Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Kisii

For one person, living is cheaper in Kisii: $304 a month against $721 in Mombasa, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Mombasa
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Mombasa Living Index

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Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$721

/mo nomad

Kisii

🇰🇪 Kenya

$304

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mombasa and in Kisii

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 Kisii actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $721 in Mombasa versus $304 in Kisii.

Mombasa $721
Kisii $304

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,150 in Mombasa versus $444 in Kisii.

Mombasa $1,150
Kisii $444

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,578 in Mombasa versus $585 in Kisii.

Mombasa $1,578
Kisii $585

Living in Mombasa is roughly 137% more expensive than in Kisii, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 47% lower, Kisii 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 KES 357

$2.75 KES 358

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.43 KES 3,303

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.28 KES 1,335

Cappuccino

$2.68 KES 348

$1.37 KES 178

95.62%

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

$0.69 KES 89.5

$0.87 KES 113

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.4

$0.22 KES 28.46

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 304

$1.83 KES 237

27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 KES 430

$2.25 KES 293

47.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 KES 127

$0.94 KES 122

4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.8

$0.48 KES 62.0

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 KES 199

$2.26 KES 294

-32.30%

Eggs

$1.76 KES 228

$1.81 KES 236

-2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.92 KES 1,808

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 KES 642

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.41 KES 703

$4.67 KES 606

15.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 KES 271

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 KES 154

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KES 237

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.2

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 KES 532

Wine (Bottle)

$9.56 KES 1,241

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 KES 250

$1.97 KES 256

-2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 KES 371

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.37 KES 47.40

116.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.88 KES 5,049

$15.58 KES 2,023

149.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 KES 411

$0.76 KES 98.6

317.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 KES 227

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 KES 611

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$1.47 KES 190

8.84%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$11.7K KES 1.5M

4.38%

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

$79.4 KES 10.3K

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

$9.00 KES 1,168

$16.21 KES 2,105

-44.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.29 KES 4,583

$47.51 KES 6,170

-25.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.93 KES 2,329

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 KES 2,496

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 KES 1,980

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

$37.99 KES 4,933

129.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,448 KES 707.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.90 KES 1,675

$11.44 KES 1,486

12.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.67 KES 1,775

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.36 KES 3,033

$38.57 KES 5,008

-39.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.73 KES 6,068

$30.24 KES 3,927

54.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 KES 20.5K

$75.5 KES 9,802

109.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 KES 69.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 KES 48.4K

$155 KES 20.1K

140.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,392 KES 700.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,834 KES 497.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 KES 40.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mombasa: October 31, 2026

Last update for Kisii: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Mombasa

$185 25.7%

Kisii

–

Accommodation & Living

Mombasa

$158 21.9%

Kisii

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mombasa

$124 17.2%

Kisii

–

Eating Out

Mombasa

$108 15%

Kisii

–

Getting Around

Mombasa

$54 7.5%

Kisii

–

Sport & Entertainment

Mombasa

$48 6.7%

Kisii

–

Clothing & Footwear

Mombasa

$43 6%

Kisii

–

Good to know

🇰🇪 Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kisii

🕒 Local time

03:59 3:59 AM

Same time as Mombasa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,300,000

200,000

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mombasa Kisii 660 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mombasa
Kisii

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 Kisii: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisii wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Mombasa. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kisii the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,082 in Mombasa and $456 in Kisii 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 241% higher in Mombasa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $721 per month in Mombasa versus $304 in Kisii – Kisii is about 58% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kisii 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.