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Mombasa vs Nairobi cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฐ๐ช Mombasa
๐ฐ๐ช Nairobi
At a glance
- Where Mombasa is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (56%โ), Haircut (50%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (40%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Nairobi is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Mombasa 4 vs Nairobi 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Mombasa | Nairobi | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | KSh 400$3.1 | KSh 600$4.65 | Mombasa โ33% |
| Street food1 item | KSh 150$1.16 | KSh 150$1.16 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | KSh 1,500$11.6 | KSh 2,300$17.8 | Mombasa โ35% |
| Coffeeone cup | KSh 300$2.33 | KSh 400$3.1 | Mombasa โ25% |
| Beerone bottle | KSh 300$2.33 | KSh 300$2.33 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | KSh 800$6.2 | KSh 800$6.2 | similar |
| Bottled water | KSh 50$0.39 | KSh 50$0.39 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | KSh 80$0.62 | KSh 80$0.62 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | KSh 400$3.1 | KSh 500$3.88 | Mombasa โ20% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | KSh 200$1.55 | KSh 335$2.6 | Mombasa โ40% |
| Transitone ride | KSh 80$0.62 | KSh 70$0.54 | Nairobi โ12% |
| Scooter rentalper day | KSh 2,000$15.5 | KSh 3,000$23.3 | Mombasa โ33% |
| Hotel night3-star | KSh 8,000$62 | KSh 9,000$69.8 | Mombasa โ11% |
| Studio rent (month) | KSh 22,000$171 | KSh 50,000$388 | Mombasa โ56% |
| Laundry | KSh 150$1.16 | KSh 200$1.55 | Mombasa โ25% |
| SIM card1 week data | KSh 800$6.2 | KSh 800$6.2 | similar |
| Haircutcut | KSh 250$1.94 | KSh 500$3.88 | Mombasa โ50% |
| Massage1 hour | KSh 2,500$19.4 | KSh 3,500$27.1 | Mombasa โ29% |
| Half-day tourper person | KSh 5,000$38.8 | KSh 8,000$62 | Mombasa โ38% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | KSh 1,200$9.3 | KSh 1,500$11.6 | Mombasa โ20% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Mombasa or Nairobi?
Mombasa is 30% cheaper than Nairobi. Daily budget $97.8 vs $121; a month $988 vs $1,613.
Which is easier to travel, Mombasa or Nairobi?
Nairobi is easier: Nairobi 2.8/5 vs Mombasa 3.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Mombasa and Nairobi?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Mombasa is about $988 and Nairobi about $1,613 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.