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: $689 in Mombasa versus $489 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,111 in Mombasa versus $789 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,534 in Mombasa versus $1,089 in Embu.

Living in Mombasa is roughly 41% more expensive than in Embu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 50% lower, Embu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 KES 298

$3.93 KES 509

-41.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,982

$31.04 KES 4,017

-25.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,373

$5.30 KES 686

100.19%

Cappuccino

$3.60 KES 466

$2.25 KES 292

60.00%

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

$1.00 KES 130

$0.34 KES 43.64

194.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.8

$0.22 KES 28.31

90.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$2.38 KES 308

-5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$2.67 KES 345

20.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$0.55 KES 71.7

70.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.52 KES 67.6

-5.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$0.96 KES 124

64.58%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.71 KES 221

6.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,416

$3.78 KES 489

189.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$3.20 KES 414

70.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.34 KES 692

$4.23 KES 547

26.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$3.32 KES 430

-36.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$1.04 KES 135

10.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$1.94 KES 251

-7.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.1

$0.37 KES 48.42

75.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$0.69 KES 89.4

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$0.92 KES 119

14.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.73 KES 94.9

-21.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.4

$0.53 KES 68.1

-13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

$3.43 KES 443

31.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 KES 985

$11.70 KES 1,513

-34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 KES 259

$2.25 KES 291

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

$2.83 KES 367

1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$1.14 KES 147

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,917

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

$1.56 KES 202

92.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 222

$1.52 KES 196

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

$2.86 KES 370

58.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.53 KES 198

1.96%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$20.4K KES 2.6M

-40.88%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$12.5K KES 1.6M

-5.73%

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

$55.1 KES 7,128

$60.5 KES 7,827

-8.94%

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

$13.42 KES 1,736

$15.08 KES 1,951

-11.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,389

$35.70 KES 4,619

-4.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,355

$17.09 KES 2,211

6.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,452

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 KES 1,423

$4.13 KES 534

166.34%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$239 KES 30.9K

-63.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.4K

$11.7K KES 1.5M

-52.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,686

$9.17 KES 1,187

42.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,746

$25.70 KES 3,324

-47.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,991

$64.3 KES 8,313

-64.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,891

$15.23 KES 1,970

198.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

$77.7 KES 10.1K

194.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$54.4 KES 7,034

183.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 KES 50.3K

$93.0 KES 12.0K

317.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 698.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$273 KES 35.3K

17.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

-11.62%

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

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Embu: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $229 in Mombasa and $77.7 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: $23.00 in Mombasa vs $31.00 in Embu. Groceries flip the comparison at $175 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 41% in total monthly costs ($689 vs $489 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Mombasa, 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: $229 in Mombasa versus $77.7 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $87.7 in Mombasa versus $239 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 $23.00 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 41% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.