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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $605 per month in Mombasa vs $480 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Mombasa vs $809 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,528 per month in Mombasa vs $1,137 in Thika, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 26% more than Thika, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 KES 310

$5.53 KES 717

-56.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.38 KES 2,513

$38.49 KES 4,991

-49.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 KES 1,135

$6.64 KES 861

31.78%

Cappuccino

$3.14 KES 408

$2.38 KES 308

31.93%

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

$0.51 KES 66.7

$0.75 KES 97.2

-32.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$0.54 KES 70.3

-12.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.67 KES 217

13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 387

$1.99 KES 258

49.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 107

$0.88 KES 114

-5.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.2

$0.47 KES 61.5

12.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.36 KES 177

4.41%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$1.36 KES 176

32.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 KES 1,268

$11.66 KES 1,512

-16.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 KES 773

$6.55 KES 849

-9.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.40 KES 701

$1.92 KES 249

181.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 KES 241

$3.13 KES 406

-40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.07 KES 139

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.09 KES 271

-24.88%

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

$0.64 KES 83.0

-3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.1

$0.76 KES 98.9

-23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 447

$2.36 KES 306

45.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 KES 1,004

$5.90 KES 765

31.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.73 KES 224

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$1.98 KES 257

39.90%

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

$1.59 KES 206

93.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.50 KES 195

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 KES 586

$2.83 KES 367

59.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.06 KES 138

55.66%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

-43.61%

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

-39.65%

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

$45.06 KES 5,842

$34.61 KES 4,488

30.19%

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

$14.19 KES 1,840

$17.09 KES 2,216

-16.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.51 KES 5,641

$39.46 KES 5,116

10.26%

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

$6.31 KES 819

-26.31%

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

$85.5 KES 11.1K

$205 KES 26.6K

-58.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,329 KES 691.0K

$8,182 KES 1.1M

-34.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.41 KES 1,739

$18.51 KES 2,400

-27.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.57 KES 1,760

$24.40 KES 3,164

-44.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.90 KES 2,970

$66.5 KES 8,626

-65.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.05 KES 6,101

$56.5 KES 7,328

-16.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 23.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 KES 76.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 KES 59.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,473 KES 709.6K

$612 KES 79.3K

794.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,912 KES 507.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Thika: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa versus $38.00 in Thika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $175 – 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: $605 in Mombasa, $480 in Thika – roughly 26% 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 $721 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $605 in Mombasa and $480 in Thika. 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 $205 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 $605 in Mombasa and $480 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.