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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $630 per month in Kilifi vs $689 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,038 per month in Kilifi vs $1,111 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,446 per month in Kilifi vs $1,534 in Mombasa, rent included.

Kilifi is about 9% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kilifi and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 54% lower, Mombasa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 KES 254

$2.30 KES 298

-14.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.48 KES 6,402

$23.05 KES 2,982

114.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 307

$10.61 KES 1,373

-77.66%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 254

$3.60 KES 466

-45.56%

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

$0.81 KES 104

$1.00 KES 130

-19.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.7

$0.42 KES 54.8

78.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 KES 202

$2.26 KES 292

-30.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.94 KES 121

15.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 KES 108

$0.49 KES 63.8

69.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 KES 267

$1.58 KES 204

30.38%

Eggs

$1.93 KES 250

$1.82 KES 235

6.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,416

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 KES 1,028

$5.34 KES 692

48.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KES 303

$2.10 KES 271

11.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.2

$1.15 KES 148

-37.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 KES 223

$1.79 KES 231

-3.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.65 KES 84.1

-26.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.72 KES 93.7

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.05 KES 135

-25.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.05

$0.46 KES 59.4

-47.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 KES 1,617

$7.61 KES 985

64.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 KES 223

$2.00 KES 259

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.76 KES 98.1

2.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.93 KES 3,485

$38.00 KES 4,917

-29.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 222

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 KES 178

$1.56 KES 202

-11.54%

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)

$15.34 KES 1,985

$55.1 KES 7,128

-72.15%

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

$10.23 KES 1,323

$13.42 KES 1,736

-23.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.09 KES 3,246

$33.92 KES 4,389

-26.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.14 KES 3,641

$18.20 KES 2,355

54.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,452

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 KES 971

$11.00 KES 1,423

-31.73%

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

$161 KES 20.8K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

83.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,960 KES 641.7K

$5,514 KES 713.4K

-10.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.61 KES 1,243

$13.03 KES 1,686

-26.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.06 KES 1,172

$13.50 KES 1,746

-32.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.33 KES 1,983

$23.12 KES 2,991

-33.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.41 KES 2,252

$45.53 KES 5,891

-61.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 KES 42.5K

$229 KES 29.6K

43.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 KES 39.8K

$154 KES 19.9K

99.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 KES 35.4K

$537 KES 69.5K

-49.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 KES 72.9K

$389 KES 50.3K

45.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 698.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.4K

$321 KES 41.5K

-29.01%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Kilifi versus $229 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 41% 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 $23.00 in Mombasa. Groceries tell a different story – $125 in Kilifi vs $175 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: $630 in Kilifi, $689 in Mombasa – roughly 9% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $944 per month in Kilifi and $1,033 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 $161 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 40% 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 $630 in Kilifi and $689 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.