Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $376 per month in Garissa vs $689 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $657 per month in Garissa vs $1,111 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $938 per month in Garissa vs $1,534 in Mombasa, rent included.

Garissa is about 45% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Garissa and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 73% lower, Mombasa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 KES 1,512

$2.30 KES 298

408.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 KES 3,005

$23.05 KES 2,982

0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,373

Cappuccino

$7.79 KES 1,008

$3.60 KES 466

116.39%

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

$1.97 KES 255

$1.00 KES 130

97.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 KES 148

$0.42 KES 54.8

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.0

$0.94 KES 121

-44.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.7

$0.49 KES 63.8

20.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.58 KES 204

-8.86%

Eggs

$1.92 KES 248

$1.82 KES 235

5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,416

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 KES 822

$5.44 KES 704

16.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.36 KES 694

$5.34 KES 692

0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 KES 511

$2.10 KES 271

88.10%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 KES 395

$1.15 KES 148

165.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 KES 584

$1.79 KES 231

152.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.9

$0.65 KES 84.1

13.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 KES 162

$0.72 KES 93.7

73.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 KES 201

$1.05 KES 135

48.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 KES 298

$0.57 KES 73.4

303.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 66.5

$0.46 KES 59.4

10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 KES 762

$7.61 KES 985

-22.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 217

$2.00 KES 259

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 KES 490

$2.88 KES 372

31.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,917

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 222

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

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

$55.1 KES 7,128

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

$13.42 KES 1,736

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,389

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,355

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,452

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 KES 1,423

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,686

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,746

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,991

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,891

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 50.3K

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)

$132 KES 17.1K

$321 KES 41.5K

-58.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Garissa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 143% higher in Mombasa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa versus $23.00 in Mombasa. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Garissa vs $175 in Mombasa – so Mombasa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Garissa vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $376 in Garissa, $689 in Mombasa – roughly 83% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $564 per month in Garissa and $1,033 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa and $23.00 in Mombasa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $376 in Garissa and $689 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $376 in Garissa and $689 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Garissa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Garissa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mombasa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.