Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $430 per month in Kilifi vs $604 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $770 per month in Kilifi vs $1,064 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,110 per month in Kilifi vs $1,525 in Mombasa, rent included.

Kilifi is about 29% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 68% lower, Mombasa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$2.37 KES 308

-4.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,593

$19.29 KES 2,498

163.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 307

$8.53 KES 1,106

-72.22%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 248

$3.25 KES 421

-41.23%

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

$0.80 KES 103

$0.51 KES 66.3

56.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$0.47 KES 61.2

61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 KES 245

$1.90 KES 246

-0.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.81 KES 104

8.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KES 97.2

$0.53 KES 69.3

41.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.44 KES 187

36.11%

Eggs

$1.88 KES 243

$1.73 KES 223

8.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 KES 1,291

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 754

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 679

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 KES 295

$1.81 KES 234

25.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 KES 117

$0.93 KES 121

-3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 232

$1.56 KES 202

14.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.2

$0.76 KES 98.2

-7.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.71 KES 92.4

-9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.6

$1.05 KES 136

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.25

$0.57 KES 74.0

-57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 430

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 KES 1,628

$7.90 KES 1,023

59.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 255

$1.94 KES 252

1.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.6

$0.79 KES 103

-5.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 KES 3,464

$35.09 KES 4,546

-23.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 391

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$1.95 KES 252

-61.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 597

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 KES 170

$1.60 KES 208

-18.13%

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)

$15.25 KES 1,976

$44.87 KES 5,813

-66.01%

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

$10.26 KES 1,329

$14.07 KES 1,822

-27.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.87 KES 3,222

$44.11 KES 5,715

-43.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.59 KES 3,574

$18.18 KES 2,356

51.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 KES 981

$4.55 KES 589

66.37%

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

$163 KES 21.1K

$87.3 KES 11.3K

86.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,961 KES 642.6K

$5,325 KES 689.9K

-6.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.76 KES 1,265

$13.39 KES 1,734

-27.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.06 KES 1,174

$13.83 KES 1,792

-34.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.31 KES 1,984

$23.61 KES 3,059

-35.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.27 KES 2,238

$47.29 KES 6,126

-63.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

$178 KES 23.0K

-0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$115 KES 14.9K

-1.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.5K

$605 KES 78.4K

-55.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 KES 34.8K

$465 KES 60.2K

-42.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,402 KES 699.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 497.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.5K

$318 KES 41.2K

-28.21%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Kilifi versus $178 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 39% 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 $51.0 in Kilifi versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Kilifi vs $170 in Mombasa – so Kilifi 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

Kilifi vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $430 in Kilifi, $604 in Mombasa – roughly 41% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $645 per month in Kilifi and $907 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 $163 per month in Kilifi and $87.3 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% 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 $430 in Kilifi and $604 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.