Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Isiolo and Mombasa

For one person, living is cheaper in Isiolo: $544 a month against $717 in Mombasa, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mombasa outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

26

Cost of Living Index in Isiolo
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Isiolo Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Mombasa
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Mombasa Living Index

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Isiolo

🇰🇪 Kenya

$544

/mo nomad

Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$717

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Isiolo and in Mombasa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Isiolo and in Mombasa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $544 in Isiolo versus $717 in Mombasa.

Isiolo $544
Mombasa $717

Estimated couple costs with rent: $891 in Isiolo versus $1,144 in Mombasa.

Isiolo $891
Mombasa $1,144

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Isiolo versus $1,571 in Mombasa.

Isiolo $1,239
Mombasa $1,571

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 24% less than in Mombasa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isiolo 60% lower, Mombasa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.25 KES 811

$2.75 KES 356

127.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 KES 4,543

$24.98 KES 3,239

40.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 KES 829

$10.39 KES 1,347

-38.40%

Cappuccino

$2.69 KES 349

$2.70 KES 350

-0.37%

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

$0.66 KES 84.9

$0.74 KES 96.1

-10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 73.0

$0.52 KES 67.8

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$2.30 KES 298

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 KES 342

$3.33 KES 432

-20.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 116

$0.98 KES 127

-9.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.50 KES 64.2

14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 KES 248

$1.50 KES 195

27.33%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 218

$1.82 KES 236

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 KES 1,398

$14.11 KES 1,830

-23.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 KES 840

$4.93 KES 639

31.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 KES 807

$5.48 KES 711

13.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 KES 427

$2.09 KES 271

57.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.16 KES 150

-9.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 263

$1.78 KES 231

14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$0.68 KES 87.6

69.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 KES 145

$0.69 KES 89.3

62.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.01 KES 131

6.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$0.61 KES 78.6

19.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.7

$0.43 KES 55.4

74.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 KES 457

$4.15 KES 537

-15.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 KES 1,482

$9.70 KES 1,257

17.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 KES 300

$1.93 KES 250

20.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 KES 349

$2.92 KES 379

-7.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.38 KES 4,976

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$3.06 KES 397

-50.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.76 KES 228

-13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 371

$4.60 KES 597

-37.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 KES 209

$1.55 KES 202

3.87%

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

$21.8K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

80.13%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

67.15%

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

$56.5 KES 7,319

$77.6 KES 10.1K

-27.29%

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

$14.95 KES 1,939

$9.35 KES 1,213

59.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.44 KES 4,465

$34.13 KES 4,426

0.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.15 KES 2,354

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.59 KES 2,540

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 KES 1,004

$15.29 KES 1,982

-49.31%

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

$249 KES 32.3K

$88.2 KES 11.4K

182.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K KES 1.6M

$5,301 KES 687.3K

133.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.88 KES 3,615

$13.08 KES 1,696

113.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.53 KES 3,829

$13.44 KES 1,743

119.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 KES 9,256

$23.46 KES 3,041

204.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.6 KES 7,592

$45.81 KES 5,939

27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 KES 29.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 KES 68.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KES 48.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,417 KES 702.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,805 KES 493.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$777 KES 100.7K

$324 KES 42.0K

139.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

13.15%

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

Last update for Isiolo: October 18, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Isiolo

$206 37.9%

Mombasa

$186 25.9% 9.8% $20

Eating Out

Isiolo

$123 22.6%

Mombasa

$109 15.2% 11.7% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Isiolo

$106 19.5%

Mombasa

$121 16.9% 14.4% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Isiolo

$84 15.5%

Mombasa

$43 6% 48.9% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Isiolo

$15 * 2.9%

Mombasa

$49 6.8% 215% $33

Getting Around

Isiolo

$9.1 * 1.7%

Mombasa

$53 7.4% 486% $44

Accommodation & Living

Isiolo

- * 0%

Mombasa

$156 21.8%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 140% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Isiolo vs $25.00 in Mombasa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $186 per month, with Mombasa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Isiolo

🇰🇪 Mombasa

🕒 Local time

12:32 12:32 PM

Same time as Isiolo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

45,989

1,300,000

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Isiolo Mombasa 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Isiolo
Mombasa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Isiolo vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Mombasa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 140% higher in Isiolo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Mombasa pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $544 per month in Isiolo versus $717 in Mombasa – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Isiolo 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 Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.