Cost of Living Comparison Between Eldoret and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Eldoret and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $500 in Eldoret versus $499 in Malindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $866 in Eldoret versus $795 in Malindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,232 in Eldoret versus $1,091 in Malindi.

Monthly costs are close between Eldoret and Malindi; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Eldoret 63% lower, Malindi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.59 KES 205

$2.08 KES 269

-23.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.83 KES 4,509

$23.48 KES 3,039

48.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 KES 807

$10.44 KES 1,351

-40.23%

Cappuccino

$2.81 KES 363

$3.70 KES 479

-24.05%

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

$0.30 KES 38.27

$0.94 KES 122

-68.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 49.06

$0.42 KES 54.9

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 296

$2.29 KES 297

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 KES 340

$3.22 KES 417

-18.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 KES 87.3

$0.90 KES 116

-25.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 KES 60.0

$0.52 KES 67.5

-11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 KES 199

$1.27 KES 165

20.47%

Eggs

$1.57 KES 204

$1.73 KES 224

-9.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.95 KES 512

$11.15 KES 1,444

-64.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 KES 541

$5.49 KES 711

-23.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 KES 554

$4.97 KES 643

-13.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$2.08 KES 270

12.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$0.75 KES 97.1

38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.9

$1.76 KES 228

-62.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 KES 113

$0.70 KES 90.4

25.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 KES 73.0

$0.70 KES 91.2

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 KES 58.2

$0.72 KES 93.4

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.5

$0.61 KES 78.6

14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 KES 78.8

$0.43 KES 55.5

41.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 KES 456

$4.67 KES 605

-24.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.95 KES 770

$7.68 KES 994

-22.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 KES 262

$2.03 KES 263

-0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 KES 202

$2.97 KES 384

-47.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 KES 185

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 KES 203

$3.01 KES 390

-48.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 KES 201

$1.76 KES 228

-11.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$4.71 KES 610

-36.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 KES 190

$1.39 KES 180

5.76%

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

$21.8K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

80.36%

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

$20.6K KES 2.7M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

71.80%

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

$39.60 KES 5,126

$55.7 KES 7,205

-28.85%

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

$15.71 KES 2,034

$13.01 KES 1,684

20.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.72 KES 4,624

$30.64 KES 3,967

16.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 KES 4,948

$38.93 KES 5,040

-1.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 KES 640

$10.79 KES 1,397

-54.22%

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

$65.6 KES 8,489

$85.9 KES 11.1K

-23.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K KES 1.5M

$5,448 KES 705.2K

111.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.68 KES 1,512

$12.91 KES 1,671

-9.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.55 KES 3,566

$13.86 KES 1,794

98.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.63 KES 2,541

$22.72 KES 2,941

-13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.18 KES 4,554

$46.60 KES 6,032

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.2 KES 12.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.2 KES 11.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 KES 50.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 KES 35.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$625 KES 81.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

13.15%

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

Last update for Eldoret: September 12, 2026

Last update for Malindi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Eldoret vs $23.00 in Malindi. Groceries flip the comparison at $132 vs $170, with Eldoret cheaper for home cooking.

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

Eldoret vs Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $750 in Eldoret and $749 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.

Shoppers in Eldoret pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Malindi – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $35.00 in Eldoret. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Malindi 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.

It comes down to priorities – Malindi wins on affordability, Eldoret on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.