Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakuru and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakuru and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $639 per month in Nakuru vs $696 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $978 per month in Nakuru vs $1,132 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,318 per month in Nakuru vs $1,567 in Mombasa, rent included.

Nakuru is about 8% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nakuru and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Nakuru 54% lower, Mombasa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 KES 506

$2.27 KES 294

72.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 KES 4,405

$23.41 KES 3,027

45.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.25 KES 808

$10.46 KES 1,353

-40.25%

Cappuccino

$1.97 KES 255

$3.72 KES 481

-47.04%

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

$0.38 KES 48.59

$0.94 KES 122

-59.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.36

$0.40 KES 51.6

-45.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

$2.28 KES 294

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$3.20 KES 414

-13.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.6

$0.89 KES 115

-41.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$0.53 KES 68.1

-11.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.58 KES 204

-3.16%

Eggs

$1.61 KES 209

$1.73 KES 224

-6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 KES 1,360

$10.87 KES 1,406

-3.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 KES 823

$5.66 KES 732

12.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 KES 821

$5.33 KES 689

19.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 KES 437

$2.11 KES 273

60.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 KES 129

$1.15 KES 149

-13.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 263

$1.75 KES 226

16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$0.64 KES 82.7

73.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$0.67 KES 86.3

58.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.01 KES 131

5.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.7

$0.60 KES 77.6

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.4

$0.42 KES 54.6

76.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 KES 461

$4.59 KES 594

-22.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 KES 1,496

$7.86 KES 1,016

47.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 KES 290

$1.99 KES 257

12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.97 KES 384

-5.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.13 KES 5,059

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

$3.04 KES 393

-50.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.70 KES 219

-7.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$4.63 KES 598

-35.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.56 KES 202

-3.85%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

69.00%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

65.20%

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

$60.9 KES 7,872

$54.4 KES 7,029

11.99%

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

$15.19 KES 1,964

$13.01 KES 1,682

16.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.73 KES 4,620

$33.92 KES 4,386

5.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.29 KES 2,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 KES 2,545

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 KES 994

$11.02 KES 1,424

-30.31%

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

$241 KES 31.1K

$88.4 KES 11.4K

172.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$5,445 KES 704.0K

116.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.54 KES 3,561

$13.32 KES 1,722

106.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.28 KES 3,398

$13.39 KES 1,732

96.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 KES 8,268

$23.00 KES 2,974

178.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 KES 7,762

$46.52 KES 6,015

29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 KES 29.0K

$234 KES 30.3K

-4.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 KES 17.7K

$154 KES 19.9K

-10.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.4K

$535 KES 69.2K

0.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 KES 25.4K

$393 KES 50.8K

-49.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,432 KES 702.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,861 KES 499.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 KES 41.9K

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 Nakuru: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Nakuru versus $234 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 $34.00 in Nakuru versus $23.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 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

Nakuru vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $639 in Nakuru, $696 in Mombasa – roughly 9% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $958 per month in Nakuru and $1,044 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakuru, 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 $639 in Nakuru and $696 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $241 per month in Nakuru and $88.4 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $639 in Nakuru and $696 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nakuru – 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 Nakuru. 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.