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: $442 in Machakos versus $619 in Mombasa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $763 in Machakos versus $1,079 in Mombasa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,085 in Machakos versus $1,539 in Mombasa.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 29% less than in Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Machakos 67% lower, Mombasa 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 307

$2.34 KES 302

1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.19 KES 4,936

$19.58 KES 2,531

95.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 KES 857

$8.87 KES 1,146

-25.25%

Cappuccino

$1.89 KES 244

$3.30 KES 426

-42.73%

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

$0.71 KES 91.6

$0.52 KES 66.8

36.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.4

$0.48 KES 61.5

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.87 KES 242

4.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 342

$2.89 KES 373

-8.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$0.82 KES 105

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.6

$0.54 KES 70.3

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.7

$1.44 KES 186

-47.22%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$1.75 KES 226

-21.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 KES 1,475

$10.05 KES 1,299

13.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KES 851

$6.01 KES 777

9.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 604

$5.21 KES 673

-10.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.81 KES 234

-16.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$0.86 KES 111

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.17

$1.53 KES 198

-75.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.78

$0.73 KES 94.8

-47.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$0.72 KES 92.9

1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.07 KES 138

-26.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.0

$0.62 KES 80.5

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 48.00

$0.58 KES 75.0

-36.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$3.44 KES 445

-9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 KES 1,474

$7.94 KES 1,026

43.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.96 KES 254

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

$2.84 KES 367

-1.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.00 KES 4,524

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$3.11 KES 402

-75.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.87 KES 242

-60.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 379

$4.61 KES 596

-36.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.60 KES 206

-5.63%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

75.00%

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

61.16%

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

$34.06 KES 4,402

$44.01 KES 5,688

-22.61%

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

$7.77 KES 1,004

$14.12 KES 1,825

-44.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 KES 1,471

$44.43 KES 5,743

-74.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.28 KES 2,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 KES 2,538

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 KES 778

$4.59 KES 593

31.15%

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

$47.26 KES 6,109

$86.0 KES 11.1K

-45.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,045 KES 1.0M

$5,470 KES 707.0K

47.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.59 KES 1,498

$13.40 KES 1,732

-13.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.79 KES 3,075

$13.87 KES 1,792

71.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 KES 8,522

$23.46 KES 3,032

181.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.20 KES 4,937

$46.74 KES 6,041

-18.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$181 KES 23.3K

-48.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.4 KES 8,838

$118 KES 15.2K

-42.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.1K

$595 KES 76.9K

-73.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$448 KES 57.8K

-74.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,454 KES 704.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,880 KES 501.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 KES 49.1K

$314 KES 40.5K

21.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

14.15%

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

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.3 in Machakos and $181 in Mombasa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Machakos pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Machakos vs $20.00 in Mombasa. Groceries flip the comparison at $163 vs $171, with Machakos cheaper for home cooking.

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 40% 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 21% 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 $181 in Mombasa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Mombasa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $442 per month in Machakos versus $619 in Mombasa – a 40% 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 40% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.