Which place is cheaper, Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena?
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 Santa Elena. 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 Santa Elena?
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.
Santa Elena
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Kenya, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Kenya, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.
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Mombasa Prices
Kenya PricesSanta Elena Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMombasa $80Santa Elena $109
The average daily cost (per person) in Mombasa is $80, while the average daily cost in Santa Elena is $109. 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 Santa Elena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMombasa $26Santa Elena $55
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMombasa $52Santa Elena $110
Compare Hotels in Mombasa and Santa Elena
Looking for a hotel in Mombasa or Santa Elena? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mombasa $18Santa Elena $11
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 Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Monteverde to Santa Tereza Montezuma : $99
- Shuttle Transfer from Monteverde to Tamarindo area: $65
- Private Transfer Liberia Airport to Saint Helena Monte Verde: $210
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to your Destination: $240
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $233
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- Monteverde to Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) - Departure Transfer: $221
- MiniVan Departure Transfer Monteverde to San Jose Airport SJO: $215
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $197
Is it cheaper to fly into Mombasa or Santa Elena?
Prices for flights to both Santa Elena 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 $41Santa Elena $41
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Elena
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Monteverde Cooking Class: $60
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mombasa $18Santa Elena $30
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 Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Cloud Forest hanging bridges with a local naturalist tour guide: $22
- Curi-cancha Bird-Watching tour semi private : $50
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $24
- 2x1 Guided Tour Combo Hanging Bridges and Night Walk: $40
- 3 hours of the Longest and Highest Extreme Zip line Experience in Monteverde: $95
- 4 Hours Bird Watching guided Experience in Woodpecker,Monteverde : $100
- Admission Ticket to Las Pumas Rescue Center : $20
- Adventure Day - Outdoor Fun for Family & Friends Package: $29
- Adventure Park High Ropes Course : $69
- Arenal Volcano Jungle Night Tour: $45
- Birdwatching Tour in Monteverde : $85
- Birdwatching tour at the Cloud Forest -Monteverde Wild-: $80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMombasa $8.79Santa Elena $6.21
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mombasa and Santa Elena, we can see that Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena is in Central 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 Santa Elena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Mombasa or Santa Elena?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Mombasa or Santa Elena in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Mombasa and Santa Elena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Mombasa year-round. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Santa Elena receives a lot of rain in the summer. In July, Mombasa usually receives less rain than Santa Elena. Mombasa gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
In Mombasa, it's very sunny this time of the year. Mombasa usually receives more sunshine than Santa Elena during summer. Mombasa gets 216 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 164 hours of full sun in the summer.
In the summer, Mombasa is cooler than Santa Elena. Typically, the summer temperatures in Mombasa in July average around 24°C (75°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 28°C (82°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyMombasa 24°C (75°F)Santa Elena 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Santa Elena in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Mombasa as well as Santa Elena. Mombasa attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.
Also, June to October in Santa Elena is the hurricane season. It's quite rainy in Santa Elena. Mombasa receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Mombasa usually gets less rain in October than Santa Elena. Mombasa gets 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain this time of the year.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mombasa this time of the year. In the autumn, Mombasa often gets more sunshine than Santa Elena. Mombasa gets 291 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 169 hours of full sun.
In October, Mombasa is generally around the same temperature as Santa Elena. Daily temperatures in Mombasa average around 26°C (79°F), and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberMombasa 26°C (79°F)Santa Elena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Santa Elena in the Winter?
Both Santa Elena and Mombasa are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Mombasa throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
The dry season in Santa Elena is February to May. In January, Mombasa usually receives more rain than Santa Elena. Mombasa gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
It's quite sunny in Santa Elena. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Mombasa. Mombasa usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Santa Elena during winter. Mombasa gets 283 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 264 hours of full sun in the winter.
Mombasa is around the same temperature as Santa Elena in the winter. The daily temperature in Mombasa averages around 27°C (81°F) in January, and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryMombasa 27°C (81°F)Santa Elena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Mombasa or Santa Elena in the Spring?
Both Santa Elena 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. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.
February to May is the dry season in Santa Elena. Also, the hurricane season in Santa Elena is June to October. It rains a lot this time of the year in Mombasa. Mombasa usually gets more rain in April than Santa Elena. Mombasa gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
In Santa Elena, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Mombasa. In the spring, Mombasa often gets less sunshine than Santa Elena. Mombasa gets 230 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 255 hours of full sun.
In the spring, Mombasa is around the same temperature as Santa Elena. Typically, the spring temperatures in Mombasa in April average around 27°C (81°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 29°C (85°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilMombasa 27°C (81°F)Santa Elena 29°C (85°F)
Typical Weather for Santa Elena and Mombasa
| Mombasa | Santa Elena | |||
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| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| May | 26°C (79°F) | 260 mm (10.2 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jun | 24°C (75°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) |
| Jul | 24°C (75°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) |
| Sep | 25°C (77°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 100 mm (3.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.