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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $618 per month in Mombasa vs $467 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,060 per month in Mombasa vs $774 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,502 per month in Mombasa vs $1,082 in Garissa, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 32% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 54% lower, Garissa 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 KES 304

$6.55 KES 846

-64.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 KES 2,478

$23.28 KES 3,008

-17.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 KES 1,137

$2.78 KES 359

216.55%

Cappuccino

$3.18 KES 411

$4.36 KES 563

-27.06%

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

$0.48 KES 62.4

$1.15 KES 148

-58.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.68 KES 87.5

-29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.88 KES 243

4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.74 KES 354

2.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.86 KES 111

-4.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$0.52 KES 66.8

-5.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 KES 180

$1.10 KES 142

27.27%

Eggs

$1.79 KES 231

$1.70 KES 219

5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 752

$6.28 KES 811

-7.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 KES 675

$4.31 KES 557

21.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$3.03 KES 391

-40.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 KES 117

$2.35 KES 304

-61.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$3.14 KES 405

-51.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.68 KES 88.2

16.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.86 KES 112

-20.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$1.13 KES 145

-4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.4

$0.66 KES 84.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.0

$0.48 KES 62.1

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 KES 427

$2.37 KES 306

39.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 KES 1,027

$5.65 KES 730

40.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 242

$1.83 KES 237

2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$3.34 KES 432

-17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,532

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KES 394

$2.36 KES 304

29.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 KES 251

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.07 KES 139

49.53%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$9,144 KES 1.2M

29.00%

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

$44.61 KES 5,764

$15.34 KES 1,982

190.81%

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

$14.45 KES 1,867

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 KES 5,626

$22.96 KES 2,967

89.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 KES 2,337

$23.01 KES 2,973

-21.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 KES 609

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 KES 698.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,684

$11.45 KES 1,480

13.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.80 KES 1,784

$7.86 KES 1,015

75.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,050

$23.53 KES 3,040

0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 KES 5,934

$22.86 KES 2,953

100.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.4K

$103 KES 13.3K

76.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$76.1 KES 9,831

55.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

$193 KES 24.9K

206.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KES 59.7K

$171 KES 22.1K

170.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,440 KES 702.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$130 KES 16.8K

147.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $103 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 – $169 in Mombasa vs $155 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: $618 in Mombasa, $467 in Garissa – roughly 32% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $928 per month in Mombasa and $700 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 $618 in Mombasa and $467 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 $618 in Mombasa and $467 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.