Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Kilifi

For one person, living is cheaper in Garissa: $381 a month against $634 in Kilifi, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Kilifi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Jump to prices

Garissa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$381

/mo nomad

Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$634

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Garissa and in Kilifi

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

A single person spends $381 per month in Garissa vs $634 in Kilifi, rent included.

Garissa $381
Kilifi $634

A couple spends around $667 per month in Garissa vs $1,049 in Kilifi, rent included.

Garissa $667
Kilifi $1,049

A family of three spends $952 per month in Garissa vs $1,465 in Kilifi, rent included.

Garissa $952
Kilifi $1,465

Garissa is about 40% cheaper than Kilifi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Garissa and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 72% lower, Kilifi 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.79 KES 1,528

$1.90 KES 246

520.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.02 KES 2,984

$49.32 KES 6,394

-53.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.29 KES 297

Cappuccino

$7.73 KES 1,002

$1.99 KES 257

288.44%

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

$1.88 KES 244

$0.81 KES 105

132.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 KES 147

$0.74 KES 96.2

52.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 KES 196

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 66.9

$1.06 KES 137

-50.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.9

$0.88 KES 114

-32.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 KES 191

$2.01 KES 260

-26.87%

Eggs

$1.92 KES 249

$1.94 KES 251

-1.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 KES 791

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.39 KES 698

$7.89 KES 1,023

-31.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 KES 490

$2.28 KES 296

65.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 KES 403

$0.70 KES 90.9

344.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 KES 608

$1.79 KES 232

162.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.45 KES 57.7

75.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KES 158

$0.79 KES 103

54.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$0.79 KES 103

98.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 KES 307

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 72.3

$0.22 KES 28.39

154.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 KES 741

$12.67 KES 1,643

-54.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 KES 217

$1.72 KES 222

-2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 KES 496

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 95.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.67 KES 3,457

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 KES 171

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

$15.65 KES 2,029

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

$10.43 KES 1,353

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.11 KES 3,255

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.40 KES 3,552

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 KES 974

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

$160 KES 20.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,984 KES 646.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.82 KES 1,273

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.90 KES 1,154

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.50 KES 2,009

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.60 KES 2,282

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 KES 42.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 KES 39.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 KES 35.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 KES 73.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$129 KES 16.8K

$227 KES 29.4K

-42.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Garissa: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: October 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 75% higher in Kilifi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa versus $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Garissa vs $124 in Kilifi – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Garissa

🇰🇪 Kilifi

🕒 Local time

23:30 11:30 PM

Same time as Garissa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

119,696

122,899

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Garissa Kilifi 350 km

From you

Garissa
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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

Garissa vs Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $381 in Garissa, $634 in Kilifi – roughly 66% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $572 per month in Garissa and $951 in Kilifi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa and $49.00 in Kilifi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $381 in Garissa and $634 in Kilifi. That's a gap of about 66%.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $381 in Garissa and $634 in Kilifi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Garissa – 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 Garissa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kilifi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.