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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $619 per month in Mombasa vs $472 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,079 per month in Mombasa vs $791 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,539 per month in Mombasa vs $1,110 in Thika, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 31% more than Thika, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 53% lower, Thika 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 302

$5.46 KES 705

-57.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.58 KES 2,531

$38.67 KES 4,998

-49.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 KES 1,146

$6.85 KES 885

29.49%

Cappuccino

$3.30 KES 426

$2.41 KES 311

36.93%

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

$0.52 KES 66.8

$0.75 KES 96.6

-30.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.5

$0.50 KES 65.0

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 KES 242

$1.65 KES 213

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 KES 373

$1.99 KES 257

45.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 105

$0.87 KES 113

-5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.44 KES 56.9

22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.37 KES 177

5.11%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 226

$1.35 KES 174

29.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 KES 1,299

$11.55 KES 1,493

-12.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 KES 777

$6.85 KES 885

-12.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 KES 673

$1.88 KES 243

177.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.02 KES 391

-40.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.04 KES 134

-17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.11 KES 273

-27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.00 KES 129

-27.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 92.9

$1.07 KES 138

-32.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.11 KES 144

-3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.5

$0.65 KES 83.9

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.0

$0.76 KES 98.1

-23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 445

$2.37 KES 306

45.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 KES 1,026

$5.67 KES 733

40.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.69 KES 218

15.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

$1.98 KES 256

43.43%

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

$1.57 KES 203

98.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 KES 242

$1.53 KES 197

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 596

$2.97 KES 384

55.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.05 KES 136

52.38%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-44.51%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

-38.57%

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

$44.01 KES 5,688

$33.97 KES 4,391

29.56%

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

$14.12 KES 1,825

$16.57 KES 2,142

-14.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 KES 5,743

$39.97 KES 5,166

11.16%

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

$6.13 KES 793

-25.12%

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

$86.0 KES 11.1K

$203 KES 26.3K

-57.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,470 KES 707.0K

$8,150 KES 1.1M

-32.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.40 KES 1,732

$18.27 KES 2,362

-26.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.87 KES 1,792

$24.31 KES 3,142

-42.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.46 KES 3,032

$66.4 KES 8,585

-64.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.74 KES 6,041

$55.6 KES 7,190

-15.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 KES 76.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 KES 57.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,454 KES 704.9K

$613 KES 79.3K

788.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,880 KES 501.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$314 KES 40.5K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Thika: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Mombasa versus $39.00 in Thika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $174 – 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: $619 in Mombasa, $472 in Thika – roughly 31% 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 $707 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $619 in Mombasa and $472 in Thika. 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 $203 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 $619 in Mombasa and $472 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.