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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Mombasa vs $593 in Kisumu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Mombasa vs $945 in Kisumu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Mombasa vs $1,298 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 55% lower, Kisumu 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 307

$4.58 KES 593

-48.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.29 KES 2,496

$23.50 KES 3,042

-17.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 KES 1,105

$6.78 KES 877

25.81%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 421

$2.26 KES 292

43.81%

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

$0.51 KES 66.2

$0.60 KES 77.6

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.2

$0.51 KES 65.6

-7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.95 KES 252

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 379

$2.85 KES 369

2.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.53 KES 68.2

52.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.3

$0.56 KES 72.4

-5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 187

$1.67 KES 216

-13.77%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 223

$1.62 KES 209

6.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 KES 1,290

$11.81 KES 1,529

-15.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 754

$6.59 KES 852

-11.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 678

$5.14 KES 665

1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.04 KES 394

-40.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KES 121

$1.03 KES 134

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$2.17 KES 280

-28.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$1.00 KES 129

-24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.3

$1.07 KES 139

-33.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$0.95 KES 123

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.8

$0.64 KES 82.5

4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 KES 73.9

$0.76 KES 98.2

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 430

$3.15 KES 408

5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 KES 1,022

$7.93 KES 1,026

-0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 251

$2.29 KES 296

-15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

$2.34 KES 302

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 103

$0.79 KES 102

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,542

$23.22 KES 3,006

51.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 390

$1.57 KES 204

92.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.51 KES 196

29.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 596

$2.97 KES 384

55.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 207

$1.53 KES 198

4.58%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

-43.88%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

-41.04%

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

$44.87 KES 5,809

$34.39 KES 4,452

30.47%

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

$14.07 KES 1,821

$16.65 KES 2,155

-15.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 KES 5,711

$39.66 KES 5,134

11.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,354

$22.91 KES 2,966

-20.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,454

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 KES 589

$6.03 KES 780

-24.54%

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

$115 KES 14.9K

-24.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,325 KES 689.4K

$8,201 KES 1.1M

-35.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 KES 1,733

$11.50 KES 1,488

16.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 KES 1,791

$19.49 KES 2,523

-29.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,057

$15.54 KES 2,012

51.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.29 KES 6,121

$15.66 KES 2,027

201.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

$138 KES 17.9K

28.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$107 KES 13.8K

7.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.3K

$351 KES 45.5K

72.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 KES 60.2K

$218 KES 28.2K

113.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,402 KES 699.3K

$772 KES 99.9K

600.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 496.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$318 KES 41.1K

$768 KES 99.5K

-58.65%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 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 142% 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 $24.00 in Kisumu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 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 $907 per month in Mombasa and $890 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 13% 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 $24.00 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 $604 in Mombasa and $593 in Kisumu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $593 versus $604 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.