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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $647 per month in Kisumu vs $689 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $976 per month in Kisumu vs $1,111 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,306 per month in Kisumu vs $1,534 in Mombasa, rent included.

Kisumu is about 6% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kisumu and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Kisumu 53% lower, Mombasa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 KES 490

$2.30 KES 298

64.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.57 KES 3,308

$23.05 KES 2,982

10.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 KES 785

$10.61 KES 1,373

-42.79%

Cappuccino

$2.62 KES 339

$3.60 KES 466

-27.22%

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

$0.56 KES 72.2

$1.00 KES 130

-44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.0

$0.42 KES 54.8

23.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.26 KES 292

-13.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 KES 340

$3.22 KES 417

-18.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 KES 67.9

$0.94 KES 121

-43.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 71.9

$0.49 KES 63.8

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 KES 242

$1.58 KES 204

18.35%

Eggs

$1.64 KES 212

$1.82 KES 235

-9.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 KES 1,351

$10.94 KES 1,416

-4.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 KES 806

$5.44 KES 704

14.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.90 KES 633

$5.34 KES 691

-8.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 KES 434

$2.10 KES 271

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 KES 122

$1.15 KES 148

-18.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$1.79 KES 231

15.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$0.65 KES 84.1

70.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$0.72 KES 93.7

47.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 KES 115

$1.05 KES 135

-15.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 87.8

$0.57 KES 73.4

19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.5

$0.46 KES 59.3

65.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 KES 409

$4.51 KES 583

-29.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.49 KES 969

$7.61 KES 985

-1.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 KES 284

$2.00 KES 258

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 303

$2.88 KES 372

-18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

$0.76 KES 98.1

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.92 KES 2,964

$38.00 KES 4,916

-39.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$3.01 KES 389

-47.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.71 KES 222

-12.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$4.54 KES 587

-37.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.56 KES 202

1.28%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

66.60%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

69.22%

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

$59.9 KES 7,741

$55.1 KES 7,126

8.64%

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

$15.04 KES 1,945

$13.42 KES 1,735

12.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.28 KES 4,563

$33.92 KES 4,388

4.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.27 KES 3,010

$18.20 KES 2,355

27.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,451

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 KES 1,010

$11.00 KES 1,423

-29.00%

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

$116 KES 15.0K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

32.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$5,514 KES 713.3K

106.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.43 KES 1,478

$13.03 KES 1,686

-12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.11 KES 2,472

$13.50 KES 1,746

41.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.76 KES 2,038

$23.12 KES 2,990

-31.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.30 KES 1,979

$45.53 KES 5,889

-66.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 KES 20.3K

$229 KES 29.6K

-31.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 KES 18.2K

$154 KES 19.9K

-8.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 KES 73.5K

$537 KES 69.5K

5.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 KES 28.0K

$389 KES 50.3K

-44.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$787 KES 101.8K

$5,396 KES 698.0K

-85.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 KES 100.9K

$321 KES 41.5K

143.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

13.15%

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

Last update for Kisumu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $157 in Kisumu 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 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 $26.00 in Kisumu versus $23.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $175 – 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 6% more than Kisumu, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $971 per month in Kisumu 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 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 6% 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 $26.00 in Kisumu and $23.00 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 $647 in Kisumu and $689 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $647 versus $689 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.