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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $619 per month in Mombasa vs $601 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,079 per month in Mombasa vs $999 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,539 per month in Mombasa vs $1,398 in Nanyuki, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 3% more than Nanyuki, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Mombasa and Nanyuki are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 53% lower, Nanyuki 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 302

$3.76 KES 486

-37.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.58 KES 2,531

$31.02 KES 4,009

-36.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 KES 1,146

$6.91 KES 893

28.36%

Cappuccino

$3.30 KES 426

$1.82 KES 236

81.32%

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

$0.52 KES 66.8

$0.70 KES 90.0

-25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.5

$0.53 KES 69.1

-9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 KES 242

$2.28 KES 295

-17.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 KES 373

$2.98 KES 385

-3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 105

$0.91 KES 118

-9.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.52 KES 67.9

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.14 KES 148

26.32%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 226

$1.60 KES 206

9.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 KES 1,299

$11.59 KES 1,498

-13.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 KES 777

$6.70 KES 866

-10.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 KES 673

$3.98 KES 514

30.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.13 KES 404

-42.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.05 KES 135

-18.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.09 KES 270

-26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.00 KES 130

-27.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 92.9

$1.04 KES 134

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.11 KES 143

-3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.5

$0.70 KES 90.3

-11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.0

$0.81 KES 105

-28.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 445

$2.65 KES 342

29.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 KES 1,026

$11.36 KES 1,468

-30.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.94 KES 251

1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

$1.97 KES 254

44.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.3

$0.37 KES 48.26

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.00 KES 4,524

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 KES 402

$1.59 KES 206

95.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 KES 242

$1.51 KES 196

23.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 596

$2.91 KES 376

58.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.20 KES 156

33.33%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$21.3K KES 2.7M

-42.66%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

-38.24%

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

$44.01 KES 5,688

$34.63 KES 4,477

27.09%

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

$14.12 KES 1,825

$16.80 KES 2,171

-15.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 KES 5,743

$38.94 KES 5,033

14.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.28 KES 2,363

$54.9 KES 7,094

-66.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 KES 2,538

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 593

$6.28 KES 811

-26.91%

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

$86.0 KES 11.1K

$65.5 KES 8,465

31.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,470 KES 707.0K

$7,838 KES 1.0M

-30.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.40 KES 1,732

$18.57 KES 2,401

-27.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.87 KES 1,792

$24.15 KES 3,122

-42.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.46 KES 3,032

$66.0 KES 8,536

-64.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.74 KES 6,041

$56.9 KES 7,357

-17.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.3K

$98.5 KES 12.7K

83.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.2K

$79.1 KES 10.2K

49.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 KES 76.9K

$333 KES 43.0K

78.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 KES 57.8K

$212 KES 27.4K

110.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,454 KES 704.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,880 KES 501.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$314 KES 40.5K

$115 KES 14.8K

173.33%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Nanyuki: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $98.5 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 173% 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 $20.00 in Mombasa versus $31.00 in Nanyuki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 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

Monthly costs with rent: $619 in Mombasa, $601 in Nanyuki – roughly 3% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $929 per month in Mombasa and $901 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 $619 in Mombasa and $601 in Nanyuki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $86.0 per month in Mombasa and $65.5 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 $619 in Mombasa and $601 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.