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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $614 per month in Mombasa vs $584 in Wote, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Mombasa vs $892 in Wote, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Mombasa vs $1,201 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 54% lower, Wote 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 KES 301

$3.16 KES 408

-26.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.28 KES 2,491

$39.10 KES 5,053

-50.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 KES 1,155

$7.01 KES 906

27.53%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 419

$1.56 KES 202

108.33%

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

$0.48 KES 61.8

$0.37 KES 48.02

29.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 57.9

$0.22 KES 28.41

104.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 KES 255

$2.13 KES 275

-7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 KES 376

$2.33 KES 302

24.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 107

$0.74 KES 96.2

12.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.8

$0.53 KES 68.5

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 KES 182

$1.51 KES 195

-6.62%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.36 KES 175

33.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 KES 1,280

$4.68 KES 605

111.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 KES 758

$6.24 KES 806

-5.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 677

$5.46 KES 706

-4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 KES 235

$3.08 KES 398

-40.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 112

$1.04 KES 134

-16.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.16 KES 279

-29.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$0.59 KES 76.4

28.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.8

$0.55 KES 71.3

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.17 KES 151

-8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 KES 81.0

$0.70 KES 90.5

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 79.9

$0.55 KES 71.7

12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 429

$3.04 KES 392

9.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 KES 1,006

$11.76 KES 1,520

-33.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

$2.30 KES 298

-15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.82 KES 365

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 KES 4,428

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 408

$1.52 KES 197

107.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.51 KES 196

25.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 KES 588

$2.88 KES 372

57.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 KES 211

$1.52 KES 197

7.24%

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

$11.9K KES 1.5M

$21.3K KES 2.7M

-44.11%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

-40.44%

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

$44.31 KES 5,727

$34.52 KES 4,461

28.36%

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

$14.23 KES 1,839

$16.89 KES 2,183

-15.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.18 KES 5,709

$39.54 KES 5,110

11.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.34 KES 2,370

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.55 KES 2,526

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 593

$6.26 KES 809

-26.68%

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

$85.7 KES 11.1K

$153 KES 19.8K

-44.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,452 KES 704.5K

$8,175 KES 1.1M

-33.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.12 KES 1,695

$11.70 KES 1,512

12.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.86 KES 1,791

$7.57 KES 978

83.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.60 KES 3,049

$19.25 KES 2,488

22.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.61 KES 6,023

$22.92 KES 2,962

103.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 KES 23.2K

$176 KES 22.8K

1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$190 KES 24.5K

-40.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 KES 77.1K

$782 KES 101.0K

-23.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 KES 58.8K

$263 KES 34.0K

72.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,498 KES 710.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 KES 494.4K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Wote: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $179 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 $19.00 in Mombasa versus $39.00 in Wote. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $173 – 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: $614 in Mombasa, $584 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 $921 per month in Mombasa and $875 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 $614 in Mombasa and $584 in Wote. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $85.7 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 $614 in Mombasa and $584 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.