Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Thika Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Thika

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $614 per month in Mombasa vs $478 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Mombasa vs $795 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Mombasa vs $1,113 in Thika, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 28% more than Thika, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 54% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 KES 301

$5.27 KES 681

-55.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.28 KES 2,491

$39.16 KES 5,061

-50.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 KES 1,155

$6.95 KES 899

28.63%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 419

$2.44 KES 315

33.20%

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

$0.48 KES 61.8

$0.74 KES 95.8

-35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 57.9

$0.50 KES 64.5

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 KES 255

$1.73 KES 223

13.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 KES 376

$1.98 KES 256

46.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 107

$0.92 KES 120

-9.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.8

$0.44 KES 57.5

22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 KES 182

$1.33 KES 171

6.02%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.37 KES 177

32.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 KES 1,280

$11.51 KES 1,488

-13.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 KES 758

$6.86 KES 887

-14.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 677

$1.98 KES 255

164.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 KES 235

$3.02 KES 390

-39.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 112

$1.07 KES 139

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.09 KES 270

-27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$1.04 KES 135

-26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.8

$1.03 KES 134

-35.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.11 KES 144

-3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 KES 81.0

$0.69 KES 88.6

-8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 79.9

$0.82 KES 106

-24.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 429

$2.35 KES 304

41.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 KES 1,006

$5.65 KES 731

37.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.73 KES 223

12.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$1.91 KES 247

45.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 KES 4,428

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 408

$1.53 KES 198

106.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.57 KES 203

21.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 KES 588

$2.96 KES 383

53.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 KES 211

$1.02 KES 132

59.80%

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

$11.9K KES 1.5M

$22.1K KES 2.9M

-46.22%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$19.7K KES 2.6M

-40.20%

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

$44.31 KES 5,727

$34.17 KES 4,415

29.68%

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

$14.23 KES 1,839

$17.06 KES 2,205

-16.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.18 KES 5,709

$38.97 KES 5,036

13.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.34 KES 2,370

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.55 KES 2,526

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 593

$6.30 KES 814

-27.14%

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

$85.7 KES 11.1K

$202 KES 26.1K

-57.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,452 KES 704.5K

$7,948 KES 1.0M

-31.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.12 KES 1,695

$18.57 KES 2,400

-29.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.86 KES 1,791

$24.27 KES 3,136

-42.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.60 KES 3,049

$66.5 KES 8,593

-64.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.61 KES 6,023

$56.7 KES 7,324

-17.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 KES 23.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 KES 77.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 KES 58.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,498 KES 710.5K

$615 KES 79.5K

794.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 KES 494.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.04%

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

Last update for Mombasa: April 27, 2026

Last update for Thika: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa versus $39.00 in Thika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $176 – 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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $614 in Mombasa, $478 in Thika – roughly 28% 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 $717 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $614 in Mombasa and $478 in Thika. 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 $202 in Thika. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $614 in Mombasa and $478 in Thika, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Thika – 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 Thika. 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.