Cost of Living Comparison Between Eldoret and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Eldoret and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $539 in Eldoret versus $614 in Mombasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $940 in Eldoret versus $1,068 in Mombasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,340 in Eldoret versus $1,523 in Mombasa.

Living in Eldoret costs roughly 12% less than in Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Eldoret 60% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 KES 715

$2.33 KES 301

137.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.10 KES 4,917

$19.28 KES 2,488

97.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 KES 898

$8.94 KES 1,154

-22.26%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 315

$3.25 KES 419

-24.92%

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

$0.74 KES 95.7

$0.48 KES 61.7

54.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.5

$0.45 KES 57.8

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 293

$1.97 KES 255

15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 KES 368

$2.91 KES 376

-2.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 KES 90.4

$0.83 KES 106

-15.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.8

$0.54 KES 69.8

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 KES 160

$1.41 KES 182

-12.06%

Eggs

$1.64 KES 212

$1.82 KES 235

-9.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.97 KES 512

$9.91 KES 1,279

-59.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 KES 470

$5.87 KES 757

-37.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.17 KES 538

$5.24 KES 676

-20.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 407

$1.82 KES 235

73.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 KES 114

$0.87 KES 112

2.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 KES 211

$1.52 KES 196

7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.76 KES 98.0

36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 KES 72.4

$0.66 KES 85.7

-15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 KES 115

$1.07 KES 138

-16.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.2

$0.63 KES 80.9

3.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 KES 82.3

$0.62 KES 79.8

3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 KES 409

$3.32 KES 429

-4.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 KES 766

$7.79 KES 1,005

-23.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 KES 218

$1.95 KES 252

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 KES 203

$2.77 KES 358

-43.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 KES 177

$0.73 KES 94.4

87.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 KES 4,423

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 203

$3.16 KES 408

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.90 KES 245

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 381

$4.55 KES 587

-35.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.63 KES 211

-6.13%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$11.9K KES 1.5M

81.93%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

68.83%

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

$33.93 KES 4,380

$44.31 KES 5,720

-23.43%

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

$16.66 KES 2,150

$14.23 KES 1,837

17.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.81 KES 5,009

$44.18 KES 5,702

-12.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.19 KES 4,929

$18.34 KES 2,367

108.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.55 KES 2,523

Cinema Ticket

$5.15 KES 664

$4.59 KES 592

12.20%

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

$65.5 KES 8,450

$85.7 KES 11.1K

-23.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,025 KES 1.0M

$5,452 KES 703.7K

47.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.66 KES 1,504

$13.12 KES 1,693

-11.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.97 KES 3,094

$13.86 KES 1,789

72.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.57 KES 2,526

$23.60 KES 3,046

-17.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.63 KES 4,469

$46.61 KES 6,016

-25.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.6 KES 11.8K

$179 KES 23.1K

-48.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.6 KES 11.7K

$114 KES 14.7K

-20.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 KES 77.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 KES 34.6K

$455 KES 58.8K

-41.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$627 KES 80.9K

$5,498 KES 709.6K

-88.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 KES 493.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-7.69%

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

Last update for Eldoret: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $91.6 in Eldoret and $179 in Mombasa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Eldoret vs $19.00 in Mombasa. Groceries flip the comparison at $136 vs $170, with Eldoret cheaper for home cooking.

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

Eldoret vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eldoret wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Mombasa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Eldoret the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $809 in Eldoret and $921 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $91.6 in Eldoret versus $179 in Mombasa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Mombasa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $539 per month in Eldoret versus $614 in Mombasa – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Eldoret 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.

Expats usually find Eldoret gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.