Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Nanyuki Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Nanyuki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $696 per month in Mombasa vs $577 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,132 per month in Mombasa vs $965 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Mombasa vs $1,352 in Nanyuki, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 21% more than Nanyuki, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Nanyuki are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 50% lower, Nanyuki 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$3.89 KES 503

-41.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.41 KES 3,027

$35.36 KES 4,572

-33.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 KES 1,353

$6.33 KES 819

65.24%

Cappuccino

$3.72 KES 481

$2.66 KES 344

39.85%

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

$0.94 KES 122

$0.57 KES 73.4

64.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 51.6

$0.56 KES 71.8

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 294

$2.34 KES 302

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

$2.67 KES 346

19.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 115

$0.90 KES 116

-1.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$0.54 KES 69.6

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.18 KES 152

33.90%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 224

$1.65 KES 214

4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 KES 1,406

$10.37 KES 1,340

4.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 KES 732

$6.17 KES 798

-8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.33 KES 689

$6.23 KES 806

-14.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 KES 273

$3.34 KES 431

-36.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$0.99 KES 128

16.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 KES 226

$2.03 KES 262

-13.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.7

$1.07 KES 139

-40.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 KES 86.3

$1.10 KES 142

-39.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 KES 131

$1.09 KES 141

-7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 77.6

$0.73 KES 94.4

-17.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.6

$0.72 KES 93.1

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.59 KES 594

$3.45 KES 445

33.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 KES 1,016

$11.82 KES 1,528

-33.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 257

$2.31 KES 298

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$2.77 KES 358

7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.13 KES 5,059

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 KES 393

$1.51 KES 195

101.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 KES 219

$1.51 KES 195

12.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 KES 598

$2.86 KES 370

61.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.59 KES 205

-1.89%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$20.5K KES 2.7M

-40.97%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$19.6K KES 2.5M

-38.43%

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

$54.4 KES 7,029

$60.6 KES 7,832

-10.25%

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

$13.01 KES 1,682

$15.47 KES 2,000

-15.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$35.53 KES 4,594

-4.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.29 KES 2,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 KES 2,545

Cinema Ticket

$11.02 KES 1,424

$7.86 KES 1,017

40.20%

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

$88.4 KES 11.4K

$239 KES 30.9K

-63.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,445 KES 704.0K

$11.6K KES 1.5M

-53.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.32 KES 1,722

$27.29 KES 3,529

-51.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.39 KES 1,732

$25.78 KES 3,333

-48.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.00 KES 2,974

$62.3 KES 8,050

-63.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.52 KES 6,015

$60.3 KES 7,792

-22.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 KES 30.3K

$76.1 KES 9,840

208.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$65.0 KES 8,406

136.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 KES 69.2K

$231 KES 29.9K

131.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 KES 50.8K

$194 KES 25.1K

102.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,432 KES 702.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,861 KES 499.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 KES 41.9K

$118 KES 15.2K

175.49%

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 5, 2026

Last update for Nanyuki: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Mombasa versus $76.1 in Nanyuki. 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 175% higher in Mombasa, 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 Nanyuki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $200 – 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 Nanyuki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $696 in Mombasa, $577 in Nanyuki – roughly 21% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,044 per month in Mombasa and $866 in Nanyuki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nanyuki, 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 $696 in Mombasa and $577 in Nanyuki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $88.4 per month in Mombasa and $239 in Nanyuki. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $696 in Mombasa and $577 in Nanyuki, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nanyuki – 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 Nanyuki. 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.