Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $618 per month in Mombasa vs $765 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,060 per month in Mombasa vs $1,299 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,502 per month in Mombasa vs $1,832 in Nairobi, rent included.

Mombasa is about 19% cheaper than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mombasa and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 54% lower, Nairobi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 KES 304

$5.55 KES 717

-57.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 KES 2,478

$38.48 KES 4,972

-50.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 KES 1,137

$6.64 KES 858

32.53%

Cappuccino

$3.18 KES 411

$2.49 KES 322

27.71%

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

$0.48 KES 62.4

$0.70 KES 91.1

-31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.50 KES 65.0

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.36 KES 305

-16.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.83 KES 366

-0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.86 KES 111

-4.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$0.56 KES 72.6

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 KES 180

$1.60 KES 207

-12.50%

Eggs

$1.79 KES 231

$1.68 KES 216

6.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

$11.71 KES 1,513

-17.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 752

$6.91 KES 893

-15.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 KES 675

$5.64 KES 729

-7.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$3.08 KES 398

-41.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 KES 117

$1.07 KES 139

-14.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.06 KES 266

-26.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.04 KES 135

-24.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$1.07 KES 138

-36.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$1.15 KES 149

-6.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.4

$0.65 KES 84.5

1.54%

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

$3.16 KES 409

4.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 KES 1,027

$11.79 KES 1,523

-32.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 242

$2.21 KES 285

-14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.83 KES 365

-2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

$0.75 KES 97.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,532

$30.90 KES 3,992

13.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KES 394

$1.53 KES 198

99.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.50 KES 193

29.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

$2.95 KES 382

55.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.53 KES 198

4.58%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

-40.31%

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

$44.61 KES 5,764

$33.74 KES 4,359

32.22%

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

$14.45 KES 1,867

$16.72 KES 2,160

-13.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 KES 5,626

$38.94 KES 5,032

11.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 KES 2,337

$43.13 KES 5,573

-58.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

$20.62 KES 2,664

-6.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 KES 609

$6.36 KES 822

-25.94%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$205 KES 26.5K

-57.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 KES 698.5K

$8,113 KES 1.0M

-33.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,684

$18.49 KES 2,389

-29.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.80 KES 1,784

$23.69 KES 3,061

-41.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,050

$64.3 KES 8,308

-63.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 KES 5,934

$55.6 KES 7,184

-17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.4K

$438 KES 56.6K

-58.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$186 KES 24.1K

-36.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

$1,142 KES 147.5K

-48.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KES 59.7K

$432 KES 55.8K

6.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,440 KES 702.8K

$1,526 KES 197.1K

256.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.6K

$909 KES 117.5K

320.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$431 KES 55.7K

-25.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-12.40%

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

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $438 in Nairobi. 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 34% higher in Nairobi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa versus $38.00 in Nairobi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $207 – 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 Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $618 in Mombasa, $765 in Nairobi – roughly 24% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $928 per month in Mombasa and $1,147 in Nairobi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa and $38.00 in Nairobi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $618 in Mombasa and $765 in Nairobi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $618 in Mombasa and $765 in Nairobi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Nairobi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $618 in Mombasa to $765 in Nairobi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mombasa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nairobi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.