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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $605 per month in Mombasa vs $616 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Mombasa vs $1,008 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,528 per month in Mombasa vs $1,400 in Nanyuki, rent included.

Mombasa is about 2% cheaper than Nanyuki, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Nanyuki are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Nanyuki 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 KES 310

$3.82 KES 495

-37.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.38 KES 2,513

$30.67 KES 3,976

-36.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 KES 1,135

$6.64 KES 861

31.78%

Cappuccino

$3.14 KES 408

$1.83 KES 237

71.58%

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

$0.51 KES 66.7

$0.69 KES 90.0

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$0.54 KES 70.4

-12.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.27 KES 294

-16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 387

$2.95 KES 382

1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 107

$0.91 KES 118

-8.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.2

$0.54 KES 69.9

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.18 KES 153

20.34%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$1.58 KES 205

13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 KES 1,268

$11.42 KES 1,481

-14.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 KES 773

$6.55 KES 849

-9.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.40 KES 701

$3.89 KES 504

38.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 KES 241

$3.13 KES 406

-40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.04 KES 135

-16.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.14 KES 277

-26.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.02 KES 132

-23.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$1.07 KES 139

-32.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.15 KES 149

-6.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.7

$0.64 KES 82.7

-3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.1

$0.76 KES 98.5

-23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 447

$2.66 KES 345

29.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 KES 1,004

$11.40 KES 1,478

-32.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.89 KES 245

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$1.95 KES 253

42.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$0.41 KES 53.0

80.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.22 KES 4,566

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 KES 398

$1.57 KES 203

95.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.53 KES 198

27.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 KES 586

$2.92 KES 378

54.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.19 KES 154

38.66%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.8K KES 2.8M

-44.50%

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-40.81%

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

$45.06 KES 5,842

$33.86 KES 4,390

33.08%

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

$14.19 KES 1,840

$17.01 KES 2,205

-16.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.51 KES 5,641

$39.05 KES 5,063

11.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.03 KES 2,337

$53.9 KES 6,989

-66.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 KES 2,494

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 KES 604

$6.29 KES 816

-26.07%

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

$85.5 KES 11.1K

$65.4 KES 8,483

30.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,329 KES 691.0K

$7,627 KES 988.9K

-30.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.41 KES 1,739

$18.53 KES 2,403

-27.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.57 KES 1,760

$23.77 KES 3,082

-42.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.90 KES 2,970

$64.1 KES 8,312

-64.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.05 KES 6,101

$57.3 KES 7,428

-17.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 23.0K

$95.8 KES 12.4K

85.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.8K

$78.6 KES 10.2K

44.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 KES 76.9K

$332 KES 43.1K

78.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 KES 59.6K

$209 KES 27.1K

119.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,473 KES 709.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,912 KES 507.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.3K

$115 KES 14.8K

178.24%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Nanyuki: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Mombasa versus $95.8 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 178% higher in Mombasa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa versus $31.00 in Nanyuki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $193 – 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: $605 in Mombasa, $616 in Nanyuki – roughly 2% apart. Nanyuki costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $908 per month in Mombasa and $924 in Nanyuki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mombasa, 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 $605 in Mombasa and $616 in Nanyuki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $85.5 per month in Mombasa and $65.4 in Nanyuki. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $605 in Mombasa and $616 in Nanyuki, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mombasa – 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 Mombasa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nanyuki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.