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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $614 per month in Mombasa vs $553 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Mombasa vs $960 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Mombasa vs $1,366 in Nyahururu, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 11% more than Nyahururu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Nyahururu are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 54% lower, Nyahururu 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 KES 301

$5.48 KES 707

-57.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.28 KES 2,488

$39.40 KES 5,086

-51.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 KES 1,154

$6.72 KES 868

33.04%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 419

$2.44 KES 315

33.20%

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

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.70 KES 90.2

-31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 57.8

$0.53 KES 68.8

-15.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 KES 255

$2.29 KES 296

-13.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 KES 376

$2.89 KES 373

0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 106

$0.92 KES 119

-9.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.8

$0.58 KES 74.3

-6.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 KES 182

$1.66 KES 214

-15.06%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.64 KES 211

10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 KES 1,279

$11.44 KES 1,476

-13.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 KES 757

$6.60 KES 852

-11.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 676

$5.52 KES 712

-5.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 KES 235

$3.14 KES 405

-42.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 112

$1.08 KES 140

-19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 196

$2.18 KES 281

-30.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$1.01 KES 130

-24.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.7

$1.02 KES 132

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.16 KES 150

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 KES 80.9

$0.70 KES 90.3

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 79.8

$0.76 KES 97.7

-18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 429

$3.01 KES 388

10.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 KES 1,005

$11.54 KES 1,489

-32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

$2.31 KES 298

-15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.70 KES 348

2.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 KES 4,423

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 408

$1.57 KES 203

101.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 KES 245

$1.51 KES 195

25.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 KES 587

$2.85 KES 368

59.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 KES 211

$1.59 KES 205

2.52%

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

$11.9K KES 1.5M

$21.4K KES 2.8M

-44.48%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

-40.32%

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

$44.31 KES 5,720

$33.96 KES 4,384

30.48%

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

$14.23 KES 1,837

$16.77 KES 2,165

-15.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.18 KES 5,702

$39.79 KES 5,135

11.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.34 KES 2,367

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.55 KES 2,523

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 592

$6.25 KES 807

-26.56%

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

$85.7 KES 11.1K

$201 KES 26.0K

-57.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,452 KES 703.7K

$8,093 KES 1.0M

-32.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.12 KES 1,693

$17.90 KES 2,311

-26.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.86 KES 1,789

$24.34 KES 3,141

-43.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.60 KES 3,046

$66.6 KES 8,601

-64.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.61 KES 6,016

$55.5 KES 7,160

-15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 KES 23.1K

$78.5 KES 10.1K

128.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$54.1 KES 6,980

110.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 KES 77.0K

$347 KES 44.8K

71.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 KES 58.8K

$155 KES 20.0K

194.57%

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 15.1K

172.44%

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 Nyahururu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $179 in Mombasa versus $78.5 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 172% 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: $170 vs $205 – 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: $614 in Mombasa, $553 in Nyahururu – roughly 11% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $921 per month in Mombasa and $830 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 $614 in Mombasa and $553 in Nyahururu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $85.7 per month in Mombasa and $201 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 $614 in Mombasa and $553 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.