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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $605 per month in Mombasa vs $576 in Wote, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Mombasa vs $896 in Wote, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,528 per month in Mombasa vs $1,216 in Wote, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 5% more than Wote, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Wote are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Wote 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 KES 310

$3.03 KES 392

-21.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.38 KES 2,513

$38.31 KES 4,967

-49.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 KES 1,135

$6.66 KES 863

31.38%

Cappuccino

$3.14 KES 408

$1.59 KES 206

97.48%

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

$0.51 KES 66.7

$0.38 KES 49.10

34.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$0.22 KES 28.37

113.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.11 KES 274

-9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 387

$2.34 KES 303

27.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 107

$0.80 KES 103

3.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.2

$0.53 KES 68.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.45 KES 188

-2.07%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$1.37 KES 177

31.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 KES 1,268

$4.71 KES 610

107.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 KES 773

$6.11 KES 792

-2.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.40 KES 701

$5.68 KES 737

-4.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 KES 241

$3.06 KES 397

-39.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.08 KES 140

-19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.08 KES 270

-24.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.64 KES 82.7

21.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$0.52 KES 67.5

38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.17 KES 151

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.7

$0.65 KES 83.7

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.1

$0.52 KES 68.0

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 447

$3.15 KES 408

9.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 KES 1,004

$11.56 KES 1,499

-32.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$2.19 KES 285

-10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$2.70 KES 350

2.59%

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

$1.58 KES 204

94.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.56 KES 202

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 KES 586

$2.88 KES 373

56.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.51 KES 195

9.27%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$22.0K KES 2.9M

-44.99%

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

-40.03%

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

$45.06 KES 5,842

$34.26 KES 4,442

31.52%

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

$14.19 KES 1,840

$16.61 KES 2,154

-14.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.51 KES 5,641

$39.98 KES 5,184

8.83%

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

$6.02 KES 780

-22.76%

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

$85.5 KES 11.1K

$155 KES 20.1K

-44.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,329 KES 691.0K

$8,059 KES 1.0M

-33.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.41 KES 1,739

$11.84 KES 1,535

13.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.57 KES 1,760

$7.87 KES 1,020

72.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.90 KES 2,970

$19.43 KES 2,519

17.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.05 KES 6,101

$23.57 KES 3,056

99.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 23.0K

$172 KES 22.3K

3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.8K

$197 KES 25.5K

-42.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 KES 76.9K

$770 KES 99.8K

-23.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 KES 59.6K

$264 KES 34.3K

73.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,473 KES 709.6K

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 %)

14.84

-12.40%

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

Last update for Mombasa: June 7, 2026

Last update for Wote: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Mombasa versus $172 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 $19.00 in Mombasa versus $38.00 in Wote. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $172 – 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 Wote: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $605 in Mombasa, $576 in Wote – roughly 5% 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 $865 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 $605 in Mombasa and $576 in Wote. 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 $155 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 $605 in Mombasa and $576 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.