Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nyeri and Mombasa

For one person, living is cheaper in Nyeri: $503 a month against $719 in Mombasa, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nyeri
🇰🇪 Kenya
$503
/mo nomad
Mombasa
🇰🇪 Kenya
$719
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nyeri and in Mombasa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nyeri and in Mombasa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $503 per month in Nyeri vs $719 in Mombasa, rent included.

  • Nyeri $503
  • Mombasa $719

A couple spends around $860 per month in Nyeri vs $1,147 in Mombasa, rent included.

  • Nyeri $860
  • Mombasa $1,147

A family of three spends $1,218 per month in Nyeri vs $1,575 in Mombasa, rent included.

  • Nyeri $1,218
  • Mombasa $1,575

Nyeri is about 30% cheaper than Mombasa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nyeri and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Nyeri 63% lower, Mombasa 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.57 KES 592
$2.66 KES 345
71.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.72 KES 4,501
$25.34 KES 3,285
37.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.53 KES 847
$10.48 KES 1,359
-37.69%
Cappuccino
$1.96 KES 254
$2.74 KES 355
-28.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 KES 38.21
$0.68 KES 88.0
-57.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 KES 72.4
$0.52 KES 67.7
7.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.29 KES 297
$2.34 KES 303
-2.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 KES 348
$3.30 KES 428
-18.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.48 KES 62.8
$1.00 KES 130
-52.00%
White Bread (500g)
$0.49 KES 63.0
$0.51 KES 65.6
-3.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.87 KES 112
$1.55 KES 201
-43.87%
Eggs
$1.75 KES 227
$1.82 KES 236
-3.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.62 KES 1,376
$13.91 KES 1,803
-23.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.99 KES 776
$5.00 KES 648
19.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.50 KES 583
$5.25 KES 681
-14.29%
Apples (1kg)
$0.74 KES 96.4
$2.10 KES 272
-64.76%
Banana (1kg)
$0.52 KES 67.4
$1.16 KES 150
-55.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.71 KES 92.1
$1.76 KES 228
-59.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.33 KES 42.17
$0.70 KES 90.9
-52.86%
Potato (1kg)
$0.24 KES 31.15
$0.72 KES 93.8
-66.67%
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 KES 56.7
$1.01 KES 130
-56.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 KES 89.7
$0.60 KES 78.4
15.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 KES 73.5
$0.43 KES 55.6
32.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.50 KES 194
$4.00 KES 518
-62.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.76 KES 1,525
$9.56 KES 1,239
23.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 KES 290
$1.99 KES 258
12.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 KES 349
$2.82 KES 365
-4.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.74 KES 95.9
$0.80 KES 104
-7.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.59 KES 2,022
$38.84 KES 5,035
-59.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 KES 198
$3.16 KES 410
-51.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 KES 147
$1.75 KES 227
-34.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 KES 154
$4.65 KES 603
-74.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 KES 182
$1.56 KES 202
-10.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0K KES 2.8M
$12.1K KES 1.6M
82.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K KES 2.6M
$11.8K KES 1.5M
71.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$15.70 KES 2,035
$76.9 KES 9,975
-79.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 KES 1,503
$9.14 KES 1,184
26.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.66 KES 4,623
$34.48 KES 4,470
3.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.62 KES 4,488
$18.18 KES 2,357
90.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$46.47 KES 6,025
$18.93 KES 2,454
145.48%
Cinema Ticket
$7.84 KES 1,017
$15.63 KES 2,027
-49.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$253 KES 32.8K
$86.4 KES 11.2K
193.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K KES 1.6M
$5,415 KES 702.1K
123.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$11.52 KES 1,494
$13.05 KES 1,692
-11.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$13.83 KES 1,792
$13.77 KES 1,785
0.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$34.92 KES 4,527
$23.30 KES 3,021
49.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$19.09 KES 2,475
$46.20 KES 5,990
-58.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$92.9 KES 12.0K
$227 KES 29.5K
-59.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$70.6 KES 9,150
$157 KES 20.4K
-55.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$195 KES 25.2K
$540 KES 70.0K
-63.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$152 KES 19.7K
$372 KES 48.3K
-59.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$5,411 KES 701.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,884 KES 503.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nyeri
Mombasa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$228 KES 29.6K
$313 KES 40.5K
-26.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14.71
13
13.15%

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

Last update for Nyeri: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Nyeri
$158
Mombasa
$185 17.4% $27
Eating Out
Nyeri
$100
Mombasa
$109 8.9% $8.8
Accommodation & Living
Nyeri
$71
Mombasa
$157 123% $87
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nyeri
$63
Mombasa
$121 91.5% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Nyeri
$50
Mombasa
$49 1.7% $0.9
Clothing & Footwear
Nyeri
$36
Mombasa
$43 21.4% $7.6
Getting Around
Nyeri
$26
Mombasa
$54 109% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $92.9 in Nyeri versus $227 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 37% 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 Nyeri versus $25.00 in Mombasa. Groceries tell a different story – $158 in Nyeri vs $185 in Mombasa – so Nyeri wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇪 Nyeri
🇰🇪 Mombasa
🕒 Local time
22:43 10:43 PM
22:43 10:43 PM
Same time as Nyeri
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
98,908
1,300,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nyeri Mombasa 500 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Nyeri
  • Mombasa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 in Mombasa compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $503 in Nyeri, $719 in Mombasa – roughly 43% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Nyeri compared to Mombasa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $755 per month in Nyeri and $1,078 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 $35.00 in Nyeri and $25.00 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 $503 in Nyeri and $719 in Mombasa. That's a gap of about 43%.
How far does $1,200 go in Nyeri compared to Mombasa?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $503 in Nyeri and $719 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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