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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $593 per month in Kisumu vs $604 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $945 per month in Kisumu vs $1,064 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,298 per month in Kisumu vs $1,525 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 56% lower, Mombasa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 KES 593

$2.37 KES 307

93.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.50 KES 3,042

$19.29 KES 2,496

21.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 KES 877

$8.53 KES 1,105

-20.52%

Cappuccino

$2.26 KES 292

$3.25 KES 421

-30.46%

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

$0.60 KES 77.6

$0.51 KES 66.2

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.6

$0.47 KES 61.2

8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.90 KES 246

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 KES 369

$2.93 KES 379

-2.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 KES 68.2

$0.81 KES 104

-34.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 72.4

$0.53 KES 69.3

5.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 KES 216

$1.44 KES 187

15.97%

Eggs

$1.62 KES 209

$1.73 KES 223

-6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 KES 1,529

$9.96 KES 1,290

18.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KES 852

$5.82 KES 754

13.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.14 KES 665

$5.24 KES 678

-1.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 KES 394

$1.81 KES 234

67.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$0.93 KES 121

10.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 KES 280

$1.56 KES 202

39.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

$0.76 KES 98.1

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.71 KES 92.3

50.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 KES 123

$1.05 KES 136

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.67 KES 86.8

-4.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$0.57 KES 73.9

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 KES 408

$3.32 KES 430

-5.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 KES 1,026

$7.90 KES 1,022

0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 296

$1.94 KES 251

18.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 302

$2.73 KES 354

-14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.79 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.22 KES 3,006

$35.09 KES 4,542

-33.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 204

$3.02 KES 390

-48.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.95 KES 252

-22.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$4.61 KES 596

-35.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.60 KES 207

-4.38%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

78.19%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

69.61%

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

$34.39 KES 4,452

$44.87 KES 5,809

-23.36%

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

$16.65 KES 2,155

$14.07 KES 1,821

18.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.66 KES 5,134

$44.11 KES 5,711

-10.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.91 KES 2,966

$18.18 KES 2,354

26.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,454

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 KES 780

$4.55 KES 589

32.53%

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

$115 KES 14.9K

$87.3 KES 11.3K

32.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,201 KES 1.1M

$5,325 KES 689.4K

53.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.50 KES 1,488

$13.39 KES 1,733

-14.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.49 KES 2,523

$13.83 KES 1,791

40.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.54 KES 2,012

$23.61 KES 3,057

-34.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.66 KES 2,027

$47.29 KES 6,121

-66.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 KES 17.9K

$178 KES 23.0K

-22.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 KES 13.8K

$115 KES 14.9K

-7.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$351 KES 45.5K

$605 KES 78.3K

-41.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 KES 28.2K

$465 KES 60.2K

-53.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 KES 99.9K

$5,402 KES 699.3K

-85.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 496.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 KES 99.5K

$318 KES 41.1K

141.84%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $138 in Kisumu 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 142% 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 $24.00 in Kisumu versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $170 – 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 $890 per month in Kisumu 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 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 13% 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 $24.00 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 $593 in Kisumu and $604 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $593 versus $604 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.