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: $618 in Mombasa versus $498 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,060 in Mombasa versus $791 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,502 in Mombasa versus $1,084 in Embu.

Living in Mombasa is roughly 24% more expensive than in Embu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 54% lower, Embu 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 KES 304

$5.29 KES 684

-55.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 KES 2,478

$31.17 KES 4,027

-38.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 KES 1,137

$5.31 KES 686

65.73%

Cappuccino

$3.18 KES 411

$2.26 KES 292

40.71%

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

$0.48 KES 62.5

$0.33 KES 43.05

45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.22 KES 28.39

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.27 KES 293

-13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.96 KES 382

-4.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.51 KES 66.5

60.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$0.52 KES 67.0

-5.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 KES 180

$0.95 KES 122

47.37%

Eggs

$1.79 KES 231

$1.71 KES 221

4.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

$3.83 KES 495

153.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 752

$3.25 KES 420

79.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 KES 675

$4.07 KES 526

28.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$3.03 KES 391

-40.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 KES 117

$1.04 KES 134

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.07 KES 268

-26.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.40 KES 51.8

97.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.68 KES 87.2

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$0.90 KES 117

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.4

$0.66 KES 84.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.0

$0.53 KES 68.4

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 KES 427

$3.12 KES 403

5.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 KES 1,027

$11.67 KES 1,508

-31.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.28 KES 295

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.78 KES 360

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

$1.19 KES 154

-36.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,533

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KES 394

$1.52 KES 196

100.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.57 KES 203

23.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

$2.97 KES 383

54.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.44 KES 186

11.11%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

$21.8K KES 2.8M

-44.97%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$12.3K KES 1.6M

-3.77%

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

$44.61 KES 5,765

$34.82 KES 4,499

28.12%

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

$14.45 KES 1,867

$16.52 KES 2,134

-12.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 KES 5,627

$38.04 KES 4,916

14.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 KES 2,337

$17.29 KES 2,234

4.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 KES 609

$4.20 KES 543

12.14%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$199 KES 25.8K

-55.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 KES 698.6K

$8,200 KES 1.1M

-34.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,684

$9.43 KES 1,219

38.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.80 KES 1,784

$24.50 KES 3,166

-43.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,050

$65.8 KES 8,501

-64.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 KES 5,935

$15.59 KES 2,015

194.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.4K

$77.8 KES 10.1K

132.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$55.1 KES 7,116

114.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KES 59.7K

$93.5 KES 12.1K

394.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,440 KES 702.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$268 KES 34.6K

20.00%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Embu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $181 in Mombasa and $77.8 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mombasa pays 20% 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 $169 vs $146, 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 24% in total monthly costs ($618 vs $498 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $181 in Mombasa versus $77.8 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $87.7 in Mombasa versus $199 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 24% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.