Cost of Living Comparison Between Thika and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Thika and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $463 per month in Thika vs $604 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $786 per month in Thika vs $1,064 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,109 per month in Thika vs $1,525 in Mombasa, rent included.

Thika is about 23% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Thika and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Thika 65% lower, Mombasa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 KES 699

$2.37 KES 307

127.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.52 KES 4,982

$19.29 KES 2,494

99.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 KES 903

$8.53 KES 1,104

-18.05%

Cappuccino

$2.47 KES 319

$3.25 KES 420

-24.00%

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

$0.74 KES 95.7

$0.51 KES 66.2

45.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.7

$0.47 KES 61.1

6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KES 216

$1.90 KES 245

-12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 254

$2.93 KES 379

-32.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$0.81 KES 104

16.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 57.3

$0.53 KES 69.2

-16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 KES 171

$1.44 KES 187

-8.33%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$1.73 KES 223

-21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 KES 1,523

$9.96 KES 1,289

18.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 KES 877

$5.82 KES 753

16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.89 KES 244

$5.24 KES 677

-63.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 KES 399

$1.81 KES 234

70.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.93 KES 121

15.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 KES 280

$1.56 KES 202

38.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.76 KES 98.0

36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.71 KES 92.2

52.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$1.05 KES 135

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.9

$0.67 KES 86.8

-2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 103

$0.57 KES 73.9

40.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 KES 293

$3.32 KES 429

-31.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 KES 769

$7.90 KES 1,021

-24.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 KES 226

$1.94 KES 251

-9.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.73 KES 353

-27.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 102

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,538

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 KES 199

$3.02 KES 390

-49.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.95 KES 252

-18.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 KES 376

$4.61 KES 596

-36.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.60 KES 207

-36.25%

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

$21.8K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

80.30%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

68.02%

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

$35.00 KES 4,527

$44.87 KES 5,803

-22.00%

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

$16.95 KES 2,192

$14.07 KES 1,819

20.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.53 KES 5,112

$44.11 KES 5,705

-10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,451

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 KES 812

$4.55 KES 588

38.02%

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

$203 KES 26.2K

$87.3 KES 11.3K

132.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,055 KES 1.0M

$5,325 KES 688.7K

51.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.17 KES 2,350

$13.39 KES 1,731

35.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.40 KES 3,155

$13.83 KES 1,789

76.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 KES 8,489

$23.61 KES 3,053

178.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.3 KES 7,407

$47.29 KES 6,115

21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 KES 60.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$619 KES 80.1K

$5,402 KES 698.6K

-88.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 496.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$318 KES 41.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

-11.54%

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

Last update for Thika: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Thika versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 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

Thika vs Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $463 in Thika, $604 in Mombasa – roughly 31% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $694 per month in Thika and $907 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $463 in Thika and $604 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $203 per month in Thika and $87.3 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $463 in Thika and $604 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Thika – 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 Thika. 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.