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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $549 per month in Naivasha vs $674 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $883 per month in Naivasha vs $1,121 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,216 per month in Naivasha vs $1,569 in Mombasa, rent included.

Naivasha is about 19% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Naivasha and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Naivasha 60% lower, Mombasa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.67 KES 604

$2.27 KES 294

105.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 KES 4,534

$23.05 KES 2,982

52.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 KES 817

$10.29 KES 1,332

-38.68%

Cappuccino

$2.74 KES 354

$3.69 KES 478

-25.75%

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

$0.64 KES 82.7

$1.01 KES 131

-36.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 KES 81.6

$0.43 KES 55.0

46.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 KES 306

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

$3.27 KES 423

-16.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 KES 121

$0.94 KES 122

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.3

$0.50 KES 64.6

14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 KES 244

$1.56 KES 202

21.15%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 218

$1.75 KES 227

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 KES 1,392

$11.04 KES 1,429

-2.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 KES 839

$5.50 KES 712

17.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 KES 812

$5.31 KES 687

18.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 KES 431

$2.17 KES 281

53.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.19 KES 154

-10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.85 KES 239

7.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$0.64 KES 82.4

79.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.67 KES 87.1

62.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.05 KES 136

2.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.6

$0.56 KES 72.8

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.43 KES 55.3

74.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 KES 459

$4.55 KES 589

-22.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.65 KES 1,507

$7.52 KES 973

54.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 KES 299

$1.92 KES 248

20.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 KES 364

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.16 KES 4,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$3.12 KES 404

-51.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$1.79 KES 232

-16.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 KES 377

$4.73 KES 612

-38.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.55 KES 200

-2.58%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

78.10%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$11.7K KES 1.5M

71.01%

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

$63.2 KES 8,180

$56.0 KES 7,246

12.91%

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

$15.86 KES 2,052

$13.27 KES 1,717

19.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.78 KES 4,630

$33.64 KES 4,352

6.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.32 KES 2,371

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.23 KES 2,488

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 KES 1,005

$10.61 KES 1,373

-26.77%

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

$252 KES 32.6K

$87.8 KES 11.4K

186.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K KES 1.5M

$5,364 KES 694.0K

114.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.66 KES 3,579

$13.27 KES 1,717

108.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.43 KES 3,550

$13.59 KES 1,758

101.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 KES 9,168

$23.09 KES 2,987

206.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.1 KES 7,646

$46.00 KES 5,953

28.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 KES 29.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 20.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 KES 71.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 KES 51.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$778 KES 100.7K

$5,493 KES 710.8K

-85.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,917 KES 506.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$315 KES 40.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

13.15%

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

Last update for Naivasha: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Naivasha versus $23.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $175 – 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: $549 in Naivasha, $674 in Mombasa – roughly 23% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $823 per month in Naivasha and $1,010 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $549 in Naivasha and $674 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $252 per month in Naivasha and $87.8 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 $549 in Naivasha and $674 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.