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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $617 per month in Nanyuki vs $614 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,015 per month in Nanyuki vs $1,068 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,413 per month in Nanyuki vs $1,523 in Mombasa, rent included.

Nanyuki and Mombasa have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.84 KES 496

$2.33 KES 301

64.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.83 KES 3,979

$19.28 KES 2,488

59.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 KES 875

$8.94 KES 1,154

-24.16%

Cappuccino

$1.82 KES 235

$3.25 KES 419

-44.00%

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

$0.76 KES 98.4

$0.48 KES 61.7

58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.2

$0.45 KES 57.8

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KES 308

$1.97 KES 255

21.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 365

$2.91 KES 376

-2.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 115

$0.83 KES 106

7.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.8

$0.54 KES 69.8

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 KES 154

$1.41 KES 182

-15.60%

Eggs

$1.51 KES 196

$1.82 KES 235

-17.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 KES 1,478

$9.91 KES 1,279

15.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 KES 856

$5.87 KES 757

12.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.78 KES 488

$5.24 KES 676

-27.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 KES 410

$1.82 KES 235

74.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$0.87 KES 112

20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 KES 278

$1.52 KES 196

41.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

$0.76 KES 98.0

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.66 KES 85.7

62.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$1.07 KES 138

5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.8

$0.63 KES 80.9

9.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.62 KES 79.8

30.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 KES 355

$3.32 KES 429

-17.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 KES 1,491

$7.79 KES 1,005

48.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 KES 245

$1.95 KES 252

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.77 KES 358

-29.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 KES 52.5

$0.73 KES 94.4

-43.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 KES 4,423

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 202

$3.16 KES 408

-50.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 193

$1.90 KES 245

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 369

$4.55 KES 587

-37.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 KES 154

$1.63 KES 211

-26.99%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$11.9K KES 1.5M

85.45%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

68.67%

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

$33.69 KES 4,348

$44.31 KES 5,720

-23.97%

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

$16.87 KES 2,177

$14.23 KES 1,837

18.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.58 KES 5,109

$44.18 KES 5,702

-10.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 KES 7,016

$18.34 KES 2,367

196.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.55 KES 2,523

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 KES 785

$4.59 KES 592

32.46%

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

$64.5 KES 8,318

$85.7 KES 11.1K

-24.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,609 KES 982.1K

$5,452 KES 703.7K

39.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.94 KES 2,316

$13.12 KES 1,693

36.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.29 KES 3,135

$13.86 KES 1,789

75.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 KES 8,481

$23.60 KES 3,046

178.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.7 KES 7,440

$46.61 KES 6,016

23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$95.2 KES 12.3K

$179 KES 23.1K

-46.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.3 KES 10.1K

$114 KES 14.7K

-31.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 KES 42.6K

$597 KES 77.0K

-44.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 KES 27.1K

$455 KES 58.8K

-53.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,498 KES 709.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 KES 493.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$117 KES 15.0K

$319 KES 41.2K

-63.53%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $95.2 in Nanyuki versus $179 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 174% higher in Mombasa. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Nanyuki versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $170 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $925 per month in Nanyuki and $921 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.

Kindergarten costs $64.5 per month in Nanyuki and $85.7 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Nanyuki, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $617 in Nanyuki and $614 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.