Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Meru

For one person, living is cheaper in Meru: $520 a month against $721 in Mombasa, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Mombasa
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Mombasa Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Meru
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Meru Living Index

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Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$721

/mo nomad

Meru

🇰🇪 Kenya

$520

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mombasa and in Meru

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $721 in Mombasa versus $520 in Meru.

Mombasa $721
Meru $520

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,150 in Mombasa versus $853 in Meru.

Mombasa $1,150
Meru $853

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,578 in Mombasa versus $1,185 in Meru.

Mombasa $1,578
Meru $1,185

Living in Mombasa is roughly 39% more expensive than in Meru, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mombasa 47% lower, Meru 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 KES 357

$6.43 KES 835

-57.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.43 KES 3,302

$34.99 KES 4,542

-27.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.28 KES 1,335

$6.24 KES 810

64.74%

Cappuccino

$2.68 KES 348

$2.59 KES 336

3.47%

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

$0.69 KES 89.5

$0.66 KES 85.6

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.4

$0.66 KES 86.0

-21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 304

$2.35 KES 305

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 KES 430

$2.73 KES 355

21.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 KES 127

$0.82 KES 106

19.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.7

$0.40 KES 51.4

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.11 KES 144

37.84%

Eggs

$1.76 KES 228

$1.46 KES 190

20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.92 KES 1,808

$10.70 KES 1,389

30.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 KES 642

$6.68 KES 867

-25.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.41 KES 702

$5.12 KES 665

5.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 KES 271

$3.35 KES 434

-37.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 KES 154

$0.80 KES 104

48.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KES 237

$0.75 KES 98.0

144.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.1

$0.80 KES 103

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.8

$1.16 KES 150

-37.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.01 KES 132

4.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.1

$0.24 KES 31.32

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.6

$0.40 KES 51.9

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 KES 532

$3.38 KES 439

21.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.56 KES 1,241

$11.69 KES 1,518

-18.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 KES 250

$2.29 KES 297

-16.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 KES 371

$2.67 KES 347

6.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.88 KES 5,048

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 KES 411

$1.57 KES 204

101.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 KES 227

$1.52 KES 198

15.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 KES 611

$2.85 KES 370

64.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$19.5K KES 2.5M

-39.53%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-44.48%

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

$79.4 KES 10.3K

$57.0 KES 7,393

39.47%

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

$9.00 KES 1,168

$15.21 KES 1,975

-40.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.29 KES 4,582

$34.48 KES 4,477

2.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.93 KES 2,328

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.22 KES 2,496

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 KES 1,980

$7.51 KES 976

103.06%

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

$281 KES 36.4K

-68.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,448 KES 707.4K

$12.1K KES 1.6M

-54.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.90 KES 1,674

$27.89 KES 3,621

-53.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.67 KES 1,775

$28.49 KES 3,699

-52.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.36 KES 3,032

$69.5 KES 9,026

-66.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.73 KES 6,067

$57.8 KES 7,501

-19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 KES 20.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 KES 69.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 KES 48.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,392 KES 700.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,834 KES 497.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 KES 40.7K

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: October 31, 2026

Last update for Meru: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Mombasa

$185 25.7%

Meru

$183 35.2% 1.2% $2.2

Accommodation & Living

Mombasa

$158 21.9%

Meru

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mombasa

$124 17.2%

Meru

$107 20.5% 13.8% $17

Eating Out

Mombasa

$108 15%

Meru

$124 23.8% 14.4% $16

Getting Around

Mombasa

$54 7.5%

Meru

$9.2 * 1.8% 83% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Mombasa

$48 6.7%

Meru

$15 * 2.9% 69% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Mombasa

$43 6%

Meru

$83 15.9% 90% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25 in Mombasa vs $35 in Meru. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $183, with Meru cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Mombasa

🇰🇪 Meru

🕒 Local time

09:06 9:06 AM

Same time as Mombasa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,300,000

1,833,000

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.84 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.84 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mombasa Meru 510 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mombasa
Meru

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 Meru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meru wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Mombasa. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Meru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,082 in Mombasa and $781 in Meru 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.

All in, you’ll spend $721 per month in Mombasa versus $520 in Meru – Meru is about 28% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Dining out is cheaper in Mombasa – a meal for two runs $25 versus $35 in Meru. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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