Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bungoma and Malindi

For one person, living is cheaper in Bungoma: $144 a month against $517 in Malindi, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Malindi
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Malindi Living Index

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Bungoma

🇰🇪 Kenya

$144

/mo nomad

Malindi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$517

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bungoma and in Malindi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $144 in Bungoma versus $517 in Malindi.

Bungoma $144
Malindi $517

Estimated couple costs with rent: $290 in Bungoma versus $803 in Malindi.

Bungoma $290
Malindi $803

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $436 in Bungoma versus $1,090 in Malindi.

Bungoma $436
Malindi $1,090

Living in Bungoma costs roughly 72% less than in Malindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bungoma 89% lower, Malindi 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 KES 277

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 KES 3,284

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 KES 1,355

Cappuccino

$5.49 KES 712

$2.70 KES 351

103.33%

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

$0.68 KES 88.5

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.29 KES 298

-31.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 218

$3.23 KES 419

-47.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 KES 117

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 KES 162

Eggs

$1.24 KES 161

$1.83 KES 237

-32.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 KES 1,480

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 KES 647

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.89 KES 635

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 KES 411

$2.07 KES 269

53.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 KES 125

$0.78 KES 101

24.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 KES 228

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 91.7

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.0

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KES 77.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 58.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 KES 540

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 KES 1,276

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.01 KES 261

-21.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 218

$2.96 KES 384

-43.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 KES 408

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 KES 231

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 KES 596

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 KES 182

$1.37 KES 178

2.19%

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

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

$76.0 KES 9,870

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

$8.99 KES 1,166

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.15 KES 3,783

$30.23 KES 3,924

-3.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.62 KES 5,013

Cinema Ticket

$15.42 KES 2,002

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

$85.5 KES 11.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,381 KES 698.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.28 KES 1,723

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.38 KES 1,737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.49 KES 3,049

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.81 KES 6,076

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 KES 49.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 KES 21.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Bungoma: October 25, 2026

Last update for Malindi: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Bungoma

–

Malindi

$173 33.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bungoma

–

Malindi

$115 22.3%

Eating Out

Bungoma

–

Malindi

$104 20.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Bungoma

–

Malindi

$69 13.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Bungoma

–

Malindi

$44 8.5%

Getting Around

Bungoma

–

Malindi

$12 * 2.3%

Accommodation & Living

Bungoma

–

Malindi

- * 0%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Bungoma

🇰🇪 Malindi

🕒 Local time

18:56 6:56 PM

Same time as Bungoma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,000

117,735

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Bungoma Malindi 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Bungoma
Malindi

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

Bungoma vs Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bungoma is about 72% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $216 in Bungoma and $775 in Malindi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 356% higher in Malindi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $144 per month in Bungoma versus $517 in Malindi – Bungoma is about 72% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bungoma gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.