Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Galle Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Galle

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $689 in Mombasa versus $470 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,111 in Mombasa versus $755 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,534 in Mombasa versus $1,039 in Galle.

Living in Mombasa is roughly 46% more expensive than in Galle, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 50% lower, Galle 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 KES 298

$1.56 LKR 511

47.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,981

$23.98 LKR 7,862

-3.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,372

$7.82 LKR 2,565

35.68%

Cappuccino

$3.60 KES 466

$1.82 LKR 596

97.80%

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

$1.00 KES 130

$0.73 LKR 241

36.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.7

$0.25 LKR 81.3

68.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$1.18 LKR 388

91.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$1.50 LKR 492

114.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$1.64 LKR 539

-42.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.54 LKR 177

-9.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$0.77 LKR 252

105.19%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.64 LKR 536

10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,415

$13.18 LKR 4,323

-17.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$4.97 LKR 1,631

9.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.34 KES 691

$7.06 LKR 2,317

-24.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$6.67 LKR 2,187

-68.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$0.73 LKR 240

57.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$4.40 LKR 1,444

-59.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.1

$1.24 LKR 408

-47.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$1.05 LKR 345

-31.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$0.82 LKR 268

28.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.89 LKR 290

-35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.3

$0.49 LKR 160

-6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

$10.40 LKR 3,410

-56.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 KES 984

$9.37 LKR 3,071

-18.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 KES 258

$1.91 LKR 626

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

$2.91 LKR 953

-1.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$0.16 LKR 54.0

375.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,914

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

$0.29 LKR 94.4

937.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

$0.29 LKR 93.9

489.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

$0.95 LKR 311

377.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.29 LKR 423

20.93%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

-59.69%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$42.3K LKR 13.9M

-72.16%

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

$55.1 KES 7,124

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

-1.02%

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

$13.42 KES 1,735

$4.18 LKR 1,372

221.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$20.94 LKR 6,868

61.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,354

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,450

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 KES 1,422

$4.29 LKR 1,406

156.41%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$38.18 LKR 12.5K

129.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.0K

$1,207 LKR 395.8K

356.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$19.74 LKR 6,473

-33.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,745

$16.48 LKR 5,405

-18.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,989

$78.3 LKR 25.7K

-70.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,887

$41.74 LKR 13.7K

9.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 KES 50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 697.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$315 LKR 103.3K

1.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

2.44%

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

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Galle: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mombasa pays 2% 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 $24.00 in Galle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $227 per month, with Mombasa cheaper across the board.

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 Galle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galle is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Mombasa, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $87.7 in Mombasa versus $38.18 in Galle. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Galle – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $23.00 in Mombasa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Galle gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Galle is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mombasa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Galle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.