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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $674 per month in Mombasa vs $631 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,121 per month in Mombasa vs $992 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,569 per month in Mombasa vs $1,353 in Nyahururu, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 7% more than Nyahururu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Nyahururu are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 51% lower, Nyahururu 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$3.95 KES 511

-42.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,982

$19.02 KES 2,461

21.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 KES 1,332

$6.22 KES 805

65.43%

Cappuccino

$3.69 KES 478

$2.84 KES 367

29.93%

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

$1.01 KES 131

$0.59 KES 76.8

71.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.0

$0.52 KES 66.8

-17.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 KES 306

$2.26 KES 293

4.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 KES 423

$2.75 KES 355

18.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 122

$0.79 KES 103

18.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.6

$0.55 KES 71.1

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.94 KES 251

-19.59%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 227

$1.77 KES 229

-1.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 KES 1,429

$10.87 KES 1,406

1.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 KES 712

$6.34 KES 820

-13.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.31 KES 687

$6.11 KES 791

-13.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 KES 281

$3.36 KES 434

-35.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 KES 154

$1.07 KES 138

11.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 KES 239

$2.03 KES 263

-8.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$1.13 KES 147

-43.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 KES 87.1

$1.13 KES 146

-40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.08 KES 140

-2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 KES 72.8

$0.69 KES 89.9

-18.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.3

$0.77 KES 99.7

-44.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 KES 589

$3.51 KES 454

29.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 KES 973

$11.49 KES 1,487

-34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 KES 248

$2.20 KES 285

-12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 KES 364

$2.83 KES 366

-0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

$0.41 KES 52.8

95.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.16 KES 4,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 KES 404

$1.51 KES 195

106.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 KES 232

$1.53 KES 198

16.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 KES 612

$2.91 KES 377

62.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 200

$1.47 KES 191

5.44%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-45.23%

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

$11.7K KES 1.5M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-41.82%

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

$56.0 KES 7,246

$63.1 KES 8,165

-11.27%

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

$13.27 KES 1,717

$15.43 KES 1,996

-14.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 KES 4,352

$36.15 KES 4,677

-6.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.32 KES 2,371

$38.44 KES 4,974

-52.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.23 KES 2,488

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 KES 1,373

$7.76 KES 1,004

36.73%

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

$87.8 KES 11.4K

$253 KES 32.7K

-65.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,364 KES 694.0K

$11.7K KES 1.5M

-53.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.27 KES 1,717

$28.06 KES 3,631

-52.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.59 KES 1,758

$27.47 KES 3,555

-50.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.09 KES 2,987

$69.4 KES 8,977

-66.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.00 KES 5,953

$57.7 KES 7,461

-20.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 KES 29.8K

$86.2 KES 11.2K

167.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 20.0K

$58.8 KES 7,606

162.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 KES 71.3K

$344 KES 44.5K

60.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 KES 51.7K

$153 KES 19.9K

160.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,493 KES 710.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,917 KES 506.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$315 KES 40.8K

$115 KES 14.9K

174.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

-11.62%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mombasa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Nyahururu: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $230 in Mombasa versus $86.2 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 174% 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 $23.00 in Mombasa versus $19.00 in Nyahururu. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Mombasa vs $205 in Nyahururu – so Mombasa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $674 in Mombasa, $631 in Nyahururu – roughly 7% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,010 per month in Mombasa and $946 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 $674 in Mombasa and $631 in Nyahururu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $87.8 per month in Mombasa and $253 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 $674 in Mombasa and $631 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.