Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Nyahururu Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Nyahururu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $605 per month in Mombasa vs $552 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Mombasa vs $948 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,528 per month in Mombasa vs $1,343 in Nyahururu, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 10% more than Nyahururu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Nyahururu are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Nyahururu 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 KES 310

$5.40 KES 700

-55.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.38 KES 2,513

$38.63 KES 5,009

-49.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 KES 1,135

$6.71 KES 870

30.40%

Cappuccino

$3.14 KES 408

$2.49 KES 323

26.10%

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

$0.51 KES 66.7

$0.76 KES 98.2

-32.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$0.50 KES 65.1

-6.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.39 KES 310

-20.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 387

$2.83 KES 367

5.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 107

$0.88 KES 114

-5.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.2

$0.54 KES 70.0

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.64 KES 212

-13.41%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$1.71 KES 221

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 KES 1,268

$11.82 KES 1,532

-17.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 KES 773

$6.65 KES 862

-10.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.40 KES 701

$5.71 KES 741

-5.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 KES 241

$3.12 KES 405

-40.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.07 KES 139

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.08 KES 270

-24.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.05 KES 136

-25.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$1.07 KES 139

-32.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.12 KES 146

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.7

$0.69 KES 90.1

-10.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.1

$0.77 KES 99.4

-24.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 447

$3.11 KES 403

10.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 KES 1,004

$11.71 KES 1,518

-33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$2.19 KES 284

-10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$2.82 KES 366

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 95.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.22 KES 4,566

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 KES 398

$1.53 KES 198

100.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.58 KES 204

23.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 KES 586

$2.94 KES 381

53.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.52 KES 197

8.55%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

-44.21%

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

-39.83%

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

$45.06 KES 5,842

$34.12 KES 4,425

32.06%

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

$14.19 KES 1,840

$16.58 KES 2,150

-14.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.51 KES 5,641

$39.18 KES 5,080

11.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.03 KES 2,337

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 KES 2,494

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 KES 604

$6.20 KES 804

-25.00%

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

$85.5 KES 11.1K

$203 KES 26.4K

-57.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,329 KES 691.0K

$7,948 KES 1.0M

-32.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.41 KES 1,739

$18.27 KES 2,369

-26.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.57 KES 1,760

$24.18 KES 3,136

-43.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.90 KES 2,970

$66.6 KES 8,630

-65.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.05 KES 6,101

$57.1 KES 7,406

-17.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 23.0K

$75.9 KES 9,839

133.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.8K

$54.1 KES 7,008

110.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 KES 76.9K

$351 KES 45.5K

69.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 KES 59.6K

$153 KES 19.8K

200.44%

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 14.9K

176.77%

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 Nyahururu: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Mombasa versus $75.9 in Nyahururu. 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 177% 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 $19.00 in Mombasa versus $39.00 in Nyahururu. 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 Nyahururu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $605 in Mombasa, $552 in Nyahururu – roughly 10% apart. Mombasa 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 $828 in Nyahururu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nyahururu, 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 $552 in Nyahururu. 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 $203 in Nyahururu. 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 $552 in Nyahururu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nyahururu – 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 Nyahururu. 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.