Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiambu and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiambu and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $489 in Kiambu versus $618 in Mombasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $759 in Kiambu versus $1,060 in Mombasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,030 in Kiambu versus $1,502 in Mombasa.

Living in Kiambu costs roughly 21% less than in Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kiambu 63% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 KES 403

$2.35 KES 304

32.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.07 KES 2,464

$19.18 KES 2,478

-0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 KES 613

$8.80 KES 1,137

-46.14%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 246

$3.18 KES 411

-39.94%

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

$0.50 KES 64.3

$0.48 KES 62.4

4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KES 47.13

$0.48 KES 61.7

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 KES 224

$1.96 KES 253

-11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 302

$2.82 KES 364

-17.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.82 KES 106

-21.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.2

$0.49 KES 63.9

10.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KES 214

$1.40 KES 180

18.57%

Eggs

$1.29 KES 167

$1.79 KES 231

-27.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 KES 1,529

$9.71 KES 1,255

21.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 KES 874

$5.82 KES 752

16.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.17 KES 539

$5.22 KES 675

-20.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 395

$1.79 KES 231

70.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.91 KES 117

17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.52 KES 197

-46.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 KES 76.8

$0.79 KES 102

-25.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KES 75.6

$0.68 KES 87.5

-13.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$1.08 KES 139

-29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 KES 41.55

$0.66 KES 85.4

-51.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 48.13

$0.60 KES 78.0

-38.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 389

$3.30 KES 427

-8.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 KES 1,486

$7.95 KES 1,027

44.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 KES 297

$1.88 KES 242

22.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

$2.77 KES 358

2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 KES 72.1

$0.75 KES 96.4

-25.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,532

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 197

$3.05 KES 394

-49.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 KES 52.6

$1.94 KES 251

-78.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 KES 366

$4.58 KES 592

-37.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.60 KES 206

-5.00%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$12.0K KES 1.5M

81.04%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

68.74%

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

$28.46 KES 3,678

$44.61 KES 5,764

-36.20%

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

$7.90 KES 1,021

$14.45 KES 1,867

-45.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.86 KES 3,729

$43.55 KES 5,626

-33.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.68 KES 1,509

$18.09 KES 2,337

-35.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 KES 767

$4.71 KES 609

25.90%

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

$201 KES 26.0K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

129.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,976 KES 1.0M

$5,406 KES 698.5K

47.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$6.26 KES 809

$13.03 KES 1,684

-51.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.57 KES 3,045

$13.80 KES 1,784

70.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.87 KES 3,472

$23.61 KES 3,050

13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.47 KES 3,937

$45.93 KES 5,934

-33.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.1K

$181 KES 23.4K

-35.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 KES 12.0K

$118 KES 15.3K

-21.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 KES 24.7K

$590 KES 76.3K

-67.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 KES 19.3K

$462 KES 59.7K

-67.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 KES 149.8K

$5,440 KES 702.8K

-78.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$123 KES 15.9K

$321 KES 41.5K

-61.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-15.38%

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

Last update for Kiambu: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Kiambu and $181 in Mombasa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mombasa pays 161% 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: $19.00 in Kiambu vs $19.00 in Mombasa. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $169, with Mombasa cheaper for home cooking.

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

Kiambu vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kiambu is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 161% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $117 in Kiambu versus $181 in Mombasa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Kiambu 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 Kiambu – a meal for two runs $19.00 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 Kiambu 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 Kiambu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.