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: $696 in Mombasa versus $491 in Kericho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in Mombasa versus $765 in Kericho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,567 in Mombasa versus $1,040 in Kericho.

Living in Mombasa is roughly 42% more expensive than in Kericho, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 50% lower, Kericho 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$2.38 KES 308

-4.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.41 KES 3,027

$20.92 KES 2,705

11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 KES 1,353

$6.35 KES 821

64.72%

Cappuccino

$3.72 KES 481

$2.71 KES 351

37.27%

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

$0.94 KES 122

$0.38 KES 48.60

147.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 51.6

$0.52 KES 67.8

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 294

$2.28 KES 295

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

$1.26 KES 163

153.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 115

$0.60 KES 77.4

48.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$0.48 KES 62.3

10.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.26 KES 162

25.40%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 224

$1.69 KES 218

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 KES 1,406

$10.42 KES 1,347

4.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 KES 732

$6.26 KES 810

-9.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.33 KES 689

$4.21 KES 545

26.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 KES 273

$3.32 KES 430

-36.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.05 KES 135

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 KES 226

$1.96 KES 253

-10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.7

$1.12 KES 144

-42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 KES 86.3

$0.71 KES 92.0

-5.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 KES 131

$0.67 KES 86.8

50.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 77.6

$0.30 KES 38.76

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.6

$0.63 KES 81.8

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.59 KES 594

$3.51 KES 453

30.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 KES 1,016

$11.46 KES 1,482

-31.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 257

$2.31 KES 299

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$2.73 KES 353

8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.13 KES 5,059

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 KES 393

$1.52 KES 197

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 KES 219

$1.51 KES 196

12.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 KES 598

$2.93 KES 379

58.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.50 KES 195

4.00%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

-40.24%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$19.4K KES 2.5M

-37.72%

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

$54.4 KES 7,029

$61.5 KES 7,949

-11.58%

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

$13.01 KES 1,682

$14.97 KES 1,935

-13.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$35.81 KES 4,631

-5.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.29 KES 2,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 KES 2,545

Cinema Ticket

$11.02 KES 1,424

$7.51 KES 971

46.74%

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

$88.4 KES 11.4K

$239 KES 30.9K

-63.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,445 KES 704.0K

$11.8K KES 1.5M

-53.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.32 KES 1,722

$26.83 KES 3,469

-50.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.39 KES 1,732

$26.07 KES 3,371

-48.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.00 KES 2,974

$63.1 KES 8,153

-63.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.52 KES 6,015

$58.9 KES 7,611

-20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 KES 30.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 KES 69.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 KES 50.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,432 KES 702.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,861 KES 499.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 KES 41.9K

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kericho: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $23.00 in Mombasa vs $21.00 in Kericho. Groceries flip the comparison at $175 vs $186, with Mombasa cheaper for home cooking.

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 42% in total monthly costs ($696 vs $491 including rent). Kericho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,044 in Mombasa and $737 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 $88.4 in Mombasa versus $239 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 $23.00 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 42% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.