Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Kisumu Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Kisumu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $618 per month in Mombasa vs $604 in Kisumu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,060 per month in Mombasa vs $955 in Kisumu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,502 per month in Mombasa vs $1,305 in Kisumu, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 2% more than Kisumu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mombasa and Kisumu are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 54% lower, Kisumu 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 KES 304

$4.76 KES 615

-50.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 KES 2,478

$23.41 KES 3,025

-18.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 KES 1,137

$6.42 KES 829

37.07%

Cappuccino

$3.18 KES 411

$2.26 KES 292

40.71%

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

$0.48 KES 62.5

$0.56 KES 71.9

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.54 KES 70.1

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.89 KES 244

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.87 KES 371

-1.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.51 KES 66.5

60.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$0.53 KES 68.0

-7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 KES 180

$1.66 KES 215

-15.66%

Eggs

$1.79 KES 231

$1.70 KES 219

5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

$11.51 KES 1,487

-15.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 752

$6.94 KES 897

-16.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 KES 675

$5.14 KES 665

1.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$3.15 KES 406

-43.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 KES 117

$1.04 KES 135

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.07 KES 267

-26.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.02 KES 131

-22.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$1.08 KES 140

-37.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$0.88 KES 114

22.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.4

$0.66 KES 84.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.0

$0.75 KES 96.6

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 KES 427

$3.12 KES 404

5.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 KES 1,027

$7.72 KES 998

2.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.29 KES 296

-17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.30 KES 297

20.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

$0.75 KES 96.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,533

$22.84 KES 2,952

53.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KES 394

$1.58 KES 204

93.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.57 KES 203

23.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

$2.81 KES 364

62.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.52 KES 196

5.26%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

$22.1K KES 2.9M

-45.69%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

-41.86%

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

$44.61 KES 5,765

$34.40 KES 4,446

29.68%

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

$14.45 KES 1,867

$16.99 KES 2,195

-14.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 KES 5,627

$39.89 KES 5,155

9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 KES 2,337

$23.55 KES 3,043

-23.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 KES 609

$6.09 KES 787

-22.66%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$115 KES 14.9K

-24.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 KES 698.6K

$8,154 KES 1.1M

-33.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,684

$11.50 KES 1,486

13.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.80 KES 1,784

$19.04 KES 2,461

-27.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,050

$15.22 KES 1,967

55.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 KES 5,935

$15.75 KES 2,035

191.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.4K

$138 KES 17.8K

31.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$109 KES 14.0K

8.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

$353 KES 45.7K

67.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KES 59.7K

$213 KES 27.5K

117.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,440 KES 702.9K

$772 KES 99.7K

605.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$781 KES 100.9K

-58.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33%

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

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $138 in Kisumu. 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 143% higher in Kisumu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa versus $23.00 in Kisumu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $192 – making Mombasa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kisumu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mombasa costs about 2% more than Kisumu, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $928 per month in Mombasa and $906 in Kisumu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Mombasa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa and $23.00 in Kisumu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $618 in Mombasa and $604 in Kisumu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $604 versus $618 in Mombasa. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kisumu. 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.