Cost of Living Comparison Between Embu and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Embu and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $489 in Embu versus $689 in Mombasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $789 in Embu versus $1,111 in Mombasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,089 in Embu versus $1,534 in Mombasa.

Living in Embu costs roughly 29% less than in Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Embu 64% lower, Mombasa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 KES 509

$2.30 KES 298

70.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.04 KES 4,017

$23.05 KES 2,982

34.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 KES 686

$10.61 KES 1,373

-50.05%

Cappuccino

$2.25 KES 292

$3.60 KES 466

-37.50%

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

$0.34 KES 43.64

$1.00 KES 130

-66.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.31

$0.42 KES 54.8

-47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KES 308

$2.26 KES 292

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 345

$3.22 KES 417

-17.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 KES 71.7

$0.94 KES 121

-41.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.6

$0.49 KES 63.8

6.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 KES 124

$1.58 KES 204

-39.24%

Eggs

$1.71 KES 221

$1.82 KES 235

-6.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.78 KES 489

$10.94 KES 1,416

-65.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 KES 414

$5.44 KES 704

-41.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 KES 547

$5.34 KES 692

-20.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 KES 430

$2.10 KES 271

58.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.15 KES 148

-9.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.79 KES 231

8.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.42

$0.65 KES 84.1

-43.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$0.72 KES 93.7

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 KES 119

$1.05 KES 135

-12.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$0.57 KES 73.4

28.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$0.46 KES 59.4

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 KES 443

$4.51 KES 583

-23.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 KES 1,513

$7.61 KES 985

53.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 KES 291

$2.00 KES 259

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 367

$2.88 KES 372

-1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 KES 147

$0.76 KES 98.1

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,917

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 KES 202

$3.01 KES 389

-48.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.71 KES 222

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$4.54 KES 587

-37.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.56 KES 202

-1.92%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

69.13%

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

$12.5K KES 1.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

6.08%

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

$60.5 KES 7,827

$55.1 KES 7,128

9.82%

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

$15.08 KES 1,951

$13.42 KES 1,736

12.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.70 KES 4,619

$33.92 KES 4,389

5.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.09 KES 2,211

$18.20 KES 2,355

-6.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,452

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 KES 534

$11.00 KES 1,423

-62.45%

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

$239 KES 30.9K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

172.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K KES 1.5M

$5,514 KES 713.4K

111.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.17 KES 1,187

$13.03 KES 1,686

-29.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.70 KES 3,324

$13.50 KES 1,746

90.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 KES 8,313

$23.12 KES 2,991

177.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.23 KES 1,970

$45.53 KES 5,891

-66.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$77.7 KES 10.1K

$229 KES 29.6K

-66.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.4 KES 7,034

$154 KES 19.9K

-64.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.0 KES 12.0K

$389 KES 50.3K

-76.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 698.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$273 KES 35.3K

$321 KES 41.5K

-14.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

13.15%

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

Last update for Embu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $77.7 in Embu and $229 in Mombasa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mombasa pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Embu vs $23.00 in Mombasa. Groceries flip the comparison at $147 vs $175, with Embu 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

Embu vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Embu and Mombasa differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($489 vs $689 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Mombasa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $77.7 in Embu versus $229 in Mombasa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $239 in Embu versus $87.7 in Mombasa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Embu – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $23.00 in Mombasa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Embu 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 Embu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.