Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Embu Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Embu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $604 in Mombasa versus $494 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,064 in Mombasa versus $793 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,525 in Mombasa versus $1,092 in Embu.

Living in Mombasa is roughly 22% more expensive than Embu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 55% lower, Embu 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 308

$5.48 KES 710

-56.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.29 KES 2,498

$31.25 KES 4,049

-38.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 KES 1,106

$5.46 KES 707

56.23%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 421

$2.27 KES 295

43.17%

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

$0.51 KES 66.3

$0.33 KES 43.20

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.2

$0.22 KES 28.32

113.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.37 KES 308

-19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

$2.96 KES 383

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.56 KES 72.7

44.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.3

$0.49 KES 63.4

8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 187

$0.95 KES 124

51.58%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 223

$1.70 KES 220

1.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 KES 1,291

$3.89 KES 504

156.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 754

$3.26 KES 422

78.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 679

$4.23 KES 547

23.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.13 KES 405

-42.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KES 121

$1.09 KES 141

-14.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$2.07 KES 268

-24.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$0.40 KES 52.4

90.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.4

$0.63 KES 81.8

12.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$0.91 KES 118

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.9

$0.65 KES 84.6

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$0.52 KES 67.1

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 430

$3.11 KES 403

6.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 KES 1,023

$11.69 KES 1,514

-32.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 252

$2.29 KES 297

-15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

$2.79 KES 361

-2.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 103

$1.15 KES 149

-31.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,546

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 391

$1.57 KES 203

92.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.52 KES 197

28.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 597

$2.92 KES 378

57.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$1.49 KES 193

7.38%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.3K KES 2.8M

-43.26%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$12.6K KES 1.6M

-6.23%

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

$44.87 KES 5,813

$34.28 KES 4,441

30.89%

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

$14.07 KES 1,822

$16.91 KES 2,190

-16.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 KES 5,715

$37.94 KES 4,915

16.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,356

$17.66 KES 2,288

2.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 KES 589

$4.31 KES 558

5.57%

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

$201 KES 26.0K

-56.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,325 KES 689.9K

$8,024 KES 1.0M

-33.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 KES 1,734

$9.36 KES 1,213

43.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 KES 1,792

$23.63 KES 3,062

-41.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,059

$66.0 KES 8,548

-64.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.29 KES 6,126

$15.35 KES 1,989

208.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

$76.2 KES 9,868

133.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$55.2 KES 7,153

108.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 KES 60.2K

$92.6 KES 12.0K

402.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,402 KES 699.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 497.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$318 KES 41.2K

$270 KES 35.0K

17.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-12.40%

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

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Embu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in Mombasa and $76.2 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mombasa pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Mombasa vs $31.00 in Embu. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $147, with Embu 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 Embu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mombasa and Embu differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($604 vs $494 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mombasa pays 18% more on average, 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: $178 in Mombasa versus $76.2 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $87.3 in Mombasa versus $201 in Embu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Embu – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $19.00 in Mombasa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Embu 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 Embu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.