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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $583 per month in Naivasha vs $619 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $973 per month in Naivasha vs $1,079 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,364 per month in Naivasha vs $1,539 in Mombasa, rent included.

Naivasha is about 6% 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

$5.37 KES 695

$2.34 KES 302

129.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.34 KES 5,084

$19.58 KES 2,531

100.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 KES 898

$8.87 KES 1,146

-21.65%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 315

$3.30 KES 426

-26.06%

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

$0.72 KES 93.0

$0.52 KES 66.8

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 68.5

$0.48 KES 61.5

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 KES 302

$1.87 KES 242

24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 KES 380

$2.89 KES 373

1.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 118

$0.82 KES 105

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 72.6

$0.54 KES 70.3

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.44 KES 186

14.58%

Eggs

$1.62 KES 210

$1.75 KES 226

-7.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 KES 1,493

$10.05 KES 1,299

14.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 KES 875

$6.01 KES 777

12.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.45 KES 705

$5.21 KES 673

4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 KES 393

$1.81 KES 234

67.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.86 KES 111

20.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 KES 280

$1.53 KES 198

41.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.73 KES 94.8

42.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$0.72 KES 92.9

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 KES 145

$1.07 KES 138

4.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.5

$0.62 KES 80.5

4.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 103

$0.58 KES 75.0

37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 KES 402

$3.44 KES 445

-9.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 KES 1,512

$7.94 KES 1,026

47.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 292

$1.96 KES 254

15.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 349

$2.84 KES 367

-4.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.00 KES 4,524

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$3.11 KES 402

-48.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.87 KES 242

-15.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 383

$4.61 KES 596

-35.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.60 KES 206

-4.38%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

75.45%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

61.69%

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

$34.40 KES 4,446

$44.01 KES 5,688

-21.84%

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

$16.70 KES 2,158

$14.12 KES 1,825

18.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.06 KES 5,178

$44.43 KES 5,743

-9.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.28 KES 2,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 KES 2,538

Cinema Ticket

$6.24 KES 807

$4.59 KES 593

35.95%

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

$205 KES 26.5K

$86.0 KES 11.1K

138.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,904 KES 1.0M

$5,470 KES 707.0K

44.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.03 KES 2,331

$13.40 KES 1,732

34.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.62 KES 3,052

$13.87 KES 1,792

70.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 KES 8,370

$23.46 KES 3,032

176.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.9 KES 7,355

$46.74 KES 6,041

21.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 KES 15.0K

$181 KES 23.3K

-35.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.8 KES 10.1K

$118 KES 15.2K

-33.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 KES 29.8K

$595 KES 76.9K

-61.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 KES 24.4K

$448 KES 57.8K

-57.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$785 KES 101.4K

$5,454 KES 704.9K

-85.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,880 KES 501.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$314 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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $116 in Naivasha 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Naivasha versus $20.00 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: $583 in Naivasha, $619 in Mombasa – roughly 6% 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 $929 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 $583 in Naivasha and $619 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $205 per month in Naivasha and $86.0 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 $583 in Naivasha and $619 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.