Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Kiambu Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Kiambu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $696 in Mombasa versus $474 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in Mombasa versus $774 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,567 in Mombasa versus $1,075 in Kiambu.

Living in Mombasa is roughly 47% more expensive than in Kiambu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 50% lower, Kiambu 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$3.97 KES 513

-42.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.41 KES 3,027

$34.24 KES 4,427

-31.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 KES 1,353

$6.01 KES 777

74.04%

Cappuccino

$3.72 KES 481

$2.71 KES 350

37.27%

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

$0.94 KES 122

$0.55 KES 71.3

70.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 51.6

$0.52 KES 67.7

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 294

$2.29 KES 296

-0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

$2.66 KES 344

20.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 115

$0.54 KES 69.6

64.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$0.50 KES 65.3

6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.89 KES 244

-16.40%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 224

$1.42 KES 184

21.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 KES 1,406

$10.54 KES 1,363

3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 KES 732

$6.30 KES 814

-10.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.33 KES 689

$4.07 KES 526

30.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 KES 273

$3.25 KES 420

-35.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.01 KES 130

13.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 KES 226

$0.76 KES 97.8

130.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.7

$0.60 KES 77.0

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 KES 86.3

$0.68 KES 88.4

-1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 KES 131

$0.73 KES 93.9

38.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 77.6

$0.30 KES 38.67

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.6

$0.40 KES 52.0

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.59 KES 594

$3.45 KES 447

33.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 KES 1,016

$11.74 KES 1,518

-33.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 257

$2.29 KES 296

-13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$2.74 KES 354

8.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.68 KES 87.6

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.13 KES 5,059

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 KES 393

$1.55 KES 201

96.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 KES 219

$0.37 KES 48.15

359.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 KES 598

$2.97 KES 384

55.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.57 KES 204

-0.64%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

-39.75%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$19.6K KES 2.5M

-38.28%

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

$54.4 KES 7,029

$60.0 KES 7,754

-9.35%

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

$13.01 KES 1,682

$7.74 KES 1,001

68.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$35.57 KES 4,599

-4.64%

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

$5.87 KES 759

87.73%

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

$88.4 KES 11.4K

$243 KES 31.4K

-63.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,445 KES 704.0K

$11.5K KES 1.5M

-52.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.32 KES 1,722

$26.69 KES 3,451

-50.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.39 KES 1,732

$25.86 KES 3,343

-48.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.00 KES 2,974

$64.0 KES 8,269

-64.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.52 KES 6,015

$61.0 KES 7,882

-23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 KES 30.3K

$117 KES 15.1K

100.38%

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

$1,149 KES 148.6K

372.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,861 KES 499.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 KES 41.9K

$122 KES 15.8K

164.97%

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 Kiambu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Mombasa and $117 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mombasa pays 165% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Mombasa vs $34.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $177 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 Kiambu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kiambu is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 165% higher in Mombasa, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $234 in Mombasa versus $117 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $88.4 in Mombasa versus $243 in Kiambu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kiambu – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $23.00 in Mombasa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kiambu 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 Kiambu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Mombasa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.