Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $470 in Galle versus $689 in Mombasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $755 in Galle versus $1,111 in Mombasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,039 in Galle versus $1,534 in Mombasa.

Living in Galle costs roughly 32% less than in Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Galle 66% lower, Mombasa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 LKR 511

$2.30 KES 298

-32.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.98 LKR 7,862

$23.05 KES 2,981

4.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 LKR 2,565

$10.61 KES 1,372

-26.30%

Cappuccino

$1.82 LKR 596

$3.60 KES 466

-49.44%

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$1.00 KES 130

-27.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.3

$0.42 KES 54.7

-40.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 LKR 388

$2.26 KES 292

-47.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 LKR 492

$3.22 KES 417

-53.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 LKR 539

$0.94 KES 121

74.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 177

$0.49 KES 63.8

10.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 252

$1.58 KES 204

-51.27%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 536

$1.82 KES 235

-9.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 LKR 4,323

$10.94 KES 1,415

20.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 LKR 1,631

$5.44 KES 704

-8.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 LKR 2,317

$5.34 KES 691

32.21%

Apples (1kg)

$6.67 LKR 2,187

$2.10 KES 271

217.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 240

$1.15 KES 148

-36.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 LKR 1,444

$1.79 KES 231

145.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 408

$0.65 KES 84.1

90.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 345

$0.72 KES 93.7

45.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 268

$1.05 KES 135

-21.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 290

$0.57 KES 73.4

56.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 160

$0.46 KES 59.3

6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.40 LKR 3,410

$4.51 KES 583

130.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.37 LKR 3,071

$7.61 KES 984

23.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 626

$2.00 KES 258

-4.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 LKR 953

$2.88 KES 372

1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.0

$0.76 KES 98.0

-78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,914

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 LKR 94.4

$3.01 KES 389

-90.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 LKR 93.9

$1.71 KES 221

-83.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LKR 311

$4.54 KES 587

-79.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LKR 423

$1.56 KES 202

-17.31%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

148.05%

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

$42.3K LKR 13.9M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

259.16%

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

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

$55.1 KES 7,124

1.03%

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

$4.18 LKR 1,372

$13.42 KES 1,735

-68.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.94 LKR 6,868

$33.92 KES 4,386

-38.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,354

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,450

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 LKR 1,406

$11.00 KES 1,422

-61.00%

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

$38.18 LKR 12.5K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

-56.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,207 LKR 395.8K

$5,514 KES 713.0K

-78.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.74 LKR 6,473

$13.03 KES 1,685

51.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.48 LKR 5,405

$13.50 KES 1,745

22.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 LKR 25.7K

$23.12 KES 2,989

238.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.74 LKR 13.7K

$45.53 KES 5,887

-8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 KES 50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 697.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$315 LKR 103.3K

$321 KES 41.5K

-1.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

-2.38%

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

Last update for Galle: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mombasa pays 2% 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: $24.00 in Galle vs $23.00 in Mombasa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $175 per month, with Mombasa cheaper across the board.

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

Galle vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galle is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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.

Childcare runs $38.18 in Galle 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 Galle – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $23.00 in Mombasa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Galle gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Galle is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mombasa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Galle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.