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: $494 in Embu versus $604 in Mombasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $793 in Embu versus $1,064 in Mombasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,092 in Embu versus $1,525 in Mombasa.

Living in Embu costs roughly 18% less than in Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Embu 63% lower, Mombasa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 KES 710

$2.37 KES 308

131.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.25 KES 4,049

$19.29 KES 2,498

62.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 KES 707

$8.53 KES 1,106

-35.99%

Cappuccino

$2.27 KES 295

$3.25 KES 421

-30.15%

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

$0.33 KES 43.20

$0.51 KES 66.3

-35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.32

$0.47 KES 61.2

-53.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 KES 308

$1.90 KES 246

24.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 KES 383

$2.93 KES 380

1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.56 KES 72.7

$0.81 KES 104

-30.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.4

$0.53 KES 69.3

-7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 KES 124

$1.44 KES 187

-34.03%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 220

$1.73 KES 223

-1.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.89 KES 504

$9.96 KES 1,291

-60.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 KES 422

$5.82 KES 754

-43.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 KES 547

$5.24 KES 679

-19.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 KES 405

$1.81 KES 234

72.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.93 KES 121

17.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 KES 268

$1.56 KES 202

32.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$0.76 KES 98.2

-47.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 KES 81.8

$0.71 KES 92.4

-11.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 KES 118

$1.05 KES 136

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.6

$0.67 KES 86.9

-2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.1

$0.57 KES 74.0

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 KES 403

$3.32 KES 430

-6.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.69 KES 1,514

$7.90 KES 1,023

47.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 297

$1.94 KES 252

18.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

$2.73 KES 354

2.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 KES 149

$0.79 KES 103

45.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,546

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$3.02 KES 391

-48.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.95 KES 252

-22.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 KES 378

$4.61 KES 597

-36.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 KES 193

$1.60 KES 208

-6.88%

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

$21.3K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

76.23%

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

$12.6K KES 1.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

6.64%

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

$34.28 KES 4,441

$44.87 KES 5,813

-23.60%

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

$16.91 KES 2,190

$14.07 KES 1,822

20.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.94 KES 4,915

$44.11 KES 5,715

-13.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.66 KES 2,288

$18.18 KES 2,356

-2.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 KES 558

$4.55 KES 589

-5.27%

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

$201 KES 26.0K

$87.3 KES 11.3K

129.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 KES 1.0M

$5,325 KES 689.9K

50.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.36 KES 1,213

$13.39 KES 1,734

-30.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.63 KES 3,062

$13.83 KES 1,792

70.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 KES 8,548

$23.61 KES 3,059

179.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.35 KES 1,989

$47.29 KES 6,126

-67.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.2 KES 9,868

$178 KES 23.0K

-57.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.2 KES 7,153

$115 KES 14.9K

-52.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 KES 12.0K

$465 KES 60.2K

-80.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,402 KES 699.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 497.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 KES 35.0K

$318 KES 41.2K

-15.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

14.15%

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

Last update for Embu: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.2 in Embu and $178 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 $19.00 in Mombasa. Groceries flip the comparison at $147 vs $170, 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 22% in total monthly costs ($494 vs $604 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mombasa earns 18% less. 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: $76.2 in Embu versus $178 in Mombasa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Embu versus $87.3 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 $19.00 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 22% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.