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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $577 per month in Nanyuki vs $696 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $965 per month in Nanyuki vs $1,132 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,352 per month in Nanyuki vs $1,567 in Mombasa, rent included.

Nanyuki is about 17% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nanyuki and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Nanyuki 58% lower, Mombasa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 KES 503

$2.27 KES 294

71.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.36 KES 4,572

$23.41 KES 3,027

51.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.33 KES 819

$10.46 KES 1,353

-39.48%

Cappuccino

$2.66 KES 344

$3.72 KES 481

-28.49%

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

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.94 KES 122

-39.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 71.8

$0.40 KES 51.6

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

$2.28 KES 294

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 346

$3.20 KES 414

-16.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 KES 116

$0.89 KES 115

1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.6

$0.53 KES 68.1

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 KES 152

$1.58 KES 204

-25.32%

Eggs

$1.65 KES 214

$1.73 KES 224

-4.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 KES 1,340

$10.87 KES 1,406

-4.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 KES 798

$5.66 KES 732

9.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 KES 806

$5.33 KES 689

16.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 KES 431

$2.11 KES 273

58.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 KES 128

$1.15 KES 149

-13.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 262

$1.75 KES 226

16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.64 KES 82.7

67.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$0.67 KES 86.3

64.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.01 KES 131

7.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.4

$0.60 KES 77.6

21.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 KES 93.1

$0.42 KES 54.6

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 KES 445

$4.59 KES 594

-24.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 KES 1,528

$7.86 KES 1,016

50.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 KES 298

$1.99 KES 257

16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.97 KES 384

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.13 KES 5,059

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 KES 195

$3.04 KES 393

-50.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.70 KES 219

-11.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$4.63 KES 598

-38.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.56 KES 202

1.92%

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

$20.5K KES 2.7M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

69.40%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

62.42%

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

$60.6 KES 7,832

$54.4 KES 7,029

11.42%

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

$15.47 KES 2,000

$13.01 KES 1,682

18.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.53 KES 4,594

$33.92 KES 4,386

4.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.29 KES 2,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 KES 2,545

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 KES 1,017

$11.02 KES 1,424

-28.68%

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

$239 KES 30.9K

$88.4 KES 11.4K

170.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$5,445 KES 704.0K

112.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.29 KES 3,529

$13.32 KES 1,722

104.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 KES 3,333

$13.39 KES 1,732

92.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 KES 8,050

$23.00 KES 2,974

170.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 KES 7,792

$46.52 KES 6,015

29.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 KES 9,840

$234 KES 30.3K

-67.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.0 KES 8,406

$154 KES 19.9K

-57.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.9K

$535 KES 69.2K

-56.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 KES 25.1K

$393 KES 50.8K

-50.57%

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)

$118 KES 15.2K

$324 KES 41.9K

-63.70%

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 Nanyuki: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $76.1 in Nanyuki 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.

Salaries run about 175% 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 $35.00 in Nanyuki versus $23.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 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

Nanyuki vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $577 in Nanyuki, $696 in Mombasa – roughly 21% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $866 per month in Nanyuki 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 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 $577 in Nanyuki and $696 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $239 per month in Nanyuki and $88.4 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 $577 in Nanyuki and $696 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.