombasa receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Mombasa usually gets less rain in October than Vancouver. Mombasa gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberMombasa 26°C (79°F)Vancouver 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Vancouver in the Winter?
Both Vancouver and Mombasa are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Mombasa throughout the year. Also, many visitors come to Vancouver in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Vancouver can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Mombasa is much warmer than Vancouver. Typically, the winter temperatures in Mombasa in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Vancouver averages at about 4°C (40°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Mombasa. Mombasa usually receives more sunshine than Vancouver during winter. Mombasa gets 283 hours of sunny skies, while Vancouver receives 55 hours of full sun in the winter.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Vancouver. In January, Mombasa usually receives less rain than Vancouver. Mombasa gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 167 mm (6.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.
-
Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryMombasa 27°C (81°F)Vancouver 4°C (40°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Vancouver in the Spring?
Both Vancouver and Mombasa during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Mombasa because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, most visitors come to Vancouver for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months.
In April, Mombasa is generally much warmer than Vancouver. Daily temperatures in Mombasa average around 27°C (81°F), and Vancouver fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).
It's quite sunny in Mombasa. In the spring, Mombasa often gets more sunshine than Vancouver. Mombasa gets 230 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Vancouver receives 172 hours of full sun.
Vancouver gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Mombasa. Mombasa usually gets more rain in April than Vancouver. Mombasa gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Vancouver receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Spring Average Temperatures AprilMombasa 27°C (81°F)Vancouver 9°C (49°F)
Typical Weather for Vancouver and Mombasa
| Mombasa | Vancouver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 167 mm (6.6 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 6°C (42°F) | 179 mm (7.1 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 142 mm (5.6 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| May | 26°C (79°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 81 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (75°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (75°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) |
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.