Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $526 in Machakos versus $674 in Mombasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $809 in Machakos versus $1,121 in Mombasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,092 in Machakos versus $1,569 in Mombasa.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 22% less than in Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Machakos 62% lower, Mombasa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 KES 397

$2.27 KES 294

35.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 KES 2,476

$23.05 KES 2,982

-16.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 KES 823

$10.29 KES 1,332

-38.19%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 254

$3.69 KES 478

-46.88%

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

$0.60 KES 77.3

$1.01 KES 131

-40.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 69.0

$0.43 KES 55.0

23.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 KES 276

$2.37 KES 306

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 355

$3.27 KES 423

-16.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.38 KES 48.67

$0.94 KES 122

-59.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.1

$0.50 KES 64.6

-6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.56 KES 202

-53.21%

Eggs

$1.38 KES 178

$1.75 KES 227

-21.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 KES 1,383

$11.04 KES 1,429

-3.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 KES 841

$5.50 KES 712

18.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 606

$5.31 KES 687

-11.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.17 KES 281

-27.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.19 KES 154

-31.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.89

$1.85 KES 239

-79.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.05

$0.64 KES 82.4

-42.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.67 KES 87.1

19.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.05 KES 136

-25.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$0.56 KES 72.8

23.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.70

$0.43 KES 55.3

-11.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 439

$4.55 KES 589

-25.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 KES 1,512

$7.52 KES 973

55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.92 KES 248

1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$2.81 KES 364

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.16 KES 4,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 KES 102

$3.12 KES 404

-74.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.79 KES 232

-55.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$4.73 KES 612

-39.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 KES 186

$1.55 KES 200

-7.74%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

81.83%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

$11.7K KES 1.5M

74.32%

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

$62.6 KES 8,097

$56.0 KES 7,246

11.75%

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

$7.54 KES 976

$13.27 KES 1,717

-43.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.42 KES 1,477

$33.64 KES 4,352

-66.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 KES 4,988

$18.32 KES 2,371

110.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.23 KES 2,488

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 KES 997

$10.61 KES 1,373

-27.33%

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

$46.27 KES 5,988

$87.8 KES 11.4K

-47.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$5,364 KES 694.0K

112.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.44 KES 1,480

$13.27 KES 1,717

-13.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 KES 3,604

$13.59 KES 1,758

104.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 KES 9,181

$23.09 KES 2,987

207.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.84 KES 5,026

$46.00 KES 5,953

-15.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$230 KES 29.8K

-59.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.3 KES 9,094

$154 KES 20.0K

-54.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 20.0K

$551 KES 71.3K

-71.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

$400 KES 51.7K

-71.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,493 KES 710.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,917 KES 506.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$391 KES 50.6K

$315 KES 40.8K

24.18%

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 Machakos: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.3 in Machakos and $230 in Mombasa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Machakos pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Machakos vs $23.00 in Mombasa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $175 per month, with Machakos cheaper across the board.

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

Machakos vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Mombasa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Machakos, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $92.3 in Machakos versus $230 in Mombasa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Mombasa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $526 per month in Machakos versus $674 in Mombasa – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Machakos gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Machakos and Mombasa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.