Cost of Living Comparison Between Kisumu and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kisumu and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Kisumu vs $618 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $955 per month in Kisumu vs $1,060 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,305 per month in Kisumu vs $1,502 in Mombasa, rent included.

Kisumu is about 2% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kisumu and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Kisumu 55% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.76 KES 615

$2.35 KES 304

102.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.41 KES 3,025

$19.18 KES 2,478

22.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 KES 829

$8.80 KES 1,137

-27.05%

Cappuccino

$2.26 KES 292

$3.18 KES 411

-28.93%

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

$0.56 KES 71.9

$0.48 KES 62.5

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 70.1

$0.48 KES 61.7

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 KES 244

$1.96 KES 253

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 371

$2.82 KES 364

1.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 KES 66.5

$0.82 KES 106

-37.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.0

$0.49 KES 63.9

8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KES 215

$1.40 KES 180

18.57%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$1.79 KES 231

-5.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 KES 1,487

$9.71 KES 1,255

18.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 KES 897

$5.82 KES 752

19.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.14 KES 665

$5.22 KES 675

-1.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 406

$1.79 KES 231

75.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.91 KES 117

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 KES 267

$1.52 KES 197

36.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 131

$0.79 KES 102

29.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.68 KES 87.5

58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.08 KES 139

-18.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$0.66 KES 85.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.60 KES 78.0

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 404

$3.30 KES 427

-5.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 KES 998

$7.95 KES 1,027

-2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 296

$1.88 KES 243

21.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 KES 297

$2.77 KES 358

-16.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.75 KES 96.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.84 KES 2,952

$35.08 KES 4,533

-34.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 204

$3.05 KES 394

-48.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.94 KES 251

-19.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 KES 364

$4.58 KES 592

-38.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.60 KES 206

-5.00%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$12.0K KES 1.5M

84.13%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

72.01%

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

$34.40 KES 4,446

$44.61 KES 5,765

-22.89%

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

$16.99 KES 2,195

$14.45 KES 1,867

17.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.89 KES 5,155

$43.55 KES 5,627

-8.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.55 KES 3,043

$18.09 KES 2,337

30.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 KES 787

$4.71 KES 609

29.30%

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

$115 KES 14.9K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

31.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,154 KES 1.1M

$5,406 KES 698.6K

50.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.50 KES 1,486

$13.03 KES 1,684

-11.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.04 KES 2,461

$13.80 KES 1,784

37.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.22 KES 1,967

$23.61 KES 3,050

-35.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.75 KES 2,035

$45.93 KES 5,935

-65.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 KES 17.8K

$181 KES 23.4K

-23.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 KES 14.0K

$118 KES 15.3K

-8.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 KES 45.7K

$590 KES 76.3K

-40.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 KES 27.5K

$462 KES 59.7K

-53.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 KES 99.7K

$5,440 KES 702.9K

-85.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$781 KES 100.9K

$321 KES 41.5K

143.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-7.69%

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

Last update for Kisumu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $138 in Kisumu 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 143% higher in Kisumu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Kisumu versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $169 – making Mombasa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kisumu vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mombasa costs about 2% more than Kisumu, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $906 per month in Kisumu 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 Kisumu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Mombasa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Kisumu and $19.00 in Mombasa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $604 in Kisumu and $618 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $604 versus $618 in Mombasa. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kisumu. 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.