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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $674 per month in Mombasa vs $549 in Naivasha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,121 per month in Mombasa vs $883 in Naivasha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,569 per month in Mombasa vs $1,216 in Naivasha, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 23% more than Naivasha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Naivasha are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 51% lower, Naivasha 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$4.67 KES 604

-51.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,982

$35.04 KES 4,534

-34.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 KES 1,332

$6.31 KES 817

63.07%

Cappuccino

$3.69 KES 478

$2.74 KES 354

34.67%

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

$1.01 KES 131

$0.64 KES 82.7

57.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.0

$0.63 KES 81.6

-31.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 KES 306

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 KES 423

$2.73 KES 354

19.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 122

$0.93 KES 121

1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.6

$0.57 KES 74.3

-12.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.89 KES 244

-17.46%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 227

$1.68 KES 218

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 KES 1,429

$10.76 KES 1,392

2.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 KES 712

$6.48 KES 839

-15.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.31 KES 687

$6.28 KES 812

-15.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 KES 281

$3.33 KES 431

-34.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 KES 154

$1.07 KES 139

11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 KES 239

$1.98 KES 256

-6.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$1.15 KES 149

-44.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 KES 87.1

$1.09 KES 141

-38.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.08 KES 140

-2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 KES 72.8

$0.68 KES 88.6

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.3

$0.75 KES 96.6

-42.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 KES 589

$3.54 KES 459

28.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 KES 973

$11.65 KES 1,507

-35.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 KES 248

$2.31 KES 299

-16.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 KES 364

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.16 KES 4,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 KES 404

$1.52 KES 197

105.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 KES 232

$1.50 KES 195

19.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 KES 612

$2.92 KES 377

61.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 200

$1.51 KES 195

2.65%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

-43.85%

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

$11.7K KES 1.5M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

-41.52%

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

$56.0 KES 7,246

$63.2 KES 8,180

-11.44%

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

$13.27 KES 1,717

$15.86 KES 2,052

-16.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 KES 4,352

$35.78 KES 4,630

-5.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.32 KES 2,371

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.23 KES 2,488

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 KES 1,373

$7.77 KES 1,005

36.55%

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

$87.8 KES 11.4K

$252 KES 32.6K

-65.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,364 KES 694.0K

$11.5K KES 1.5M

-53.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.27 KES 1,717

$27.66 KES 3,579

-52.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.59 KES 1,758

$27.43 KES 3,550

-50.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.09 KES 2,987

$70.9 KES 9,168

-67.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.00 KES 5,953

$59.1 KES 7,646

-22.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 KES 29.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 20.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 KES 71.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 KES 51.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,493 KES 710.8K

$778 KES 100.7K

606.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,917 KES 506.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$315 KES 40.8K

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Naivasha: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Mombasa versus $35.00 in Naivasha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 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: $674 in Mombasa, $549 in Naivasha – roughly 23% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,010 per month in Mombasa and $823 in Naivasha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $674 in Mombasa and $549 in Naivasha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $87.8 per month in Mombasa and $252 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 $674 in Mombasa and $549 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.