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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $467 per month in Garissa vs $618 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $774 per month in Garissa vs $1,060 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,082 per month in Garissa vs $1,502 in Mombasa, rent included.

Garissa is about 25% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Garissa and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 65% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 KES 846

$2.35 KES 304

178.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.28 KES 3,008

$19.18 KES 2,478

21.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 KES 359

$8.80 KES 1,137

-68.41%

Cappuccino

$4.36 KES 563

$3.18 KES 411

37.11%

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

$1.15 KES 148

$0.48 KES 62.4

139.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.48 KES 61.7

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$1.96 KES 253

-4.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$2.82 KES 364

-2.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$0.82 KES 106

4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 66.8

$0.49 KES 63.9

6.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$1.40 KES 180

-21.43%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$1.79 KES 231

-5.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 KES 811

$5.82 KES 752

7.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 KES 557

$5.22 KES 675

-17.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 391

$1.79 KES 231

69.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$0.91 KES 117

158.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 KES 405

$1.52 KES 197

106.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$0.79 KES 102

-13.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$0.68 KES 87.5

26.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$1.08 KES 139

4.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.8

$0.66 KES 85.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$0.60 KES 78.0

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

$3.30 KES 427

-28.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 730

$7.95 KES 1,027

-28.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 KES 237

$1.88 KES 242

-2.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 KES 432

$2.77 KES 358

20.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,532

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 KES 304

$3.05 KES 394

-22.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 KES 251

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.60 KES 206

-33.13%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

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

$9,144 KES 1.2M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

-22.48%

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

$15.34 KES 1,982

$44.61 KES 5,764

-65.61%

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

$14.45 KES 1,867

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 KES 2,967

$43.55 KES 5,626

-47.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 KES 2,973

$18.09 KES 2,337

27.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 KES 609

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 KES 698.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.45 KES 1,480

$13.03 KES 1,684

-12.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.86 KES 1,015

$13.80 KES 1,784

-43.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.53 KES 3,040

$23.61 KES 3,050

-0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$22.86 KES 2,953

$45.93 KES 5,934

-50.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 KES 13.3K

$181 KES 23.4K

-43.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 KES 9,831

$118 KES 15.3K

-35.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 KES 24.9K

$590 KES 76.3K

-67.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 KES 22.1K

$462 KES 59.7K

-62.97%

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)

$130 KES 16.8K

$321 KES 41.5K

-59.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Garissa versus $181 in Mombasa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 148% 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 $19.00 in Mombasa. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Garissa vs $169 in Mombasa – so Garissa 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: $467 in Garissa, $618 in Mombasa – roughly 32% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $700 per month in Garissa and $928 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Garissa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa and $19.00 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 $467 in Garissa and $618 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 $467 in Garissa and $618 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.