Cost of Living Comparison Between Nyeri and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Nyeri and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $517 per month in Nyeri vs $604 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $884 per month in Nyeri vs $1,064 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,252 per month in Nyeri vs $1,525 in Mombasa, rent included.

Nyeri is about 15% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nyeri and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Nyeri 61% lower, Mombasa 55% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 KES 609
$2.37 KES 308
98.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.92 KES 5,042
$19.29 KES 2,498
101.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.89 KES 892
$8.53 KES 1,106
-19.23%
Cappuccino
$2.39 KES 309
$3.25 KES 421
-26.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 KES 89.8
$0.51 KES 66.3
35.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 KES 51.9
$0.47 KES 61.2
-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
$2.93 KES 380
0.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.48 KES 62.2
$0.81 KES 104
-40.74%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 KES 67.5
$0.53 KES 69.3
-1.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.87 KES 113
$1.44 KES 187
-39.58%
Eggs
$1.67 KES 217
$1.73 KES 223
-3.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.53 KES 1,493
$9.96 KES 1,291
15.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.05 KES 784
$5.82 KES 754
3.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.78 KES 619
$5.24 KES 679
-8.78%
Apples (1kg)
$0.80 KES 104
$1.81 KES 234
-55.80%
Banana (1kg)
$0.51 KES 66.5
$0.93 KES 121
-45.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.67 KES 86.2
$1.56 KES 202
-57.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.32 KES 41.74
$0.76 KES 98.2
-57.89%
Potato (1kg)
$0.24 KES 31.24
$0.71 KES 92.4
-66.20%
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 KES 57.1
$1.05 KES 136
-58.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 KES 89.6
$0.67 KES 86.9
2.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 KES 68.7
$0.57 KES 74.0
-7.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.56 KES 203
$3.32 KES 430
-53.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.42 KES 1,479
$7.90 KES 1,023
44.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 KES 288
$1.94 KES 252
14.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 KES 363
$2.73 KES 354
2.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.74 KES 95.7
$0.79 KES 103
-6.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.73 KES 2,037
$35.09 KES 4,546
-55.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 KES 203
$3.02 KES 391
-48.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 KES 148
$1.95 KES 252
-41.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.13 KES 146
$4.61 KES 597
-75.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 KES 184
$1.60 KES 208
-11.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K KES 2.9M
$12.1K KES 1.6M
82.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2K KES 2.6M
$11.8K KES 1.5M
71.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$15.68 KES 2,031
$44.87 KES 5,813
-65.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.56 KES 1,498
$14.07 KES 1,822
-17.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.92 KES 5,172
$44.11 KES 5,715
-9.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.13 KES 4,421
$18.18 KES 2,356
87.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$46.25 KES 5,991
$18.95 KES 2,455
144.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.10 KES 791
$4.55 KES 589
34.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$202 KES 26.2K
$87.3 KES 11.3K
131.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,004 KES 1.0M
$5,325 KES 689.9K
50.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$11.80 KES 1,529
$13.39 KES 1,734
-11.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$14.12 KES 1,830
$13.83 KES 1,792
2.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$34.48 KES 4,467
$23.61 KES 3,059
46.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$19.72 KES 2,554
$47.29 KES 6,126
-58.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$93.1 KES 12.1K
$178 KES 23.0K
-47.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$70.7 KES 9,160
$115 KES 14.9K
-38.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$196 KES 25.3K
$605 KES 78.4K
-67.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$154 KES 19.9K
$465 KES 60.2K
-66.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$5,402 KES 699.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,839 KES 497.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$235 KES 30.4K
$318 KES 41.2K
-26.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14.84
13
14.15%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nyeri: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $93.1 in Nyeri versus $178 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 35% 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 $39.00 in Nyeri versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Groceries tell a different story – $161 in Nyeri vs $170 in Mombasa – so Nyeri wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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
Nyeri vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nyeri and Mombasa compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $517 in Nyeri, $604 in Mombasa – roughly 17% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Nyeri compared to Mombasa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $775 per month in Nyeri and $907 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nyeri and Mombasa?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nyeri, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Nyeri and $19.00 in Mombasa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Nyeri or Mombasa?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $517 in Nyeri and $604 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How far does $1,200 go in Nyeri vs Mombasa?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $517 in Nyeri and $604 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Nyeri or Mombasa?
Families tend to lean toward Nyeri – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Nyeri and Mombasa?
If budget matters most, go with Nyeri. 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.

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