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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Mombasa vs $782 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Mombasa vs $1,305 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Mombasa vs $1,828 in Nairobi, rent included.

Mombasa is about 23% cheaper than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mombasa and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Nairobi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 308

$5.35 KES 693

-55.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.29 KES 2,498

$38.02 KES 4,926

-49.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 KES 1,106

$6.91 KES 895

23.44%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 421

$2.39 KES 309

35.98%

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

$0.51 KES 66.3

$0.71 KES 91.9

-28.17%

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

$2.31 KES 299

-17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

$2.97 KES 385

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.94 KES 122

-13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.3

$0.53 KES 68.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 187

$1.64 KES 212

-12.20%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 223

$1.69 KES 218

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 KES 1,291

$11.74 KES 1,521

-15.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 754

$6.84 KES 886

-14.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 679

$5.44 KES 705

-3.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.03 KES 392

-40.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KES 121

$1.08 KES 140

-13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$2.08 KES 269

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$1.04 KES 135

-26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.4

$1.06 KES 138

-33.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.15 KES 150

-8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.9

$0.70 KES 90.9

-4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$0.79 KES 102

-27.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 430

$3.04 KES 394

9.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 KES 1,023

$11.67 KES 1,511

-32.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 252

$2.22 KES 288

-12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

$2.82 KES 365

-3.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 103

$0.75 KES 96.7

5.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,546

$30.59 KES 3,963

14.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 391

$1.59 KES 206

89.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.50 KES 195

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 597

$2.88 KES 373

60.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$1.56 KES 202

2.56%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$22.0K KES 2.9M

-45.09%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$20.4K KES 2.6M

-42.27%

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

$44.87 KES 5,813

$34.70 KES 4,495

29.31%

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

$14.07 KES 1,822

$16.60 KES 2,151

-15.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 KES 5,715

$39.54 KES 5,122

11.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,356

$43.29 KES 5,608

-58.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

$20.63 KES 2,672

-8.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 KES 589

$6.07 KES 787

-25.04%

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

$202 KES 26.1K

-56.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,325 KES 689.9K

$8,140 KES 1.1M

-34.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 KES 1,734

$18.28 KES 2,368

-26.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 KES 1,792

$23.56 KES 3,053

-41.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,059

$66.4 KES 8,605

-64.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.29 KES 6,126

$56.7 KES 7,339

-16.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

$450 KES 58.3K

-60.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$185 KES 23.9K

-37.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.4K

$1,134 KES 146.9K

-46.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 KES 60.2K

$417 KES 54.1K

11.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,402 KES 699.9K

$1,558 KES 201.9K

246.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 497.3K

$886 KES 114.7K

333.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$318 KES 41.2K

$416 KES 53.9K

-23.71%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Mombasa versus $450 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 31% 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: $170 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: $604 in Mombasa, $782 in Nairobi – roughly 29% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $907 per month in Mombasa and $1,174 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 $604 in Mombasa and $782 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 $604 in Mombasa and $782 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 $604 in Mombasa to $782 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.