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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $584 per month in Naivasha vs $625 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $996 per month in Naivasha vs $1,066 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,408 per month in Naivasha vs $1,508 in Mombasa, rent included.

Naivasha is about 7% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 KES 711

$2.34 KES 303

134.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.35 KES 5,092

$19.23 KES 2,489

104.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 KES 867

$8.63 KES 1,117

-22.36%

Cappuccino

$2.48 KES 321

$3.30 KES 427

-24.85%

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

$0.70 KES 90.2

$0.51 KES 66.6

37.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.5

$0.48 KES 62.2

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 KES 305

$1.98 KES 257

19.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.83 KES 366

-0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 119

$0.85 KES 110

8.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.0

$0.50 KES 64.5

6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.44 KES 187

10.42%

Eggs

$1.63 KES 210

$1.81 KES 235

-9.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 KES 1,500

$10.01 KES 1,295

15.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 KES 883

$5.84 KES 756

16.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.76 KES 745

$5.44 KES 704

5.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 408

$1.82 KES 236

73.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.91 KES 117

19.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 269

$1.52 KES 197

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$0.80 KES 103

32.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.70 KES 91.1

54.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 KES 145

$1.08 KES 140

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.7

$0.62 KES 79.6

4.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.9

$0.60 KES 77.7

26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 KES 412

$3.44 KES 446

-7.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 KES 1,499

$7.78 KES 1,006

48.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 KES 292

$1.91 KES 247

17.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 KES 347

$2.79 KES 361

-3.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 KES 4,516

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$3.02 KES 390

-49.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.90 KES 246

-16.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

$4.61 KES 596

-35.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.65 KES 214

-7.27%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

78.34%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

67.13%

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

$33.91 KES 4,389

$44.92 KES 5,813

-24.51%

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

$16.93 KES 2,191

$13.95 KES 1,805

21.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 KES 5,105

$43.46 KES 5,624

-9.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.80 KES 2,303

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.17 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 KES 793

$4.73 KES 612

29.60%

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

$204 KES 26.4K

$88.7 KES 11.5K

129.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,965 KES 1.0M

$5,475 KES 708.5K

45.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.91 KES 2,318

$13.32 KES 1,724

34.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,085

$13.48 KES 1,744

76.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,599

$23.12 KES 2,992

187.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 KES 7,380

$45.71 KES 5,914

24.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.8K

$182 KES 23.5K

-37.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.2 KES 9,994

$118 KES 15.3K

-34.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.9K

$593 KES 76.8K

-61.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.7K

$449 KES 58.1K

-59.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$758 KES 98.1K

$5,322 KES 688.6K

-85.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,914 KES 506.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 KES 40.5K

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Naivasha versus $182 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 $39.00 in Naivasha versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 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

Naivasha vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $584 in Naivasha, $625 in Mombasa – roughly 7% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $875 per month in Naivasha and $937 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 $584 in Naivasha and $625 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $204 per month in Naivasha and $88.7 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 $584 in Naivasha and $625 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.