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 $618 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $792 per month in Thika vs $1,060 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,120 per month in Thika vs $1,502 in Mombasa, rent included.

Thika is about 25% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Thika and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Thika 65% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 KES 690

$2.35 KES 304

127.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.05 KES 4,917

$19.18 KES 2,478

98.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 KES 863

$8.80 KES 1,137

-24.09%

Cappuccino

$2.36 KES 305

$3.18 KES 411

-25.79%

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

$0.75 KES 96.4

$0.48 KES 62.4

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.9

$0.48 KES 61.7

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 KES 215

$1.96 KES 253

-15.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

$2.82 KES 364

-30.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 119

$0.82 KES 106

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$0.49 KES 63.9

-2.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 KES 178

$1.40 KES 180

-1.43%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$1.79 KES 231

-23.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 KES 1,484

$9.71 KES 1,255

18.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 KES 850

$5.82 KES 752

13.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

$5.22 KES 675

-63.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 KES 402

$1.79 KES 231

73.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$0.91 KES 117

18.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 269

$1.52 KES 197

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.79 KES 102

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$0.68 KES 87.5

51.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$1.08 KES 139

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.8

$0.66 KES 85.4

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.60 KES 78.0

36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 KES 292

$3.30 KES 427

-31.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 KES 760

$7.95 KES 1,027

-25.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 KES 218

$1.88 KES 242

-10.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

$2.77 KES 358

-29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,532

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$3.05 KES 394

-49.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.94 KES 251

-22.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 372

$4.58 KES 592

-37.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.60 KES 206

-33.13%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$12.0K KES 1.5M

82.78%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

67.61%

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

$34.70 KES 4,484

$44.61 KES 5,764

-22.21%

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

$16.92 KES 2,186

$14.45 KES 1,867

17.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.27 KES 5,073

$43.55 KES 5,626

-9.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 KES 2,337

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 KES 822

$4.71 KES 609

35.24%

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

$206 KES 26.6K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

134.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,982 KES 1.0M

$5,406 KES 698.5K

47.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.00 KES 2,326

$13.03 KES 1,684

38.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.70 KES 3,063

$13.80 KES 1,784

71.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 KES 8,297

$23.61 KES 3,050

172.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 KES 7,236

$45.93 KES 5,934

21.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KES 59.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$609 KES 78.7K

$5,440 KES 702.8K

-88.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Thika versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $169 – 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, $618 in Mombasa – roughly 34% 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 $928 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 $618 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $206 per month in Thika and $87.7 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 $618 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.