Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Isiolo

For one person, living is cheaper in Isiolo: $544 a month against $717 in Mombasa, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mombasa outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

35

Cost of Living Index in Mombasa
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Mombasa Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Isiolo
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Isiolo Living Index

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Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$717

/mo nomad

Isiolo

🇰🇪 Kenya

$544

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mombasa and in Isiolo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mombasa and in Isiolo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $717 in Mombasa versus $544 in Isiolo.

Mombasa $717
Isiolo $544

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,144 in Mombasa versus $891 in Isiolo.

Mombasa $1,144
Isiolo $891

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,571 in Mombasa versus $1,239 in Isiolo.

Mombasa $1,571
Isiolo $1,239

Living in Mombasa is roughly 32% more expensive than in Isiolo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 47% lower, Isiolo 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 KES 356

$6.25 KES 811

-56.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.98 KES 3,239

$35.04 KES 4,543

-28.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 KES 1,347

$6.40 KES 829

62.34%

Cappuccino

$2.70 KES 350

$2.69 KES 349

0.37%

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

$0.74 KES 96.1

$0.66 KES 84.9

12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.8

$0.56 KES 73.0

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 KES 298

$2.29 KES 297

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 KES 432

$2.64 KES 342

26.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 KES 127

$0.89 KES 116

10.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.2

$0.57 KES 73.4

-12.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 KES 195

$1.91 KES 248

-21.47%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 236

$1.68 KES 218

8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.11 KES 1,830

$10.78 KES 1,398

30.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 KES 639

$6.48 KES 840

-23.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.48 KES 711

$6.22 KES 807

-11.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 KES 271

$3.30 KES 427

-36.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$1.05 KES 136

10.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 KES 231

$2.03 KES 263

-12.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.6

$1.15 KES 149

-40.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.3

$1.12 KES 145

-38.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 KES 131

$1.08 KES 140

-6.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 KES 78.6

$0.73 KES 94.9

-16.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.4

$0.75 KES 96.7

-42.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 KES 537

$3.52 KES 457

17.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.70 KES 1,257

$11.43 KES 1,482

-15.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 KES 250

$2.32 KES 300

-16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 KES 379

$2.69 KES 349

8.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.38 KES 4,976

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 KES 397

$1.52 KES 197

101.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 KES 228

$1.52 KES 197

15.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 KES 597

$2.86 KES 371

60.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 202

$1.61 KES 209

-3.73%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.8K KES 2.8M

-44.48%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-40.17%

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

$77.6 KES 10.1K

$56.5 KES 7,319

37.54%

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

$9.35 KES 1,213

$14.95 KES 1,939

-37.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.13 KES 4,426

$34.44 KES 4,465

-0.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.15 KES 2,354

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.59 KES 2,540

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 KES 1,982

$7.75 KES 1,004

97.29%

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

$88.2 KES 11.4K

$249 KES 32.3K

-64.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,301 KES 687.3K

$12.4K KES 1.6M

-57.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.08 KES 1,696

$27.88 KES 3,615

-53.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.44 KES 1,743

$29.53 KES 3,829

-54.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.46 KES 3,041

$71.4 KES 9,256

-67.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.81 KES 5,939

$58.6 KES 7,592

-21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 KES 29.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 KES 68.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KES 48.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,417 KES 702.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,805 KES 493.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 KES 42.0K

$777 KES 100.7K

-58.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

-11.62%

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

Last update for Mombasa: October 17, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Mombasa

$186 25.9%

Isiolo

$206 37.9% 10.9% $20

Accommodation & Living

Mombasa

$156 21.8%

Isiolo

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mombasa

$121 16.9%

Isiolo

$106 19.5% 12.6% $15

Eating Out

Mombasa

$109 15.2%

Isiolo

$123 22.6% 13.2% $14

Getting Around

Mombasa

$53 7.4%

Isiolo

$9.1 * 1.7% 82.9% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Mombasa

$49 6.8%

Isiolo

$15 * 2.9% 68.2% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Mombasa

$43 6%

Isiolo

$84 15.5% 95.6% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 140% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Mombasa vs $35.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $206 per month, with Mombasa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Mombasa

🇰🇪 Isiolo

🕒 Local time

13:19 1:19 PM

Same time as Mombasa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,300,000

45,989

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mombasa Isiolo 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mombasa
Isiolo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Isiolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Mombasa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 140% lower in Isiolo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Mombasa pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $717 per month in Mombasa versus $544 in Isiolo – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Isiolo 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 Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.