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: $498 in Embu versus $618 in Mombasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $791 in Embu versus $1,060 in Mombasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,084 in Embu versus $1,502 in Mombasa.

Living in Embu costs roughly 19% less than in Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Embu 63% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 KES 684

$2.35 KES 304

125.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.17 KES 4,027

$19.18 KES 2,478

62.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 KES 686

$8.80 KES 1,137

-39.66%

Cappuccino

$2.26 KES 292

$3.18 KES 411

-28.93%

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

$0.33 KES 43.04

$0.48 KES 62.4

-31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.38

$0.48 KES 61.7

-54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 293

$1.96 KES 253

15.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 KES 382

$2.82 KES 364

4.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 KES 66.5

$0.82 KES 106

-37.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.0

$0.49 KES 63.9

6.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 KES 122

$1.40 KES 180

-32.14%

Eggs

$1.71 KES 221

$1.79 KES 231

-4.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 KES 495

$9.71 KES 1,255

-60.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 KES 420

$5.82 KES 752

-44.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.07 KES 526

$5.22 KES 675

-22.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 391

$1.79 KES 231

69.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$0.91 KES 117

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 KES 268

$1.52 KES 197

36.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 KES 51.8

$0.79 KES 102

-49.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.2

$0.68 KES 87.5

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 KES 117

$1.08 KES 139

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$0.66 KES 85.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 68.4

$0.60 KES 78.0

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$3.30 KES 427

-5.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 KES 1,508

$7.95 KES 1,027

46.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 KES 295

$1.88 KES 242

21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 359

$2.77 KES 358

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 KES 154

$0.75 KES 96.4

58.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,532

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 196

$3.05 KES 394

-50.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.94 KES 251

-19.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 383

$4.58 KES 592

-35.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.60 KES 206

-10.00%

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

$21.8K KES 2.8M

$12.0K KES 1.5M

81.72%

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

$12.3K KES 1.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

3.92%

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

$34.82 KES 4,498

$44.61 KES 5,764

-21.95%

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

$16.52 KES 2,134

$14.45 KES 1,867

14.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.04 KES 4,915

$43.55 KES 5,626

-12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.29 KES 2,234

$18.09 KES 2,337

-4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 KES 543

$4.71 KES 609

-10.83%

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

$199 KES 25.7K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

127.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,200 KES 1.1M

$5,406 KES 698.5K

51.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.43 KES 1,218

$13.03 KES 1,684

-27.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.50 KES 3,166

$13.80 KES 1,784

77.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 KES 8,500

$23.61 KES 3,050

178.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.59 KES 2,014

$45.93 KES 5,934

-66.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$77.8 KES 10.1K

$181 KES 23.4K

-56.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.1 KES 7,115

$118 KES 15.3K

-53.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.5 KES 12.1K

$462 KES 59.7K

-79.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,440 KES 702.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 KES 34.6K

$321 KES 41.5K

-16.67%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $77.8 in Embu and $181 in Mombasa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mombasa pays 20% 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 $146 vs $169, 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 24% in total monthly costs ($498 vs $618 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% 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: $77.8 in Embu versus $181 in Mombasa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $199 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 $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 24% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.