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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Mombasa vs $376 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Mombasa vs $657 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Mombasa vs $938 in Garissa, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 83% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mombasa and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 50% lower, Garissa 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 KES 298

$11.69 KES 1,511

-80.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,981

$23.22 KES 3,003

-0.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,372

Cappuccino

$3.60 KES 466

$7.79 KES 1,008

-53.79%

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

$1.00 KES 130

$1.97 KES 255

-49.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.7

$1.14 KES 148

-63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$0.52 KES 67.0

80.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.59 KES 76.7

-16.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.44 KES 186

9.72%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.92 KES 248

-5.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,415

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$6.35 KES 821

-14.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.34 KES 691

$5.36 KES 693

-0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$3.95 KES 510

-46.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$3.05 KES 395

-62.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$4.52 KES 584

-60.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.1

$0.74 KES 95.9

-12.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$1.25 KES 162

-42.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$1.56 KES 201

-32.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$2.30 KES 298

-75.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.3

$0.51 KES 66.4

-9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 KES 984

$5.89 KES 762

29.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 KES 258

$1.68 KES 217

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

$3.79 KES 490

-24.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,914

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

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

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

$55.1 KES 7,124

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

$13.42 KES 1,735

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

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

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,745

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,989

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,887

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

$132 KES 17.1K

142.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Garissa: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 143% 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 $23.00 in Mombasa versus $23.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $182 – making Mombasa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $689 in Mombasa, $376 in Garissa – roughly 83% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Mombasa and $564 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 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 $689 in Mombasa and $376 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 $689 in Mombasa and $376 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.