Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Eldoret Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Eldoret

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $614 in Mombasa versus $539 in Eldoret.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,068 in Mombasa versus $940 in Eldoret.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,523 in Mombasa versus $1,340 in Eldoret.

Living in Mombasa is roughly 14% more expensive than Eldoret, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 54% lower, Eldoret 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 KES 301

$5.54 KES 715

-57.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.28 KES 2,488

$38.10 KES 4,917

-49.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 KES 1,154

$6.95 KES 898

28.63%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 419

$2.44 KES 315

33.20%

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

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.74 KES 95.7

-35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 57.8

$0.54 KES 69.5

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 KES 255

$2.27 KES 293

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 KES 376

$2.85 KES 368

2.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 106

$0.70 KES 90.4

18.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.8

$0.48 KES 61.8

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 KES 182

$1.24 KES 160

13.71%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.64 KES 212

10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 KES 1,279

$3.97 KES 512

149.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 KES 757

$3.64 KES 470

61.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 676

$4.17 KES 538

25.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 KES 235

$3.15 KES 407

-42.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 112

$0.89 KES 114

-2.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.64 KES 211

-7.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$1.04 KES 135

-26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.7

$0.56 KES 72.4

17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.89 KES 115

20.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 KES 80.9

$0.65 KES 84.2

-3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 79.8

$0.64 KES 82.3

-3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 429

$3.17 KES 409

4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 KES 1,005

$5.94 KES 766

31.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.69 KES 218

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$1.57 KES 203

76.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.4

$1.37 KES 177

-46.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 KES 4,423

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 408

$1.58 KES 203

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 KES 245

$1.52 KES 196

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 KES 587

$2.95 KES 381

54.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 KES 211

$1.53 KES 198

6.54%

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

$11.9K KES 1.5M

$21.6K KES 2.8M

-45.03%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

-40.77%

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

$44.31 KES 5,720

$33.93 KES 4,380

30.59%

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

$14.23 KES 1,837

$16.66 KES 2,150

-14.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.18 KES 5,702

$38.81 KES 5,009

13.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.34 KES 2,367

$38.19 KES 4,929

-51.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.55 KES 2,523

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 592

$5.15 KES 664

-10.87%

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

$85.7 KES 11.1K

$65.5 KES 8,450

30.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,452 KES 703.7K

$8,025 KES 1.0M

-32.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.12 KES 1,693

$11.66 KES 1,504

12.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.86 KES 1,789

$23.97 KES 3,094

-42.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.60 KES 3,046

$19.57 KES 2,526

20.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.61 KES 6,016

$34.63 KES 4,469

34.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 KES 23.1K

$91.6 KES 11.8K

95.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$90.6 KES 11.7K

25.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 KES 77.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 KES 58.8K

$268 KES 34.6K

69.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,498 KES 709.6K

$627 KES 80.9K

776.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 KES 493.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33%

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

Last update for Mombasa: April 27, 2026

Last update for Eldoret: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $179 in Mombasa and $91.6 in Eldoret. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Mombasa vs $38.00 in Eldoret. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $136, with Eldoret 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

Mombasa vs Eldoret: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eldoret wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Mombasa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Eldoret the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $921 in Mombasa and $809 in Eldoret to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $179 in Mombasa versus $91.6 in Eldoret. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Mombasa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $614 per month in Mombasa versus $539 in Eldoret – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Eldoret 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.

Expats usually find Eldoret gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.