Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Kilifi Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Kilifi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $618 per month in Mombasa vs $436 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,060 per month in Mombasa vs $782 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,502 per month in Mombasa vs $1,128 in Kilifi, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 42% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mombasa and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 54% lower, Kilifi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 KES 304

$2.25 KES 291

4.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 KES 2,478

$50.9 KES 6,573

-62.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 KES 1,137

$2.30 KES 297

282.61%

Cappuccino

$3.18 KES 411

$1.90 KES 246

67.37%

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

$0.48 KES 62.4

$0.74 KES 95.8

-35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.78 KES 101

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.98 KES 256

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.88 KES 114

-6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$0.81 KES 104

-39.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 KES 180

$1.90 KES 246

-26.32%

Eggs

$1.79 KES 231

$1.80 KES 233

-0.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 752

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 KES 675

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$2.31 KES 298

-22.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 KES 117

$0.85 KES 109

7.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.83 KES 236

-16.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.66 KES 84.7

19.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.64 KES 83.0

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$0.64 KES 82.4

68.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.0

$0.24 KES 31.15

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 KES 427

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 KES 1,027

$12.82 KES 1,656

-37.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 242

$1.95 KES 253

-3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

$0.78 KES 101

-3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,532

$27.55 KES 3,559

27.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KES 394

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 KES 251

$0.80 KES 103

142.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.37 KES 177

16.79%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

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

$44.61 KES 5,764

$15.61 KES 2,017

185.78%

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

$14.45 KES 1,867

$10.28 KES 1,329

40.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 KES 5,626

$25.26 KES 3,263

72.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 KES 2,337

$28.03 KES 3,622

-35.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 KES 609

$7.62 KES 985

-38.19%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$162 KES 20.9K

-45.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 KES 698.5K

$5,072 KES 655.3K

6.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,684

$9.52 KES 1,229

36.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.80 KES 1,784

$8.67 KES 1,121

59.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,050

$15.59 KES 2,014

51.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 KES 5,934

$17.13 KES 2,213

168.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.4K

$177 KES 22.8K

2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$113 KES 14.6K

4.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

$275 KES 35.5K

114.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KES 59.7K

$266 KES 34.4K

73.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,440 KES 702.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$235 KES 30.4K

36.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

62.50%

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

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $177 in Kilifi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Mombasa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa versus $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Mombasa vs $100 in Kilifi – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $618 in Mombasa, $436 in Kilifi – roughly 42% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $928 per month in Mombasa and $655 in Kilifi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilifi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $87.7 per month in Mombasa and $162 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% more in Mombasa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $618 in Mombasa and $436 in Kilifi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kilifi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Kilifi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mombasa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.