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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $619 per month in Mombasa vs $551 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,079 per month in Mombasa vs $947 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,539 per month in Mombasa vs $1,343 in Nyahururu, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 12% more than Nyahururu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Nyahururu are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 53% lower, Nyahururu 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 302

$5.45 KES 705

-57.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.58 KES 2,531

$39.19 KES 5,065

-50.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 KES 1,146

$6.93 KES 896

27.99%

Cappuccino

$3.30 KES 426

$2.38 KES 308

38.66%

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

$0.52 KES 66.8

$0.72 KES 92.9

-27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.5

$0.54 KES 69.6

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 KES 242

$2.37 KES 307

-21.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 KES 373

$2.83 KES 365

2.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 105

$0.89 KES 115

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.53 KES 68.3

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.64 KES 212

-12.20%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 226

$1.64 KES 212

6.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 KES 1,299

$11.40 KES 1,474

-11.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 KES 777

$6.67 KES 862

-9.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 KES 673

$5.77 KES 746

-9.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.12 KES 404

-41.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.03 KES 133

-16.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.14 KES 277

-28.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.02 KES 131

-28.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 92.9

$1.03 KES 133

-30.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.16 KES 150

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.5

$0.66 KES 85.1

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.0

$0.82 KES 105

-29.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 445

$3.01 KES 389

14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 KES 1,026

$11.55 KES 1,493

-31.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$2.26 KES 292

-13.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.00 KES 4,524

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 KES 402

$1.51 KES 195

105.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 KES 242

$1.52 KES 197

23.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 596

$2.91 KES 377

58.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.51 KES 196

5.96%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-44.28%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-39.47%

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

$44.01 KES 5,688

$33.91 KES 4,383

29.78%

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

$14.12 KES 1,825

$16.68 KES 2,156

-15.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 KES 5,743

$39.56 KES 5,113

12.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.28 KES 2,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 KES 2,538

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 593

$6.33 KES 818

-27.49%

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

$86.0 KES 11.1K

$199 KES 25.8K

-56.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,470 KES 707.0K

$7,927 KES 1.0M

-30.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.40 KES 1,732

$18.12 KES 2,342

-26.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.87 KES 1,792

$24.00 KES 3,102

-42.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.46 KES 3,032

$64.9 KES 8,382

-63.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.74 KES 6,041

$56.0 KES 7,231

-16.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.3K

$78.1 KES 10.1K

131.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.2K

$54.0 KES 6,977

118.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 KES 76.9K

$349 KES 45.1K

70.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 KES 57.8K

$153 KES 19.7K

193.21%

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

$117 KES 15.2K

167.45%

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 Nyahururu: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $78.1 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 167% 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 $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: $619 in Mombasa, $551 in Nyahururu – roughly 12% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $929 per month in Mombasa and $826 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 $619 in Mombasa and $551 in Nyahururu. 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 $199 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 $619 in Mombasa and $551 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.