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: $605 in Mombasa versus $529 in Eldoret.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,067 in Mombasa versus $935 in Eldoret.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,528 in Mombasa versus $1,341 in Eldoret.

Living in Mombasa is roughly 14% more expensive than Eldoret, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 55% lower, Eldoret 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 KES 310

$5.39 KES 699

-55.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.38 KES 2,513

$38.45 KES 4,985

-49.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 KES 1,135

$7.01 KES 909

24.82%

Cappuccino

$3.14 KES 408

$2.49 KES 323

26.10%

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

$0.51 KES 66.7

$0.75 KES 96.7

-32.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$0.51 KES 65.5

-7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.26 KES 294

-15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 387

$2.85 KES 370

4.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 107

$0.70 KES 91.2

18.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.2

$0.47 KES 61.2

12.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.18 KES 154

20.34%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$1.58 KES 204

13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 KES 1,268

$3.84 KES 498

154.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 KES 773

$3.65 KES 473

63.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.40 KES 701

$4.14 KES 537

30.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 KES 241

$3.16 KES 410

-41.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 113

$0.88 KES 114

-1.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.65 KES 214

-4.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.04 KES 135

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$0.52 KES 66.9

38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.84 KES 109

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.7

$0.65 KES 84.2

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.1

$0.68 KES 87.8

-14.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 447

$3.18 KES 413

8.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 KES 1,004

$5.65 KES 733

37.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.72 KES 224

13.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$1.53 KES 199

81.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$1.35 KES 175

-45.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.22 KES 4,566

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 KES 398

$1.57 KES 204

95.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.56 KES 202

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 KES 586

$2.93 KES 380

54.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.48 KES 191

11.49%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

-44.26%

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

-39.63%

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

$45.06 KES 5,842

$34.23 KES 4,438

31.64%

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

$14.19 KES 1,840

$16.98 KES 2,202

-16.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.51 KES 5,641

$39.36 KES 5,103

10.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.03 KES 2,337

$38.19 KES 4,952

-52.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 KES 2,494

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 KES 604

$5.05 KES 655

-7.92%

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

$85.5 KES 11.1K

$63.2 KES 8,196

35.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,329 KES 691.0K

$7,903 KES 1.0M

-32.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.41 KES 1,739

$11.69 KES 1,516

14.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.57 KES 1,760

$24.05 KES 3,119

-43.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.90 KES 2,970

$19.24 KES 2,495

19.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.05 KES 6,101

$35.23 KES 4,568

33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 23.0K

$91.4 KES 11.9K

94.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.8K

$88.2 KES 11.4K

28.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 KES 76.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 KES 59.6K

$268 KES 34.8K

71.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,473 KES 709.6K

$624 KES 81.0K

776.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,912 KES 507.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.3K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Eldoret: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in Mombasa and $91.4 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 $171 vs $135, 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 $908 in Mombasa and $793 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: $177 in Mombasa versus $91.4 in Eldoret. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Mombasa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $605 per month in Mombasa versus $529 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.