Cost of Living Comparison Between Naivasha and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Naivasha and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $593 per month in Naivasha vs $614 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $999 per month in Naivasha vs $1,068 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,405 per month in Naivasha vs $1,523 in Mombasa, rent included.

Naivasha is about 3% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Naivasha and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Naivasha 56% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.31 KES 685

$2.33 KES 301

127.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.46 KES 4,964

$19.28 KES 2,488

99.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 KES 903

$8.94 KES 1,154

-21.70%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 315

$3.25 KES 419

-24.92%

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

$0.70 KES 90.7

$0.48 KES 61.7

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.7

$0.45 KES 57.8

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 KES 291

$1.97 KES 255

14.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 KES 381

$2.91 KES 376

1.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$0.83 KES 106

13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.6

$0.54 KES 69.8

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.41 KES 182

12.77%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 217

$1.82 KES 235

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.59 KES 1,496

$9.91 KES 1,279

16.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 KES 876

$5.87 KES 757

15.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.68 KES 733

$5.24 KES 676

8.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 KES 409

$1.82 KES 235

74.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$0.87 KES 112

20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$1.52 KES 196

38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$0.76 KES 98.0

39.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.66 KES 85.7

62.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

$1.07 KES 138

9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$0.63 KES 80.9

7.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 105

$0.62 KES 79.8

30.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 KES 406

$3.32 KES 429

-5.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.51 KES 1,486

$7.79 KES 1,005

47.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 KES 295

$1.95 KES 252

16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 365

$2.77 KES 358

2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 KES 4,423

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$3.16 KES 408

-51.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 193

$1.90 KES 245

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$4.55 KES 587

-37.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 202

$1.63 KES 211

-3.68%

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

$21.8K KES 2.8M

$11.9K KES 1.5M

83.70%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

71.01%

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

$34.07 KES 4,398

$44.31 KES 5,720

-23.11%

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

$16.95 KES 2,188

$14.23 KES 1,837

19.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.34 KES 5,077

$44.18 KES 5,702

-10.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.34 KES 2,367

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.55 KES 2,523

Cinema Ticket

$6.04 KES 780

$4.59 KES 592

31.59%

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

$200 KES 25.8K

$85.7 KES 11.1K

132.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,196 KES 1.1M

$5,452 KES 703.7K

50.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.94 KES 2,315

$13.12 KES 1,693

36.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.99 KES 3,096

$13.86 KES 1,789

73.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 KES 8,360

$23.60 KES 3,046

174.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 KES 7,416

$46.61 KES 6,016

23.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$179 KES 23.1K

-36.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.6 KES 10.0K

$114 KES 14.7K

-31.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 KES 29.5K

$597 KES 77.0K

-61.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 KES 23.7K

$455 KES 58.8K

-59.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$757 KES 97.8K

$5,498 KES 709.6K

-86.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 KES 493.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.2K

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 Naivasha: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Naivasha 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Naivasha versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 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

Naivasha vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $593 in Naivasha, $614 in Mombasa – roughly 4% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $890 per month in Naivasha and $921 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Naivasha, 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 $593 in Naivasha and $614 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $200 per month in Naivasha and $85.7 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $593 in Naivasha and $614 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Naivasha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Naivasha. 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.