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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $614 per month in Mombasa vs $593 in Naivasha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Mombasa vs $999 in Naivasha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Mombasa vs $1,405 in Naivasha, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 4% more than Naivasha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Naivasha are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 54% lower, Naivasha 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 KES 301

$5.31 KES 685

-56.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.28 KES 2,488

$38.46 KES 4,964

-49.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 KES 1,154

$7.00 KES 903

27.71%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 419

$2.44 KES 315

33.20%

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

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.70 KES 90.7

-31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 57.8

$0.50 KES 64.7

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 KES 255

$2.25 KES 291

-12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 KES 376

$2.95 KES 381

-1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 106

$0.94 KES 121

-11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.8

$0.52 KES 67.6

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 KES 182

$1.59 KES 206

-11.32%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.68 KES 217

8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 KES 1,279

$11.59 KES 1,496

-14.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 KES 757

$6.79 KES 876

-13.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 676

$5.68 KES 733

-7.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 KES 235

$3.17 KES 409

-42.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 112

$1.05 KES 135

-17.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 196

$2.10 KES 271

-27.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$1.06 KES 137

-28.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.7

$1.07 KES 138

-38.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.17 KES 151

-8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 KES 80.9

$0.68 KES 88.2

-7.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 79.8

$0.81 KES 105

-23.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 429

$3.15 KES 406

5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 KES 1,005

$11.51 KES 1,486

-32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

$2.28 KES 295

-14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.83 KES 365

-2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 KES 4,423

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 408

$1.52 KES 197

107.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 KES 245

$1.50 KES 193

26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 KES 587

$2.86 KES 370

59.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 KES 211

$1.57 KES 202

3.82%

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

$11.9K KES 1.5M

$21.8K KES 2.8M

-45.56%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-41.52%

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

$44.31 KES 5,720

$34.07 KES 4,398

30.06%

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

$14.23 KES 1,837

$16.95 KES 2,188

-16.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.18 KES 5,702

$39.34 KES 5,077

12.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.34 KES 2,367

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.55 KES 2,523

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 592

$6.04 KES 780

-24.01%

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

$85.7 KES 11.1K

$200 KES 25.8K

-57.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,452 KES 703.7K

$8,196 KES 1.1M

-33.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.12 KES 1,693

$17.94 KES 2,315

-26.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.86 KES 1,789

$23.99 KES 3,096

-42.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.60 KES 3,046

$64.8 KES 8,360

-63.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.61 KES 6,016

$57.5 KES 7,416

-18.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 KES 23.1K

$114 KES 14.7K

56.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$77.6 KES 10.0K

46.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 KES 77.0K

$228 KES 29.5K

161.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 KES 58.8K

$184 KES 23.7K

147.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,498 KES 709.6K

$757 KES 97.8K

625.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 KES 493.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.2K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Naivasha: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $179 in Mombasa versus $114 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 $19.00 in Mombasa versus $38.00 in Naivasha. 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 Naivasha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $614 in Mombasa, $593 in Naivasha – roughly 4% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $921 per month in Mombasa and $890 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 $614 in Mombasa and $593 in Naivasha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $85.7 per month in Mombasa and $200 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 $614 in Mombasa and $593 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.