Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $763 per month in Nairobi vs $621 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,268 per month in Nairobi vs $1,068 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,772 per month in Nairobi vs $1,515 in Mombasa, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 23% more than Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nairobi and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 43% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.31 KES 685

$2.30 KES 296

130.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.93 KES 4,896

$19.07 KES 2,461

98.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 KES 859

$8.57 KES 1,106

-22.40%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 314

$3.17 KES 409

-23.03%

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

$0.70 KES 90.7

$0.52 KES 67.8

34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 KES 70.4

$0.47 KES 61.0

17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 KES 298

$1.90 KES 245

21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 KES 380

$2.95 KES 381

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.82 KES 106

7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.51 KES 65.6

11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.46 KES 189

8.90%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 217

$1.80 KES 233

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 KES 1,471

$9.71 KES 1,253

17.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 KES 857

$5.88 KES 758

12.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.57 KES 718

$5.17 KES 668

7.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 407

$1.83 KES 236

72.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.91 KES 117

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 KES 280

$1.58 KES 205

37.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 131

$0.78 KES 101

30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$0.71 KES 92.0

43.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$1.07 KES 138

5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.5

$0.65 KES 84.4

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.56 KES 72.8

44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 KES 405

$3.27 KES 422

-3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.65 KES 1,504

$7.79 KES 1,005

49.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 281

$1.88 KES 243

15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 355

$2.86 KES 369

-3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$0.79 KES 102

-3.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.27 KES 4,036

$34.18 KES 4,411

-8.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 196

$3.02 KES 390

-49.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.99 KES 256

-24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 KES 367

$4.71 KES 608

-39.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 KES 199

$1.60 KES 206

-3.75%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$11.9K KES 1.5M

83.13%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

66.39%

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

$34.60 KES 4,466

$44.23 KES 5,709

-21.77%

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

$16.64 KES 2,148

$14.20 KES 1,832

17.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.82 KES 5,140

$43.37 KES 5,597

-8.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.27 KES 5,455

$17.84 KES 2,302

136.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.64 KES 2,664

$19.03 KES 2,456

8.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 KES 807

$4.77 KES 615

31.24%

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

$204 KES 26.3K

$87.5 KES 11.3K

132.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,885 KES 1.0M

$5,502 KES 710.2K

43.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.29 KES 2,361

$13.40 KES 1,729

36.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.62 KES 3,049

$13.59 KES 1,754

73.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 KES 8,543

$22.95 KES 2,963

188.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.7 KES 7,312

$45.86 KES 5,920

23.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 KES 57.9K

$179 KES 23.1K

151.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 KES 23.7K

$115 KES 14.8K

59.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 KES 145.7K

$589 KES 76.0K

91.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 KES 55.9K

$458 KES 59.2K

-5.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,566 KES 202.1K

$5,326 KES 687.5K

-70.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$903 KES 116.6K

$3,919 KES 505.8K

-76.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$406 KES 52.4K

$316 KES 40.8K

28.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

14.15%

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

Last update for Nairobi: April 12, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Nairobi versus $179 in Mombasa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Nairobi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Nairobi versus $19 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $170 – 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

Nairobi vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $763 in Nairobi, $621 in Mombasa – roughly 23% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,144 per month in Nairobi and $931 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mombasa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Nairobi and $19.00 in Mombasa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $763 in Nairobi and $621 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $763 in Nairobi and $621 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Nairobi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $621 in Mombasa to $763 in Nairobi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mombasa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nairobi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.