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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Mombasa vs $630 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Mombasa vs $1,038 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Mombasa vs $1,446 in Kilifi, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 9% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mombasa and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 50% lower, Kilifi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 KES 298

$1.96 KES 253

17.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,981

$49.48 KES 6,398

-53.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,372

$2.37 KES 307

347.68%

Cappuccino

$3.60 KES 466

$1.96 KES 253

83.67%

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

$1.00 KES 130

$0.81 KES 104

23.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.7

$0.75 KES 96.6

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$1.56 KES 201

44.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$1.09 KES 141

-13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.83 KES 108

-40.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$2.06 KES 267

-23.30%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.93 KES 250

-5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,415

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.34 KES 691

$7.95 KES 1,028

-32.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$2.34 KES 303

-10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$0.72 KES 93.1

59.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$1.72 KES 223

4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.1

$0.48 KES 61.7

35.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$0.80 KES 104

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$0.78 KES 101

34.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.3

$0.24 KES 31.03

91.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 KES 984

$12.50 KES 1,616

-39.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 KES 258

$1.72 KES 223

16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$0.78 KES 101

-2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,914

$26.93 KES 3,483

41.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.38 KES 178

13.04%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

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)

$55.1 KES 7,124

$15.34 KES 1,984

259.13%

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

$13.42 KES 1,735

$10.23 KES 1,322

31.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$25.09 KES 3,244

35.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,354

$28.14 KES 3,638

-35.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,450

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 KES 1,422

$7.51 KES 971

46.47%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$161 KES 20.8K

-45.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.0K

$4,960 KES 641.3K

11.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$9.61 KES 1,242

35.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,745

$9.06 KES 1,171

49.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,989

$15.33 KES 1,982

50.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,887

$17.41 KES 2,251

161.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

$328 KES 42.4K

-30.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$307 KES 39.7K

-49.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

$273 KES 35.4K

96.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 KES 50.2K

$564 KES 72.9K

-31.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 697.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$228 KES 29.4K

40.87%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Mombasa versus $328 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 41% 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 $23.00 in Mombasa versus $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Mombasa vs $125 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: $689 in Mombasa, $630 in Kilifi – roughly 9% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Mombasa and $944 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 $161 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $689 in Mombasa and $630 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.