Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Naivasha Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Naivasha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $619 per month in Mombasa vs $583 in Naivasha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,079 per month in Mombasa vs $973 in Naivasha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,539 per month in Mombasa vs $1,364 in Naivasha, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 6% more than Naivasha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Naivasha are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 53% lower, Naivasha 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 302

$5.37 KES 695

-56.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.58 KES 2,531

$39.34 KES 5,084

-50.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 KES 1,146

$6.95 KES 898

27.63%

Cappuccino

$3.30 KES 426

$2.44 KES 315

35.25%

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

$0.52 KES 66.8

$0.72 KES 93.0

-27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.5

$0.53 KES 68.5

-9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 KES 242

$2.33 KES 302

-19.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 KES 373

$2.94 KES 380

-1.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 105

$0.92 KES 118

-10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.56 KES 72.6

-3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.65 KES 213

-12.73%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 226

$1.62 KES 210

8.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 KES 1,299

$11.55 KES 1,493

-12.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 KES 777

$6.77 KES 875

-11.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 KES 673

$5.45 KES 705

-4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.04 KES 393

-40.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.04 KES 135

-17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.17 KES 280

-29.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.04 KES 135

-29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 92.9

$1.04 KES 134

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.12 KES 145

-4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.5

$0.65 KES 83.5

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.0

$0.80 KES 103

-27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 445

$3.11 KES 402

10.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 KES 1,026

$11.70 KES 1,512

-32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$2.26 KES 292

-13.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

$2.70 KES 349

5.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.00 KES 4,524

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 KES 402

$1.59 KES 206

95.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 KES 242

$1.58 KES 204

18.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 596

$2.97 KES 383

55.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.53 KES 198

4.58%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$21.4K KES 2.8M

-43.00%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$19.7K KES 2.6M

-38.15%

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

$44.01 KES 5,688

$34.40 KES 4,446

27.94%

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

$14.12 KES 1,825

$16.70 KES 2,158

-15.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 KES 5,743

$40.06 KES 5,178

10.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.28 KES 2,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 KES 2,538

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 593

$6.24 KES 807

-26.44%

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

$86.0 KES 11.1K

$205 KES 26.5K

-58.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,470 KES 707.0K

$7,904 KES 1.0M

-30.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.40 KES 1,732

$18.03 KES 2,331

-25.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.87 KES 1,792

$23.62 KES 3,052

-41.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.46 KES 3,032

$64.8 KES 8,370

-63.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.74 KES 6,041

$56.9 KES 7,355

-17.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.3K

$116 KES 15.0K

56.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.2K

$77.8 KES 10.1K

51.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 KES 76.9K

$230 KES 29.8K

158.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 KES 57.8K

$189 KES 24.4K

136.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,454 KES 704.9K

$785 KES 101.4K

594.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,880 KES 501.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$314 KES 40.5K

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 26, 2026

Last update for Naivasha: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $116 in Naivasha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Mombasa versus $39.00 in Naivasha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $206 – 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 Naivasha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $619 in Mombasa, $583 in Naivasha – roughly 6% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $929 per month in Mombasa and $875 in Naivasha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $619 in Mombasa and $583 in Naivasha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $86.0 per month in Mombasa and $205 in Naivasha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $619 in Mombasa and $583 in Naivasha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Naivasha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Naivasha. 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.