A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mombasa vs. Iquique for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Mombasa or Iquique?

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 Iquique. 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 Iquique?

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.

Iquique

Located in a golden crescent of coastline, the beautiful beach city with an ocean that's several shades of blue and a historic centre that offers the perfect balance of culture and relaxation is counted among Chile's premier beach resorts. The city is home to the duty free zone called "Zofri" and a growing number of high rise resort hotels along its beaches. Slightly more expensive and polluted than neighboring population centers, such as Arica, Iquique and its chaotic duty-free shopping zone (zona franca) have become the perfect summer holiday destination for Chilean families.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Iquique or Mombasa?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Mombasa Prices
    Kenya Prices
    Iquique Prices
    Chile Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Mombasa $80
    Iquique $121

The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $80, while the average daily cost in Iquique is $121. 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 Iquique in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Mombasa $26
    Iquique $43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Mombasa $52
    Iquique $86
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Iquique

Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Iquique? 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.

Hotels in Mombasa


Hotels in Iquique


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Mombasa $18
    Iquique $23

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mombasa

Also for Mombasa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Mombasa Airport Transfers to Mtwapa: $130
  • Mombasa Airport Transfers : $129
  • Mombasa Airport Private Transfer To Watamu Hotels: $114
  • Private Day Tour of Mombasa City with Transfers: $104
  • Mombasa Airport Private Transfers To Vipingo & Kilifi Hotels: $95
  • Mombasa Airport Private Transfer to Diani Beach: $81
  • Private Transfer from Mombasa City Hotels to Mombasa Cruise Port: $79
  • Private Transfer from Mombasa Cruise Port to Mombasa City Hotels: $79
  • Mombasa Airport (MBA) to Mombasa - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $74
  • DianiBeach: Private Transfer from Airport or Railway Station: $70
  • Private Transfer from Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA) to Mombasa City: $43
  • Private Transfer from Mombasa City to Moi Airport Mombasa (MBA): $43

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Iquique

Also for Iquique, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Sandboard activity in Iquique with transfer: $75

Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Iquique?

Prices for flights to both Iquique 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 day
    Mombasa $41
    Iquique $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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Mombasa $18
    Iquique $27

Tours and Activities in Mombasa

For Mombasa, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Mombasa Getaway with Haller Park Tours: $150
  • The Best Of Mombasa Walking Tour: $227
  • Bus Tickets from Mombasa to Nairobi: $55
  • Day Tour To Tsavo East National Park: $240
  • Day Tour to Tsavo East National Park from Mombasa or Diani: $278
  • Day tour to Shimba hills National Reserve from Mombasa/Diani: $336
  • Diani: Full-day Guided Mombasa City Tour from Diani: $110
  • Fort Jesus Museum Walking Tour in Mombasa: $35
  • Full Day Group Joining Tour of Mombasa : $107
  • Full Day Mombasa Excursion Tour : $110
  • Full day tour in Mombasa: $93
  • Full-Day Tour of Mombasa: $110

Tours and Activities in Iquique

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Iquique.

  • City Tour in Iquique: $89
  • City tour of Iquique with navigation to the Esmeralda buoy: $55
  • Red Lagoon Tour: $639
  • Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Mombasa $8.79
    Iquique $20


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Iquique, we can see that Iquique 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 Iquique 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 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 Iquique would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Iquique 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 Iquique Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Mombasa or Iquique?

Mombasa has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Iquique. When comparing the sizes of Mombasa and Iquique, 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.