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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Nairobi vs $618 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,299 per month in Nairobi vs $1,060 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,832 per month in Nairobi vs $1,502 in Mombasa, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 24% 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

$5.55 KES 717

$2.35 KES 304

136.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.48 KES 4,973

$19.18 KES 2,478

100.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 858

$8.80 KES 1,137

-24.55%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KES 322

$3.18 KES 411

-21.70%

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

$0.70 KES 91.1

$0.48 KES 62.5

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.48 KES 61.7

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 KES 306

$1.96 KES 253

20.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$2.82 KES 364

0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$0.82 KES 106

4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 72.6

$0.49 KES 63.9

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 KES 207

$1.40 KES 180

14.29%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 216

$1.79 KES 231

-6.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KES 1,513

$9.71 KES 1,255

20.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 KES 894

$5.82 KES 752

18.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.64 KES 729

$5.22 KES 675

8.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 KES 398

$1.79 KES 231

72.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.91 KES 117

17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$1.52 KES 197

35.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.79 KES 102

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.68 KES 87.5

57.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.08 KES 139

6.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.5

$0.66 KES 85.4

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.60 KES 78.0

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 KES 409

$3.30 KES 427

-4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 KES 1,524

$7.95 KES 1,027

48.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 285

$1.88 KES 243

17.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 365

$2.77 KES 358

2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$0.75 KES 96.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.90 KES 3,993

$35.08 KES 4,533

-11.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$3.05 KES 394

-49.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 193

$1.94 KES 251

-22.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 382

$4.58 KES 592

-35.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.60 KES 206

-4.38%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$12.0K KES 1.5M

84.12%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

67.54%

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

$33.74 KES 4,360

$44.61 KES 5,765

-24.37%

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

$16.72 KES 2,160

$14.45 KES 1,867

15.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.94 KES 5,032

$43.55 KES 5,627

-10.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.13 KES 5,574

$18.09 KES 2,337

138.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 KES 2,665

$19.19 KES 2,480

7.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 KES 822

$4.71 KES 609

35.03%

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

$205 KES 26.5K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

134.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,113 KES 1.0M

$5,406 KES 698.6K

50.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.49 KES 2,389

$13.03 KES 1,684

41.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.69 KES 3,062

$13.80 KES 1,784

71.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 KES 8,310

$23.61 KES 3,050

172.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,185

$45.93 KES 5,935

21.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 KES 56.7K

$181 KES 23.4K

142.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 KES 24.1K

$118 KES 15.3K

57.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 KES 147.5K

$590 KES 76.3K

93.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 KES 55.8K

$462 KES 59.7K

-6.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 KES 197.2K

$5,440 KES 702.9K

-71.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$909 KES 117.5K

$3,820 KES 493.7K

-76.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 KES 55.7K

$321 KES 41.5K

34.15%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Nairobi versus $181 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 34% 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 $38.00 in Nairobi versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $169 – 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: $765 in Nairobi, $618 in Mombasa – roughly 24% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,147 per month in Nairobi and $928 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 $765 in Nairobi and $618 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 $765 in Nairobi and $618 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 $618 in Mombasa to $765 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.