Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bungoma and Mombasa

For one person, living is cheaper in Bungoma: $144 a month against $715 in Mombasa, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Mombasa
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Mombasa Living Index

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Bungoma

🇰🇪 Kenya

$144

/mo nomad

Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$715

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bungoma and in Mombasa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bungoma and in Mombasa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $144 in Bungoma versus $715 in Mombasa.

Bungoma $144
Mombasa $715

Estimated couple costs with rent: $290 in Bungoma versus $1,138 in Mombasa.

Bungoma $290
Mombasa $1,138

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $436 in Bungoma versus $1,560 in Mombasa.

Bungoma $436
Mombasa $1,560

Living in Bungoma costs roughly 80% less than in Mombasa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bungoma 89% lower, Mombasa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 KES 342

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.66 KES 3,201

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 KES 1,364

Cappuccino

$5.49 KES 712

$2.71 KES 351

102.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.5

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.33 KES 303

-32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 218

$3.26 KES 423

-48.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 119

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

Eggs

$1.24 KES 161

$1.82 KES 236

-31.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.98 KES 1,814

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 KES 635

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.25 KES 682

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 KES 411

$2.16 KES 280

46.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 KES 125

$1.14 KES 148

-14.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 KES 239

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.4

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 88.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KES 77.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 55.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 KES 515

Wine (Bottle)

$9.51 KES 1,234

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.98 KES 257

-20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 218

$2.94 KES 382

-42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 KES 105

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.41 KES 4,986

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 410

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 KES 221

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 598

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 KES 182

$1.53 KES 199

-8.50%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$12.2K KES 1.6M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$11.9K KES 1.5M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$76.8 KES 9,962

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.07 KES 1,177

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.15 KES 3,783

$34.36 KES 4,460

-15.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.66 KES 2,292

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 KES 2,508

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 KES 1,980

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$86.7 KES 11.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,484 KES 711.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.89 KES 1,673

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,752

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.07 KES 2,995

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.74 KES 6,067

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 KES 20.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 KES 69.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 KES 21.9K

$368 KES 47.7K

-54.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,457 KES 708.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,881 KES 503.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$317 KES 41.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bungoma: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Bungoma

–

Mombasa

$185 25.8%

Accommodation & Living

Bungoma

–

Mombasa

$157 22%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bungoma

–

Mombasa

$120 16.8%

Eating Out

Bungoma

–

Mombasa

$108 15.1%

Getting Around

Bungoma

–

Mombasa

$53 7.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Bungoma

–

Mombasa

$48 6.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Bungoma

–

Mombasa

$43 6.1%

Good to know

🇰🇪 Bungoma

🇰🇪 Mombasa

🕒 Local time

18:05 6:05 PM

Same time as Bungoma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,000

1,300,000

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Bungoma Mombasa 770 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Bungoma
Mombasa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bungoma vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bungoma is about 80% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $216 in Bungoma and $1,073 in Mombasa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 389% higher in Mombasa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $144 per month in Bungoma versus $715 in Mombasa – Bungoma is about 80% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bungoma gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.