Poverty and living standards in Mombasa, Kenya: official figures
27.0% of people in Mombasa lived below the overall poverty line in 2022, about 345,000 people; 7th lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 39.8%, 20.16 million people). The line is the cost of basic food and non-food needs per adult per month.
How many people in Mombasa cannot afford enough food?
25.9% of Mombasa's residents were food poor in 2022, unable to afford the minimum daily food energy requirement, and 1.0% were in hardcore poverty, unable to afford it even if they spent everything on food (Kenya: 31.7% and 7.1%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many children in Mombasa live in poverty?
Child poverty is higher: 29.7% of children under 18 in Mombasa lived in poor households in 2022 (Kenya: 42.4%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Mombasa?
Inequality in spending, measured by the Gini index, was 27.4 in Mombasa in 2022, against 30.2 in 2015/16 (Kenya: 38.4; 0 means everyone spends the same).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo families in Mombasa go hungry?
25.2% of households in Mombasa said they had lacked food or money to buy food in the week before the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 20th lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 28.8%), and 11.4% received a cash transfer or social assistance (Kenya: 16.8%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyDo people in Mombasa have clean water and toilets?
52.4% of people in Mombasa had at least basic drinking water (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2022, 14th lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 67.9%); 46.5% had at least a basic toilet not shared with other households (Kenya: 40.9%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyWhat do households in Mombasa cook with?
43.3% of people in Mombasa lived in homes that mainly cook with clean fuels such as gas or electricity in 2022, 4th highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 23.8%); most others cook with wood or charcoal.
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyHow Mombasa compares with other counties
People below the overall poverty line (2022)
Mombasa ranks 41 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | Kisii | 32.9% |
| 39 | Murang'a | 30.1% |
| 40 | Homa Bay | 28.2% |
| 41 | Mombasa | 27.0% |
| 42 | Narok | 26.2% |
| 43 | Nyeri | 26.0% |
| 44 | Embu | 24.3% |
People with at least basic drinking water (2022)
Mombasa ranks 34 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People with at least basic drinking water |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Mandera | 54.0% |
| 32 | Wajir | 52.9% |
| 33 | Migori | 52.9% |
| 34 | Mombasa | 52.4% |
| 35 | Tana River | 48.7% |
| 36 | Siaya | 48.5% |
| 37 | Narok | 48.2% |
More on Mombasa: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Kenya
Sources
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF): Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022, Volume 1: county tables (C tables), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 202dd70451a0…)
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics: The Kenya Poverty Report 2022 (2022 Kenya Continuous Household Survey): Tables 3.2 and 4.6, Annex Tables A1, B1, C1 and E.2, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e3298f81209a…)
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