Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Kericho Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Kericho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $604 in Mombasa versus $458 in Kericho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,064 in Mombasa versus $733 in Kericho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,525 in Mombasa versus $1,009 in Kericho.

Living in Mombasa is roughly 32% more expensive than Kericho, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 55% lower, Kericho 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 308

$2.25 KES 292

5.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.29 KES 2,498

$21.09 KES 2,732

-8.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 KES 1,106

$6.77 KES 878

26.00%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 421

$2.49 KES 323

30.52%

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

$0.51 KES 66.3

$0.40 KES 51.9

27.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.2

$0.50 KES 65.1

-6.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.27 KES 294

-16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

$1.21 KES 157

142.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.64 KES 83.2

26.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.3

$0.47 KES 61.0

12.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 187

$1.26 KES 163

14.29%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 223

$1.68 KES 218

2.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 KES 1,291

$11.84 KES 1,534

-15.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 754

$6.92 KES 897

-15.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 679

$4.26 KES 552

23.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.05 KES 395

-40.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KES 121

$1.03 KES 134

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$2.15 KES 278

-27.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$1.00 KES 130

-24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.4

$0.67 KES 87.1

5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$0.73 KES 94.7

43.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.9

$0.32 KES 41.89

109.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$0.59 KES 76.8

-3.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 430

$3.08 KES 399

7.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 KES 1,023

$11.53 KES 1,493

-31.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 252

$2.22 KES 288

-12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

$2.75 KES 356

-0.73%

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

$1.58 KES 205

91.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.55 KES 201

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 597

$2.81 KES 365

64.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$1.02 KES 132

56.86%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$22.1K KES 2.9M

-45.29%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-41.56%

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

$44.87 KES 5,813

$34.90 KES 4,521

28.57%

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

$14.07 KES 1,822

$17.05 KES 2,209

-17.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 KES 5,715

$39.62 KES 5,133

11.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,356

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 KES 589

$6.01 KES 779

-24.29%

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

$203 KES 26.3K

-56.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,325 KES 689.9K

$8,072 KES 1.0M

-34.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 KES 1,734

$18.33 KES 2,374

-26.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 KES 1,792

$23.80 KES 3,083

-41.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,059

$66.2 KES 8,579

-64.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.29 KES 6,126

$57.0 KES 7,387

-17.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 KES 60.2K

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-12.40%

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

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kericho: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $19.00 in Mombasa vs $21.00 in Kericho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $192 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 Kericho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mombasa and Kericho differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($604 vs $458 including rent). Kericho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $907 in Mombasa and $687 in Kericho to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $87.3 in Mombasa versus $203 in Kericho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kericho – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $19.00 in Mombasa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kericho 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 Kericho 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.