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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Mombasa vs $844 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Mombasa vs $1,376 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Mombasa vs $1,908 in Nairobi, rent included.

Mombasa is about 18% cheaper than Nairobi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mombasa and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 50% lower, Nairobi 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 KES 298

$3.75 KES 485

-38.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,981

$35.04 KES 4,531

-34.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,372

$6.31 KES 815

68.15%

Cappuccino

$3.60 KES 466

$2.70 KES 350

33.33%

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

$1.00 KES 130

$0.60 KES 77.5

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.7

$0.52 KES 67.1

-19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$2.34 KES 302

-3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$2.75 KES 356

17.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$0.89 KES 116

5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.57 KES 73.2

-14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.85 KES 240

-14.59%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.70 KES 220

7.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,415

$10.55 KES 1,364

3.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$6.30 KES 814

-13.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.34 KES 691

$6.09 KES 787

-12.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$3.38 KES 438

-37.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$1.00 KES 130

15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$1.95 KES 253

-8.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.1

$1.06 KES 138

-38.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$1.06 KES 136

-32.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$1.04 KES 135

0.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.69 KES 89.0

-17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.3

$0.73 KES 94.3

-36.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

$3.39 KES 439

33.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 KES 984

$11.53 KES 1,491

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 KES 258

$2.22 KES 287

-9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

$2.72 KES 352

5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$0.74 KES 96.2

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,914

$46.72 KES 6,041

-18.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

$1.50 KES 194

100.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

$1.58 KES 204

8.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

$2.95 KES 381

53.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.52 KES 196

2.63%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

-39.92%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$19.6K KES 2.5M

-39.95%

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

$55.1 KES 7,124

$62.0 KES 8,016

-11.13%

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

$13.42 KES 1,735

$15.43 KES 1,995

-13.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$34.66 KES 4,482

-2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,354

$51.0 KES 6,589

-64.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,450

$14.56 KES 1,883

30.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 KES 1,422

$7.92 KES 1,024

38.89%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$234 KES 30.3K

-62.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.0K

$11.5K KES 1.5M

-52.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$26.93 KES 3,482

-51.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,745

$25.62 KES 3,313

-47.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,989

$64.2 KES 8,301

-63.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,887

$59.8 KES 7,726

-23.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

$458 KES 59.3K

-50.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$210 KES 27.2K

-26.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

$1,152 KES 148.9K

-53.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 KES 50.2K

$505 KES 65.4K

-23.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 697.7K

$1,344 KES 173.7K

301.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.3K

$912 KES 117.9K

331.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$473 KES 61.2K

-32.22%

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 Nairobi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Mombasa versus $458 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 48% 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 $23.00 in Mombasa versus $35.00 in Nairobi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $203 – 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: $689 in Mombasa, $844 in Nairobi – roughly 23% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Mombasa and $1,266 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 $23.00 in Mombasa and $35.00 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 $689 in Mombasa and $844 in Nairobi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mombasa, where all-in costs run around $689, than in Nairobi at $844. In Mombasa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nairobi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nairobi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $689 in Mombasa to $844 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.