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: $529 in Eldoret versus $605 in Mombasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $935 in Eldoret versus $1,067 in Mombasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,341 in Eldoret versus $1,528 in Mombasa.

Living in Eldoret costs roughly 13% less than in Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Eldoret 61% lower, Mombasa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 KES 699

$2.39 KES 310

125.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.45 KES 4,985

$19.38 KES 2,513

98.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 KES 909

$8.75 KES 1,135

-19.89%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KES 323

$3.14 KES 408

-20.70%

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

$0.75 KES 96.7

$0.51 KES 66.7

47.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.5

$0.47 KES 61.0

8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 294

$1.90 KES 246

18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 KES 370

$2.98 KES 387

-4.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 KES 91.2

$0.83 KES 107

-15.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.2

$0.53 KES 69.2

-11.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 KES 154

$1.42 KES 184

-16.90%

Eggs

$1.58 KES 204

$1.80 KES 233

-12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 KES 498

$9.78 KES 1,268

-60.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 KES 473

$5.96 KES 773

-38.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.14 KES 537

$5.40 KES 701

-23.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 KES 410

$1.86 KES 241

69.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.87 KES 113

1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 KES 214

$1.57 KES 204

5.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.78 KES 101

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 KES 66.9

$0.72 KES 93.3

-27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 KES 109

$1.08 KES 140

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.2

$0.62 KES 80.7

4.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.8

$0.58 KES 75.1

17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 KES 413

$3.44 KES 447

-7.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 733

$7.75 KES 1,004

-27.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 KES 224

$1.96 KES 254

-12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 KES 199

$2.77 KES 359

-44.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 KES 175

$0.74 KES 95.6

82.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.22 KES 4,566

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 204

$3.07 KES 398

-48.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.95 KES 253

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 KES 380

$4.52 KES 586

-35.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 KES 191

$1.65 KES 213

-10.30%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

79.41%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

65.65%

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

$34.23 KES 4,438

$45.06 KES 5,842

-24.03%

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

$16.98 KES 2,202

$14.19 KES 1,840

19.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.36 KES 5,103

$43.51 KES 5,641

-9.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.19 KES 4,952

$18.03 KES 2,337

111.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 KES 2,494

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 KES 655

$4.65 KES 604

8.60%

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

$63.2 KES 8,196

$85.5 KES 11.1K

-26.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,903 KES 1.0M

$5,329 KES 691.0K

48.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.69 KES 1,516

$13.41 KES 1,739

-12.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.05 KES 3,119

$13.57 KES 1,760

77.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.24 KES 2,495

$22.90 KES 2,970

-15.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.23 KES 4,568

$47.05 KES 6,101

-25.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.4 KES 11.9K

$177 KES 23.0K

-48.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.2 KES 11.4K

$114 KES 14.8K

-22.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 KES 76.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 KES 34.8K

$460 KES 59.6K

-41.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$624 KES 81.0K

$5,473 KES 709.6K

-88.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,912 KES 507.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.3K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $91.4 in Eldoret and $177 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 $135 vs $171, 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 $793 in Eldoret and $908 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: $91.4 in Eldoret versus $177 in Mombasa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Mombasa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $529 per month in Eldoret versus $605 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.