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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Mombasa vs $647 in Kisumu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Mombasa vs $976 in Kisumu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Mombasa vs $1,306 in Kisumu, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 6% more than Kisumu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mombasa and Kisumu are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 50% lower, Kisumu 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 KES 298

$3.79 KES 490

-39.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,982

$25.57 KES 3,308

-9.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,373

$6.07 KES 785

74.79%

Cappuccino

$3.60 KES 466

$2.62 KES 339

37.40%

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

$1.00 KES 130

$0.56 KES 72.2

78.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.8

$0.52 KES 67.0

-19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$1.96 KES 253

15.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$2.63 KES 340

22.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$0.53 KES 67.9

77.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.56 KES 71.9

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.87 KES 242

-15.51%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.64 KES 212

10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,416

$10.44 KES 1,351

4.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$6.23 KES 806

-12.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.34 KES 691

$4.90 KES 633

8.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$3.36 KES 434

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$0.94 KES 122

22.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$2.06 KES 266

-13.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.1

$1.11 KES 144

-41.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$1.06 KES 137

-32.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$0.89 KES 115

17.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.68 KES 87.8

-16.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.3

$0.76 KES 98.5

-39.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

$3.16 KES 409

42.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 KES 985

$7.49 KES 969

1.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 KES 258

$2.20 KES 284

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

$2.34 KES 303

23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$0.80 KES 103

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,916

$22.92 KES 2,964

65.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

$1.58 KES 205

90.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 222

$1.50 KES 194

14.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

$2.86 KES 370

58.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.58 KES 205

-1.27%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

-39.98%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

-40.90%

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

$55.1 KES 7,126

$59.9 KES 7,741

-7.95%

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

$13.42 KES 1,735

$15.04 KES 1,945

-10.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,388

$35.28 KES 4,563

-3.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,355

$23.27 KES 3,010

-21.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,451

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 KES 1,423

$7.81 KES 1,010

40.85%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$116 KES 15.0K

-24.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.3K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

-51.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,686

$11.43 KES 1,478

14.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,746

$19.11 KES 2,472

-29.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,990

$15.76 KES 2,038

46.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,889

$15.30 KES 1,979

197.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

$157 KES 20.3K

45.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$141 KES 18.2K

9.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

$568 KES 73.5K

-5.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 KES 50.3K

$217 KES 28.0K

79.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 698.0K

$787 KES 101.8K

585.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$780 KES 100.9K

-58.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

-11.62%

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

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Mombasa versus $157 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 $23.00 in Mombasa versus $26.00 in Kisumu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $186 – 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 6% more than Kisumu, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Mombasa and $971 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 6% 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 $23.00 in Mombasa and $26.00 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 $689 in Mombasa and $647 in Kisumu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $647 versus $689 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.