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: $499 in Galle versus $604 in Mombasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $896 in Galle versus $1,064 in Mombasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,294 in Galle versus $1,525 in Mombasa.

Living in Galle costs roughly 17% less than in Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 LKR 987

$2.37 KES 308

25.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.15 LKR 8,338

$19.29 KES 2,498

30.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 LKR 2,656

$8.53 KES 1,106

-6.10%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 866

$3.25 KES 421

-19.69%

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

$0.73 LKR 242

$0.51 KES 66.3

43.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.47 KES 61.2

-12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 LKR 786

$1.90 KES 246

24.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 979

$2.93 KES 380

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 563

$0.81 KES 104

109.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LKR 105

$0.53 KES 69.3

-39.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 269

$1.44 KES 187

-43.75%

Eggs

$1.91 LKR 635

$1.73 KES 223

10.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 LKR 4,730

$9.96 KES 1,291

43.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,541

$5.82 KES 754

-20.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 LKR 2,704

$5.24 KES 679

55.53%

Apples (1kg)

$7.40 LKR 2,455

$1.81 KES 234

308.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 292

$0.93 KES 121

-5.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,883

$1.56 KES 202

264.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 399

$0.76 KES 98.2

57.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 365

$0.71 KES 92.4

54.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 468

$1.05 KES 136

34.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 377

$0.67 KES 86.9

70.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 139

$0.57 KES 74.0

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 LKR 3,360

$3.32 KES 430

205.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 LKR 2,939

$7.90 KES 1,023

12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 675

$1.94 KES 252

5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 938

$2.73 KES 354

3.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 LKR 50.6

$0.79 KES 103

-81.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,546

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.35 LKR 115

$3.02 KES 391

-88.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$1.95 KES 252

-82.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 188

$4.61 KES 597

-87.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 402

$1.60 KES 208

-24.38%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

121.53%

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

$34.9K LKR 11.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

195.84%

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

$59.1 LKR 19.6K

$44.87 KES 5,813

31.65%

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

$4.39 LKR 1,456

$14.07 KES 1,822

-68.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.26 LKR 4,398

$44.11 KES 5,715

-69.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,356

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,118

$4.55 KES 589

-25.93%

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

$36.67 LKR 12.2K

$87.3 KES 11.3K

-58.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 147.8K

$5,325 KES 689.9K

-91.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.69 LKR 9,182

$13.39 KES 1,734

106.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.46 LKR 6,452

$13.83 KES 1,792

40.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 LKR 22.6K

$23.61 KES 3,059

188.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.15 LKR 13.0K

$47.29 KES 6,126

-17.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 LKR 64.9K

$605 KES 78.4K

-67.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 LKR 50.0K

$465 KES 60.2K

-67.58%

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)

$306 LKR 101.5K

$318 KES 41.2K

-3.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

26.54%

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

Last update for Galle: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mombasa pays 4% 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: $25.00 in Galle vs $19.00 in Mombasa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $170 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 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mombasa earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $36.67 in Galle 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 Galle – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $19.00 in Mombasa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 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 21% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.