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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $619 per month in Mombasa vs $587 in Wote, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,079 per month in Mombasa vs $904 in Wote, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,539 per month in Mombasa vs $1,220 in Wote, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 6% more than Wote, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Wote are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 53% lower, Wote 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 302

$3.05 KES 395

-23.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.58 KES 2,531

$37.97 KES 4,908

-48.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 KES 1,146

$6.70 KES 866

32.39%

Cappuccino

$3.30 KES 426

$1.59 KES 205

107.55%

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

$0.52 KES 66.8

$0.37 KES 48.45

40.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.5

$0.24 KES 31.10

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 KES 242

$2.22 KES 286

-15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 KES 373

$2.29 KES 296

26.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 105

$0.74 KES 95.8

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.57 KES 73.1

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.45 KES 188

-0.69%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 226

$1.41 KES 182

24.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 KES 1,299

$4.72 KES 610

112.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 KES 777

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 KES 673

$5.56 KES 719

-6.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.14 KES 406

-42.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.07 KES 138

-19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.09 KES 270

-26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$0.60 KES 77.5

21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 92.9

$0.53 KES 68.0

35.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.16 KES 150

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.5

$0.64 KES 82.5

-3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.0

$0.51 KES 66.5

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 445

$3.03 KES 392

13.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 KES 1,026

$11.41 KES 1,475

-30.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$2.25 KES 291

-12.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

$2.73 KES 353

4.03%

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

$1.59 KES 206

95.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 KES 242

$1.51 KES 195

23.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 596

$2.93 KES 378

57.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.52 KES 196

5.26%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

-43.34%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-39.54%

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

$44.01 KES 5,688

$34.59 KES 4,470

27.23%

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

$14.12 KES 1,825

$16.86 KES 2,179

-16.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 KES 5,743

$39.81 KES 5,146

11.61%

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

$6.27 KES 810

-26.79%

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

$86.0 KES 11.1K

$153 KES 19.7K

-43.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,470 KES 707.0K

$7,972 KES 1.0M

-31.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.40 KES 1,732

$11.82 KES 1,528

13.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.87 KES 1,792

$7.95 KES 1,028

74.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.46 KES 3,032

$19.40 KES 2,507

20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.74 KES 6,041

$23.56 KES 3,045

98.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.3K

$176 KES 22.7K

2.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.2K

$193 KES 24.9K

-38.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 KES 76.9K

$773 KES 100.0K

-23.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 KES 57.8K

$261 KES 33.7K

71.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,454 KES 704.9K

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 %)

14.84

-12.40%

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

Last update for Mombasa: July 26, 2026

Last update for Wote: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $176 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 $20.00 in Mombasa versus $38.00 in Wote. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $171 – 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: $619 in Mombasa, $587 in Wote – roughly 6% 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 $880 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 $619 in Mombasa and $587 in Wote. 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 $153 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 $619 in Mombasa and $587 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.