Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Molo and Mombasa

For one person, living is cheaper in Molo: $546 a month against $715 in Mombasa, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mombasa outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

26

Cost of Living Index in Molo
Learn more

Molo Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Mombasa
Learn more

Mombasa Living Index

Jump to prices

Molo

🇰🇪 Kenya

$546

/mo nomad

Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$715

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Molo and in Mombasa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Molo and in Mombasa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $546 in Molo versus $715 in Mombasa.

Molo $546
Mombasa $715

Estimated couple costs with rent: $893 in Molo versus $1,138 in Mombasa.

Molo $893
Mombasa $1,138

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,240 in Molo versus $1,560 in Mombasa.

Molo $1,240
Mombasa $1,560

Living in Molo costs roughly 24% less than in Mombasa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Molo 60% lower, Mombasa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.39 KES 829

$2.63 KES 342

142.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.32 KES 4,455

$24.66 KES 3,201

39.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 KES 826

$10.51 KES 1,364

-39.39%

Cappuccino

$2.63 KES 341

$2.71 KES 351

-2.95%

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

$0.70 KES 91.3

$0.74 KES 95.5

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 KES 79.5

$0.48 KES 62.3

27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 KES 305

$2.33 KES 303

0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 347

$3.26 KES 423

-18.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 115

$0.92 KES 119

-3.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.2

$0.50 KES 64.3

18.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 KES 261

$1.57 KES 204

28.03%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 221

$1.82 KES 236

-6.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 KES 1,427

$13.98 KES 1,814

-21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 KES 834

$4.89 KES 635

31.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 KES 836

$5.25 KES 682

22.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 KES 451

$2.16 KES 280

60.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.14 KES 148

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KES 260

$1.84 KES 239

9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$0.71 KES 92.4

61.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$0.69 KES 88.9

60.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$1.02 KES 132

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$0.59 KES 77.0

27.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 97.7

$0.42 KES 55.1

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 KES 453

$3.97 KES 515

-12.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.33 KES 1,471

$9.51 KES 1,234

19.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 298

$1.98 KES 257

15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 360

$2.94 KES 382

-5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 KES 105

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.41 KES 4,986

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 KES 202

$3.16 KES 410

-50.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.70 KES 221

-11.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 KES 380

$4.61 KES 598

-36.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.53 KES 199

1.96%

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

$19.2K KES 2.5M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

57.35%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$11.9K KES 1.5M

81.47%

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

$55.3 KES 7,179

$76.8 KES 9,962

-27.93%

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

$15.06 KES 1,955

$9.07 KES 1,177

66.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.56 KES 4,616

$34.36 KES 4,460

3.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.66 KES 2,292

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 KES 2,508

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 KES 996

$15.26 KES 1,980

-49.74%

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

$279 KES 36.2K

$86.7 KES 11.3K

221.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K KES 1.6M

$5,484 KES 711.9K

124.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.85 KES 3,615

$12.89 KES 1,673

116.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.87 KES 3,748

$13.50 KES 1,752

113.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 KES 8,985

$23.07 KES 2,995

200.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 KES 7,576

$46.74 KES 6,067

24.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 KES 20.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 KES 69.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 KES 47.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,457 KES 708.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,881 KES 503.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 KES 49.0K

$317 KES 41.1K

19.16%

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 Molo: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Molo

$209 38.2%

Mombasa

$185 25.8% 11.5% $24

Eating Out

Molo

$124 22.7%

Mombasa

$108 15.1% 12.9% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Molo

$106 19.4%

Mombasa

$120 16.8% 13.4% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Molo

$83 15.2%

Mombasa

$43 6.1% 47.8% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Molo

$15 * 2.8%

Mombasa

$48 6.7% 214% $33

Getting Around

Molo

$9.1 * 1.7%

Mombasa

$53 7.5% 486% $44

Accommodation & Living

Molo

- * 0%

Mombasa

$157 22%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Molo pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34 in Molo vs $25 in Mombasa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $185 per month, with Mombasa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Molo

🇰🇪 Mombasa

🕒 Local time

22:09 10:09 PM

Same time as Molo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

48,356

1,300,000

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Molo Mombasa 610 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Molo
Mombasa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Molo vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molo is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in transport and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Molo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Mombasa pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you’ll spend $546 per month in Molo versus $715 in Mombasa – Molo is about 24% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Molo 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.