Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Kilifi

For one person, living is cheaper in Kilifi: $634 a month against $719 in Mombasa, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. The total is higher in Mombasa despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Mombasa
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Mombasa Living Index

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Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$719

/mo nomad

Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$634

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mombasa and in Kilifi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mombasa and in Kilifi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $719 per month in Mombasa vs $634 in Kilifi, rent included.

Mombasa $719
Kilifi $634

A couple spends around $1,147 per month in Mombasa vs $1,049 in Kilifi, rent included.

Mombasa $1,147
Kilifi $1,049

A family of three spends $1,575 per month in Mombasa vs $1,465 in Kilifi, rent included.

Mombasa $1,575
Kilifi $1,465

Mombasa costs about 13% more than Kilifi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mombasa and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 47% lower, Kilifi 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 KES 345

$1.90 KES 246

40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 KES 3,285

$49.32 KES 6,394

-48.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 KES 1,359

$2.29 KES 297

357.64%

Cappuccino

$2.74 KES 355

$1.99 KES 257

37.69%

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

$0.68 KES 88.0

$0.81 KES 105

-16.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.7

$0.74 KES 96.2

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 303

$1.52 KES 196

53.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 KES 428

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 KES 130

$1.06 KES 137

-5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 KES 65.6

$0.88 KES 114

-42.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 KES 201

$2.01 KES 260

-22.89%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 236

$1.94 KES 251

-6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 KES 1,803

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 KES 648

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.25 KES 681

$7.89 KES 1,023

-33.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 272

$2.28 KES 296

-7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$0.70 KES 90.9

65.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 KES 228

$1.79 KES 232

-1.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.9

$0.45 KES 57.7

55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.8

$0.79 KES 103

-8.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$0.79 KES 103

27.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.6

$0.22 KES 28.39

95.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 KES 518

Wine (Bottle)

$9.56 KES 1,239

$12.67 KES 1,643

-24.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 258

$1.72 KES 222

15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 365

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.74 KES 95.7

8.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.84 KES 5,035

$26.67 KES 3,457

45.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 410

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 KES 227

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 KES 603

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.32 KES 171

18.18%

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)

$76.9 KES 9,975

$15.65 KES 2,029

391.63%

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

$9.14 KES 1,184

$10.43 KES 1,353

-12.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.48 KES 4,470

$25.11 KES 3,255

37.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,357

$27.40 KES 3,552

-33.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.93 KES 2,454

Cinema Ticket

$15.63 KES 2,027

$7.52 KES 974

107.85%

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

$86.4 KES 11.2K

$160 KES 20.8K

-46.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,415 KES 702.1K

$4,984 KES 646.1K

8.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.05 KES 1,692

$9.82 KES 1,273

32.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.77 KES 1,785

$8.90 KES 1,154

54.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.30 KES 3,021

$15.50 KES 2,009

50.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.20 KES 5,990

$17.60 KES 2,282

162.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 KES 29.5K

$329 KES 42.7K

-30.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 KES 20.4K

$303 KES 39.3K

-48.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 KES 70.0K

$273 KES 35.4K

97.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 KES 48.3K

$570 KES 73.9K

-34.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,411 KES 701.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,884 KES 503.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 KES 40.5K

$227 KES 29.4K

37.88%

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: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Mombasa

$185 25.8%

Kilifi

–

Accommodation & Living

Mombasa

$157 21.9%

Kilifi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mombasa

$121 16.8%

Kilifi

–

Eating Out

Mombasa

$109 15.1%

Kilifi

–

Getting Around

Mombasa

$54 7.5%

Kilifi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Mombasa

$49 6.9%

Kilifi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Mombasa

$43 6%

Kilifi

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $227 in Mombasa versus $329 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 38% 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 $25.00 in Mombasa versus $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Mombasa vs $124 in Kilifi – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kilifi

🕒 Local time

14:47 2:47 PM

Same time as Mombasa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,300,000

122,899

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Mombasa Kilifi 51 km

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Mombasa
Kilifi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $719 in Mombasa, $634 in Kilifi – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,078 per month in Mombasa and $951 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 $86.4 per month in Mombasa and $160 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $719 in Mombasa and $634 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.