Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Embu

For one person, living is cheaper in Embu: $517 a month against $719 in Mombasa, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Mombasa
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Mombasa Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Embu
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Embu Living Index

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Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$719

/mo nomad

Embu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$517

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mombasa and in Embu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $719 in Mombasa versus $517 in Embu.

Mombasa $719
Embu $517

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,147 in Mombasa versus $822 in Embu.

Mombasa $1,147
Embu $822

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,575 in Mombasa versus $1,127 in Embu.

Mombasa $1,575
Embu $1,127

Living in Mombasa is roughly 39% more expensive than in Embu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 47% lower, Embu 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 KES 345

$6.24 KES 809

-57.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 KES 3,285

$30.87 KES 4,002

-17.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 KES 1,359

$5.42 KES 702

93.36%

Cappuccino

$2.74 KES 355

$2.35 KES 305

16.60%

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

$0.68 KES 88.0

$0.36 KES 46.68

88.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.7

$0.24 KES 31.13

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 303

$2.28 KES 296

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 KES 428

$2.63 KES 341

25.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 KES 130

$0.56 KES 72.9

78.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 KES 65.6

$0.52 KES 66.8

-1.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 KES 201

$0.96 KES 124

61.46%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 236

$1.71 KES 222

6.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 KES 1,803

$3.89 KES 504

257.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 KES 648

$3.21 KES 416

55.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.25 KES 681

$4.20 KES 544

25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 272

$3.34 KES 433

-37.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$1.05 KES 136

10.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 KES 228

$2.06 KES 267

-14.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.9

$0.41 KES 53.0

70.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.8

$0.63 KES 81.5

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$0.91 KES 118

10.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.4

$0.74 KES 95.8

-18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.6

$0.55 KES 71.9

-21.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 KES 518

$3.65 KES 473

9.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.56 KES 1,239

$11.48 KES 1,489

-16.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 258

$2.23 KES 289

-10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 365

$2.70 KES 350

4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.14 KES 148

-29.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.84 KES 5,035

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 410

$1.51 KES 196

109.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 KES 227

$1.58 KES 205

10.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 KES 603

$2.94 KES 382

58.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.60 KES 207

-2.50%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.2K KES 2.7M

-43.03%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

-2.74%

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

$76.9 KES 9,975

$57.1 KES 7,400

34.79%

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

$9.14 KES 1,184

$15.06 KES 1,952

-39.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.48 KES 4,470

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,357

$17.41 KES 2,257

4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.93 KES 2,454

Cinema Ticket

$15.63 KES 2,027

$4.28 KES 555

265.19%

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

$86.4 KES 11.2K

$251 KES 32.5K

-65.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,415 KES 702.1K

$12.6K KES 1.6M

-56.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.05 KES 1,692

$9.22 KES 1,196

41.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.77 KES 1,785

$29.38 KES 3,809

-53.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.30 KES 3,021

$70.3 KES 9,113

-66.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.20 KES 5,990

$15.37 KES 1,993

200.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 KES 29.5K

$76.2 KES 9,876

198.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 KES 20.4K

$53.1 KES 6,886

195.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 KES 70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 KES 48.3K

$91.6 KES 11.9K

306.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,411 KES 701.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,884 KES 503.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 KES 40.5K

$272 KES 35.3K

14.95%

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: October 10, 2026

Last update for Embu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Mombasa

$185 25.8%

Embu

$148 28.6% 20.3% $38

Accommodation & Living

Mombasa

$157 21.9%

Embu

$53 10.3% 66.2% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mombasa

$121 16.8%

Embu

$107 20.6% 11.6% $14

Eating Out

Mombasa

$109 15.1%

Embu

$113 22% 4.4% $4.8

Getting Around

Mombasa

$54 7.5%

Embu

$14 * 2.7% 74.1% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Mombasa

$49 6.9%

Embu

$26 5% 47.5% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Mombasa

$43 6%

Embu

$56 10.8% 29% $13

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $227 in Mombasa and $76.2 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mombasa pays 15% 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: $25.00 in Mombasa vs $31.00 in Embu. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $148, with Embu cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Mombasa

🇰🇪 Embu

🕒 Local time

20:54 8:54 PM

Same time as Mombasa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,300,000

41,092

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Mombasa Embu 460 km

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Mombasa
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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

Mombasa vs Embu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mombasa and Embu differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($719 vs $517 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $227 in Mombasa versus $76.2 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $86.4 in Mombasa versus $251 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 $25.00 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 39% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.