Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanyuki and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanyuki and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $616 per month in Nanyuki vs $605 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,008 per month in Nanyuki vs $1,067 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,400 per month in Nanyuki vs $1,528 in Mombasa, rent included.

Nanyuki costs about 2% more than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nanyuki and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Nanyuki 54% lower, Mombasa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 KES 495

$2.39 KES 310

59.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.67 KES 3,976

$19.38 KES 2,513

58.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 861

$8.75 KES 1,135

-24.11%

Cappuccino

$1.83 KES 237

$3.14 KES 408

-41.72%

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

$0.69 KES 90.0

$0.51 KES 66.7

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 70.4

$0.47 KES 61.0

14.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 294

$1.90 KES 246

19.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 KES 382

$2.98 KES 387

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

$0.83 KES 107

9.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.9

$0.53 KES 69.2

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 KES 153

$1.42 KES 184

-16.90%

Eggs

$1.58 KES 205

$1.80 KES 233

-12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 KES 1,481

$9.78 KES 1,268

16.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 849

$5.96 KES 773

9.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.89 KES 504

$5.40 KES 701

-27.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 KES 406

$1.86 KES 241

68.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.87 KES 113

19.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 KES 277

$1.57 KES 204

36.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$0.78 KES 101

30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.72 KES 93.3

48.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.08 KES 140

6.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.7

$0.62 KES 80.7

3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.5

$0.58 KES 75.1

31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 KES 345

$3.44 KES 447

-22.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 KES 1,478

$7.75 KES 1,004

47.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 KES 245

$1.96 KES 254

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$2.77 KES 359

-29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 KES 53.0

$0.74 KES 95.6

-44.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.22 KES 4,566

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$3.07 KES 398

-48.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.95 KES 253

-21.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 KES 378

$4.52 KES 586

-35.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 KES 154

$1.65 KES 213

-27.88%

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

$21.8K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

80.17%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

68.94%

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

$33.86 KES 4,390

$45.06 KES 5,842

-24.86%

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

$17.01 KES 2,205

$14.19 KES 1,840

19.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.05 KES 5,063

$43.51 KES 5,641

-10.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 KES 6,989

$18.03 KES 2,337

198.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 KES 2,494

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 KES 816

$4.65 KES 604

35.27%

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

$65.4 KES 8,483

$85.5 KES 11.1K

-23.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,627 KES 988.9K

$5,329 KES 691.0K

43.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.53 KES 2,403

$13.41 KES 1,739

38.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.77 KES 3,082

$13.57 KES 1,760

75.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 KES 8,312

$22.90 KES 2,970

179.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.3 KES 7,428

$47.05 KES 6,101

21.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$95.8 KES 12.4K

$177 KES 23.0K

-46.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.6 KES 10.2K

$114 KES 14.8K

-30.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 KES 43.1K

$593 KES 76.9K

-43.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 KES 27.1K

$460 KES 59.6K

-54.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,473 KES 709.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,912 KES 507.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$115 KES 14.8K

$319 KES 41.3K

-64.06%

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 Nanyuki: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $95.8 in Nanyuki versus $177 in Mombasa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 178% higher in Mombasa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Nanyuki versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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

Nanyuki vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $616 in Nanyuki, $605 in Mombasa – roughly 2% apart. Nanyuki costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $924 per month in Nanyuki and $908 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mombasa, 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 $616 in Nanyuki and $605 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $65.4 per month in Nanyuki and $85.5 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 $616 in Nanyuki and $605 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mombasa – 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 Mombasa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nanyuki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.