Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Garissa Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Garissa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Mombasa vs $461 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Mombasa vs $775 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Mombasa vs $1,089 in Garissa, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 31% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Garissa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 308

$6.38 KES 827

-62.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.29 KES 2,498

$22.95 KES 2,974

-15.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 KES 1,106

$2.67 KES 346

219.48%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 421

$4.16 KES 539

-21.88%

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

$0.51 KES 66.3

$1.10 KES 143

-53.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.2

$0.68 KES 87.9

-30.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

$2.65 KES 343

10.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.84 KES 109

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.3

$0.51 KES 66.3

3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 187

$1.15 KES 149

25.22%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 223

$1.65 KES 214

4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 KES 1,291

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 754

$6.32 KES 819

-7.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 679

$4.25 KES 550

23.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.15 KES 408

-42.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KES 121

$2.28 KES 296

-59.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$3.08 KES 399

-49.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$0.64 KES 83.4

18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.4

$0.86 KES 112

-17.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.14 KES 148

-7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.9

$0.70 KES 90.2

-4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$0.44 KES 57.2

29.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 430

$2.29 KES 297

44.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 KES 1,023

$5.66 KES 733

39.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 252

$1.87 KES 243

3.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

$3.20 KES 414

-14.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,546

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 391

$2.31 KES 299

30.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 252

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 597

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$1.08 KES 140

48.15%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$9,343 KES 1.2M

26.15%

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

$44.87 KES 5,813

$15.74 KES 2,040

185.07%

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

$14.07 KES 1,822

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 KES 5,715

$23.24 KES 3,011

89.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,356

$22.82 KES 2,956

-20.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 KES 589

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,325 KES 689.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 KES 1,734

$11.81 KES 1,531

13.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 KES 1,792

$7.53 KES 976

83.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,059

$22.75 KES 2,948

3.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.29 KES 6,126

$23.61 KES 3,058

100.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

$99.9 KES 12.9K

77.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$77.2 KES 10.0K

49.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.4K

$191 KES 24.8K

216.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 KES 60.2K

$173 KES 22.5K

168.15%

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

$128 KES 16.6K

148.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Garissa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Mombasa versus $99.9 in Garissa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 148% higher in Mombasa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa versus $23.00 in Garissa. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Mombasa vs $154 in Garissa – so Garissa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Garissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $604 in Mombasa, $461 in Garissa – roughly 31% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $907 per month in Mombasa and $691 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Garissa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa and $23.00 in Garissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $604 in Mombasa and $461 in Garissa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $604 in Mombasa and $461 in Garissa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Garissa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Garissa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mombasa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.