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: $618 in Mombasa versus $463 in Kericho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,060 in Mombasa versus $733 in Kericho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,502 in Mombasa versus $1,004 in Kericho.

Living in Mombasa is roughly 34% more expensive than in Kericho, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 54% lower, Kericho 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 KES 304

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 KES 2,478

$20.67 KES 2,671

-7.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 KES 1,137

$6.64 KES 858

32.53%

Cappuccino

$3.18 KES 411

$2.44 KES 316

30.33%

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

$0.48 KES 62.5

$0.38 KES 48.89

26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.54 KES 70.1

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.34 KES 302

-16.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$1.26 KES 163

123.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.61 KES 78.8

34.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$0.45 KES 58.0

8.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 KES 180

$1.26 KES 163

11.11%

Eggs

$1.79 KES 231

$1.70 KES 219

5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

$11.59 KES 1,497

-16.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 752

$6.87 KES 888

-15.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 KES 675

$4.27 KES 551

22.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$3.14 KES 406

-42.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 KES 117

$1.08 KES 139

-15.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.14 KES 277

-28.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.05 KES 136

-24.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.72 KES 92.8

-5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$0.72 KES 93.0

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.4

$0.30 KES 38.68

120.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.0

$0.65 KES 83.7

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 KES 427

$3.18 KES 411

3.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 KES 1,027

$11.67 KES 1,508

-31.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.28 KES 295

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.71 KES 351

2.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,533

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KES 394

$1.52 KES 197

100.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.50 KES 194

29.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

$2.96 KES 382

54.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.05 KES 136

52.38%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-45.35%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

-41.95%

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

$44.61 KES 5,765

$35.03 KES 4,527

27.35%

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

$14.45 KES 1,867

$16.97 KES 2,193

-14.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 KES 5,627

$39.33 KES 5,082

10.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 KES 2,337

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 KES 609

$6.13 KES 792

-23.16%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$200 KES 25.8K

-56.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 KES 698.6K

$7,960 KES 1.0M

-32.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,684

$18.09 KES 2,338

-27.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.80 KES 1,784

$23.75 KES 3,069

-41.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,050

$66.6 KES 8,608

-64.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 KES 5,935

$55.5 KES 7,165

-17.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KES 59.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,440 KES 702.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kericho: July 14, 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 $169 vs $193 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 34% in total monthly costs ($618 vs $463 including rent). Kericho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $928 in Mombasa and $694 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 $87.7 in Mombasa versus $200 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 34% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.