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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $625 per month in Mombasa vs $584 in Naivasha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,066 per month in Mombasa vs $996 in Naivasha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,508 per month in Mombasa vs $1,408 in Naivasha, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 7% 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 303

$5.49 KES 711

-57.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.23 KES 2,489

$39.35 KES 5,092

-51.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 KES 1,117

$6.70 KES 867

28.81%

Cappuccino

$3.30 KES 427

$2.48 KES 321

33.06%

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

$0.51 KES 66.6

$0.70 KES 90.2

-27.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.2

$0.50 KES 64.5

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 257

$2.36 KES 305

-16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$2.82 KES 364

0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 KES 110

$0.92 KES 119

-7.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.5

$0.53 KES 68.0

-5.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 187

$1.59 KES 205

-9.43%

Eggs

$1.81 KES 235

$1.63 KES 210

11.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 KES 1,295

$11.60 KES 1,500

-13.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 KES 756

$6.83 KES 883

-14.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$5.76 KES 745

-5.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 KES 236

$3.15 KES 408

-42.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 KES 117

$1.09 KES 141

-16.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.08 KES 269

-26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.06 KES 137

-24.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 91.1

$1.08 KES 140

-35.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.12 KES 145

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 79.6

$0.65 KES 83.7

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 77.7

$0.76 KES 98.9

-21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 446

$3.18 KES 412

8.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 KES 1,006

$11.58 KES 1,499

-32.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 KES 247

$2.25 KES 292

-15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

$2.68 KES 347

4.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 KES 4,516

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 390

$1.52 KES 197

98.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.58 KES 205

20.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 596

$2.96 KES 383

55.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 KES 214

$1.53 KES 198

7.84%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

-43.93%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-40.17%

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

$44.92 KES 5,813

$33.91 KES 4,389

32.47%

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

$13.95 KES 1,805

$16.93 KES 2,191

-17.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.46 KES 5,624

$39.45 KES 5,105

10.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.80 KES 2,303

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.17 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 KES 612

$6.13 KES 793

-22.84%

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

$88.7 KES 11.5K

$204 KES 26.4K

-56.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,475 KES 708.5K

$7,965 KES 1.0M

-31.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.32 KES 1,724

$17.91 KES 2,318

-25.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.48 KES 1,744

$23.84 KES 3,085

-43.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,992

$66.5 KES 8,599

-65.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.71 KES 5,914

$57.0 KES 7,380

-19.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$182 KES 23.5K

$114 KES 14.8K

59.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$77.2 KES 9,994

52.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 KES 76.8K

$231 KES 29.9K

157.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 KES 58.1K

$183 KES 23.7K

145.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,322 KES 688.6K

$758 KES 98.1K

602.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,914 KES 506.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Naivasha: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $182 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 $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: $625 in Mombasa, $584 in Naivasha – roughly 7% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $937 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 $625 in Mombasa and $584 in Naivasha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $88.7 per month in Mombasa and $204 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 $625 in Mombasa and $584 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.