Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Wote Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Wote

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $696 per month in Mombasa vs $605 in Wote, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,132 per month in Mombasa vs $1,053 in Wote, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Mombasa vs $1,500 in Wote, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 15% more than Wote, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Wote are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 50% lower, Wote 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$3.04 KES 393

-25.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.41 KES 3,027

$34.98 KES 4,523

-33.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 KES 1,353

$6.05 KES 783

72.89%

Cappuccino

$3.72 KES 481

$1.51 KES 196

146.36%

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

$0.94 KES 122

$0.41 KES 52.4

129.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 51.6

$0.22 KES 28.36

81.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 294

$2.22 KES 287

2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

$2.38 KES 307

34.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 115

$0.75 KES 97.5

18.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$0.54 KES 69.4

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.45 KES 187

8.97%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 224

$1.38 KES 178

25.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 KES 1,406

$4.71 KES 609

130.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 KES 732

$6.25 KES 808

-9.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.33 KES 689

$5.71 KES 738

-6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 KES 273

$3.34 KES 432

-36.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.05 KES 136

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 KES 226

$2.05 KES 265

-14.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.7

$0.61 KES 78.6

4.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 KES 86.3

$0.52 KES 67.6

28.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 KES 131

$1.09 KES 141

-7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 77.6

$0.68 KES 87.4

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.6

$0.55 KES 71.7

-23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.59 KES 594

$3.42 KES 443

34.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 KES 1,016

$11.60 KES 1,500

-32.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 257

$2.23 KES 289

-10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$2.74 KES 354

8.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.13 KES 5,059

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 KES 393

$1.51 KES 195

101.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 KES 219

$1.52 KES 196

11.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 KES 598

$2.96 KES 383

56.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.58 KES 205

-1.27%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$20.7K KES 2.7M

-41.35%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$19.5K KES 2.5M

-37.98%

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

$54.4 KES 7,029

$60.2 KES 7,782

-9.67%

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

$13.01 KES 1,682

$15.48 KES 2,001

-15.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$35.70 KES 4,616

-4.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.29 KES 2,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 KES 2,545

Cinema Ticket

$11.02 KES 1,424

$7.61 KES 984

44.81%

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

$88.4 KES 11.4K

$157 KES 20.4K

-43.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,445 KES 704.0K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

-52.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.32 KES 1,722

$11.81 KES 1,527

12.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.39 KES 1,732

$7.93 KES 1,025

68.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.00 KES 2,974

$19.32 KES 2,499

19.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.52 KES 6,015

$23.05 KES 2,980

101.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 KES 30.3K

$383 KES 49.6K

-38.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$192 KES 24.9K

-20.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 KES 69.2K

$759 KES 98.2K

-29.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 KES 50.8K

$572 KES 74.0K

-31.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,432 KES 702.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,861 KES 499.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 KES 41.9K

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 5, 2026

Last update for Wote: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Mombasa versus $383 in Wote. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Mombasa versus $35.00 in Wote. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Mombasa vs $174 in Wote – so Wote 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 Wote: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $696 in Mombasa, $605 in Wote – roughly 15% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,044 per month in Mombasa and $908 in Wote. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wote, 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 $696 in Mombasa and $605 in Wote. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $88.4 per month in Mombasa and $157 in Wote. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $696 in Mombasa and $605 in Wote, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Wote – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wote. 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.