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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $436 per month in Kilifi vs $618 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $782 per month in Kilifi vs $1,060 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,128 per month in Kilifi vs $1,502 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 67% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 KES 291

$2.35 KES 304

-4.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,573

$19.18 KES 2,478

165.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.30 KES 297

$8.80 KES 1,137

-73.86%

Cappuccino

$1.90 KES 246

$3.18 KES 411

-40.25%

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

$0.48 KES 62.4

54.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.48 KES 61.7

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.96 KES 253

1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.82 KES 106

7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.49 KES 63.9

65.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.40 KES 180

35.71%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$1.79 KES 231

0.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 752

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 KES 675

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 KES 298

$1.79 KES 231

29.05%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 KES 109

$0.91 KES 117

-6.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KES 236

$1.52 KES 197

20.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.7

$0.79 KES 102

-16.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$0.68 KES 87.5

-5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$1.08 KES 139

-40.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.15

$0.60 KES 78.0

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 KES 427

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 KES 1,656

$7.95 KES 1,027

61.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.88 KES 242

3.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.75 KES 96.4

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 KES 3,559

$35.08 KES 4,532

-21.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KES 394

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.94 KES 251

-58.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.60 KES 206

-14.37%

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)

$11.8K KES 1.5M

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

$15.61 KES 2,017

$44.61 KES 5,764

-65.01%

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

$10.28 KES 1,329

$14.45 KES 1,867

-28.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.26 KES 3,263

$43.55 KES 5,626

-42.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.03 KES 3,622

$18.09 KES 2,337

54.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 KES 985

$4.71 KES 609

61.78%

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

$162 KES 20.9K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

84.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,072 KES 655.3K

$5,406 KES 698.5K

-6.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.52 KES 1,229

$13.03 KES 1,684

-26.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.67 KES 1,121

$13.80 KES 1,784

-37.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.59 KES 2,014

$23.61 KES 3,050

-33.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.13 KES 2,213

$45.93 KES 5,934

-62.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.8K

$181 KES 23.4K

-2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

$118 KES 15.3K

-4.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.5K

$590 KES 76.3K

-53.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

$462 KES 59.7K

-42.44%

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)

$235 KES 30.4K

$321 KES 41.5K

-26.85%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Kilifi 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 37% 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 $169 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: $436 in Kilifi, $618 in Mombasa – roughly 42% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $655 per month in Kilifi 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 Kilifi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $162 per month in Kilifi and $87.7 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% 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 $436 in Kilifi and $618 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.