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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $614 per month in Mombasa vs $617 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Mombasa vs $1,015 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Mombasa vs $1,413 in Nanyuki, rent included.

Mombasa and Nanyuki have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 KES 301

$3.84 KES 496

-39.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.28 KES 2,488

$30.83 KES 3,979

-37.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 KES 1,154

$6.78 KES 875

31.86%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 419

$1.82 KES 235

78.57%

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

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.76 KES 98.4

-36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 57.8

$0.50 KES 64.2

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 KES 255

$2.39 KES 308

-17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 KES 376

$2.83 KES 365

2.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 106

$0.89 KES 115

-6.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.8

$0.57 KES 73.8

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 KES 182

$1.19 KES 154

18.49%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.51 KES 196

20.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 KES 1,279

$11.45 KES 1,478

-13.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 KES 757

$6.63 KES 856

-11.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 676

$3.78 KES 488

38.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 KES 235

$3.18 KES 410

-42.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 112

$1.05 KES 135

-17.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 196

$2.15 KES 278

-29.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$1.00 KES 129

-24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.7

$1.07 KES 138

-38.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.13 KES 145

-5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 KES 80.9

$0.69 KES 88.8

-8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 79.8

$0.81 KES 104

-23.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 429

$2.75 KES 355

20.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 KES 1,005

$11.55 KES 1,491

-32.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.90 KES 245

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$1.96 KES 253

41.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.4

$0.41 KES 52.5

78.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 KES 4,423

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 408

$1.57 KES 202

101.27%

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 369

59.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 KES 211

$1.19 KES 154

36.97%

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

$11.9K KES 1.5M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-46.08%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

-40.71%

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

$44.31 KES 5,720

$33.69 KES 4,348

31.52%

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

$14.23 KES 1,837

$16.87 KES 2,177

-15.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.18 KES 5,702

$39.58 KES 5,109

11.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.34 KES 2,367

$54.4 KES 7,016

-66.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.55 KES 2,523

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 592

$6.08 KES 785

-24.51%

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

$85.7 KES 11.1K

$64.5 KES 8,318

33.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,452 KES 703.7K

$7,609 KES 982.1K

-28.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.12 KES 1,693

$17.94 KES 2,316

-26.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.86 KES 1,789

$24.29 KES 3,135

-42.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.60 KES 3,046

$65.7 KES 8,481

-64.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.61 KES 6,016

$57.7 KES 7,440

-19.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 KES 23.1K

$95.2 KES 12.3K

88.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$78.3 KES 10.1K

45.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 KES 77.0K

$330 KES 42.6K

80.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 KES 58.8K

$210 KES 27.1K

116.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,498 KES 709.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 KES 493.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.2K

$117 KES 15.0K

174.17%

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 Nanyuki: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $179 in Mombasa versus $95.2 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 174% higher in Mombasa. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa versus $31.00 in Nanyuki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $195 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $921 per month in Mombasa and $925 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.

Kindergarten costs $85.7 per month in Mombasa and $64.5 in Nanyuki. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Nanyuki, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $614 in Mombasa and $617 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.