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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $601 per month in Nanyuki vs $619 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $999 per month in Nanyuki vs $1,079 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,398 per month in Nanyuki vs $1,539 in Mombasa, rent included.

Nanyuki is about 3% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Nanyuki and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Nanyuki 55% lower, Mombasa 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 KES 486

$2.34 KES 302

60.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.02 KES 4,009

$19.58 KES 2,531

58.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 KES 893

$8.87 KES 1,146

-22.10%

Cappuccino

$1.82 KES 236

$3.30 KES 426

-44.85%

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

$0.70 KES 90.0

$0.52 KES 66.8

34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 69.1

$0.48 KES 61.5

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 295

$1.87 KES 242

21.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 385

$2.89 KES 373

3.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

$0.82 KES 105

10.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.9

$0.54 KES 70.3

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$1.44 KES 186

-20.83%

Eggs

$1.60 KES 206

$1.75 KES 226

-8.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.59 KES 1,498

$10.05 KES 1,299

15.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 KES 866

$6.01 KES 777

11.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.98 KES 514

$5.21 KES 673

-23.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 KES 404

$1.81 KES 234

72.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$0.86 KES 111

22.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 270

$1.53 KES 198

36.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$0.73 KES 94.8

36.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$0.72 KES 92.9

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 143

$1.07 KES 138

3.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.3

$0.62 KES 80.5

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 105

$0.58 KES 75.0

39.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 KES 342

$3.44 KES 445

-22.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 KES 1,468

$7.94 KES 1,026

43.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.96 KES 254

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 254

$2.84 KES 367

-30.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 KES 48.26

$0.74 KES 96.3

-50.00%

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)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.87 KES 242

-19.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 KES 376

$4.61 KES 596

-36.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 KES 156

$1.60 KES 206

-25.00%

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

$21.3K KES 2.7M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

74.39%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

61.92%

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

$34.63 KES 4,477

$44.01 KES 5,688

-21.31%

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

$16.80 KES 2,171

$14.12 KES 1,825

18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.94 KES 5,033

$44.43 KES 5,743

-12.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 KES 7,094

$18.28 KES 2,363

200.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 KES 2,538

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 KES 811

$4.59 KES 593

36.82%

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

$65.5 KES 8,465

$86.0 KES 11.1K

-23.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,838 KES 1.0M

$5,470 KES 707.0K

43.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.57 KES 2,401

$13.40 KES 1,732

38.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.15 KES 3,122

$13.87 KES 1,792

74.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 KES 8,536

$23.46 KES 3,032

181.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.9 KES 7,357

$46.74 KES 6,041

21.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.5 KES 12.7K

$181 KES 23.3K

-45.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.1 KES 10.2K

$118 KES 15.2K

-32.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 KES 43.0K

$595 KES 76.9K

-44.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 KES 27.4K

$448 KES 57.8K

-52.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,454 KES 704.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,880 KES 501.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$115 KES 14.8K

$314 KES 40.5K

-63.41%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $98.5 in Nanyuki 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.

Salaries run about 173% higher in Mombasa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Nanyuki versus $20.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 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: $601 in Nanyuki, $619 in Mombasa – roughly 3% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $901 per month in Nanyuki 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 Nanyuki, 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 $601 in Nanyuki and $619 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $65.5 per month in Nanyuki and $86.0 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $601 in Nanyuki and $619 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nanyuki – 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 Nanyuki. 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.