Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Mombasa

For one person, living is cheaper in Kilifi: $634 a month against $719 in Mombasa, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. The total is higher in Mombasa despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Mombasa
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Mombasa Living Index

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Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$634

/mo nomad

Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$719

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kilifi 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 Kilifi and in Mombasa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $634 per month in Kilifi vs $719 in Mombasa, rent included.

Kilifi $634
Mombasa $719

A couple spends around $1,049 per month in Kilifi vs $1,147 in Mombasa, rent included.

Kilifi $1,049
Mombasa $1,147

A family of three spends $1,465 per month in Kilifi vs $1,575 in Mombasa, rent included.

Kilifi $1,465
Mombasa $1,575

Kilifi is about 12% cheaper than Mombasa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kilifi and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 53% lower, Mombasa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 KES 246

$2.66 KES 345

-28.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.32 KES 6,394

$25.34 KES 3,285

94.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.29 KES 297

$10.48 KES 1,359

-78.15%

Cappuccino

$1.99 KES 257

$2.74 KES 355

-27.37%

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

$0.81 KES 105

$0.68 KES 88.0

19.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 96.2

$0.52 KES 67.7

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 KES 196

$2.34 KES 303

-35.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 KES 428

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.00 KES 130

6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.51 KES 65.6

72.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 KES 260

$1.55 KES 201

29.68%

Eggs

$1.94 KES 251

$1.82 KES 236

6.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 KES 1,803

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 KES 648

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 KES 1,023

$5.25 KES 681

50.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 KES 296

$2.10 KES 272

8.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.9

$1.16 KES 150

-39.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 232

$1.76 KES 228

1.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 KES 57.7

$0.70 KES 90.9

-35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 103

$0.72 KES 93.8

9.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KES 103

$1.01 KES 130

-21.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.39

$0.43 KES 55.6

-48.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 KES 518

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 KES 1,643

$9.56 KES 1,239

32.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 KES 222

$1.99 KES 258

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 365

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 95.7

$0.80 KES 104

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.67 KES 3,457

$38.84 KES 5,035

-31.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 410

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 KES 227

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 KES 603

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 KES 171

$1.56 KES 202

-15.38%

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)

$15.65 KES 2,029

$76.9 KES 9,975

-79.66%

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

$10.43 KES 1,353

$9.14 KES 1,184

14.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.11 KES 3,255

$34.48 KES 4,470

-27.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.40 KES 3,552

$18.18 KES 2,357

50.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.93 KES 2,454

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 KES 974

$15.63 KES 2,027

-51.89%

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

$160 KES 20.8K

$86.4 KES 11.2K

85.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,984 KES 646.1K

$5,415 KES 702.1K

-7.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.82 KES 1,273

$13.05 KES 1,692

-24.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.90 KES 1,154

$13.77 KES 1,785

-35.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.50 KES 2,009

$23.30 KES 3,021

-33.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.60 KES 2,282

$46.20 KES 5,990

-61.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 KES 42.7K

$227 KES 29.5K

44.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 KES 39.3K

$157 KES 20.4K

93.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 KES 35.4K

$540 KES 70.0K

-49.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 KES 73.9K

$372 KES 48.3K

52.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,411 KES 701.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,884 KES 503.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$227 KES 29.4K

$313 KES 40.5K

-27.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-38.46%

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

Last update for Kilifi: October 13, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kilifi

–

Mombasa

$185 25.8%

Accommodation & Living

Kilifi

–

Mombasa

$157 21.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kilifi

–

Mombasa

$121 16.8%

Eating Out

Kilifi

–

Mombasa

$109 15.1%

Getting Around

Kilifi

–

Mombasa

$54 7.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Kilifi

–

Mombasa

$49 6.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Kilifi

–

Mombasa

$43 6%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Kilifi versus $227 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 38% 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 $49.00 in Kilifi versus $25.00 in Mombasa. Groceries tell a different story – $124 in Kilifi vs $185 in Mombasa – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Kilifi

🇰🇪 Mombasa

🕒 Local time

22:00 10:00 PM

Same time as Kilifi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

122,899

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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Kilifi Mombasa 51 km

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Kilifi
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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

Kilifi vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $634 in Kilifi, $719 in Mombasa – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $951 per month in Kilifi and $1,078 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $160 per month in Kilifi and $86.4 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Mombasa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $634 in Kilifi and $719 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kilifi – 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 Kilifi. 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.