Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Kilifi Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Kilifi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $467 per month in Garissa vs $436 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $774 per month in Garissa vs $782 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,082 per month in Garissa vs $1,128 in Kilifi, rent included.

Garissa costs about 7% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Garissa and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 65% lower, Kilifi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 KES 846

$2.25 KES 291

191.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.28 KES 3,008

$50.9 KES 6,573

-54.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 KES 359

$2.30 KES 297

20.87%

Cappuccino

$4.36 KES 563

$1.90 KES 246

129.47%

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

$1.15 KES 148

$0.74 KES 95.8

55.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.78 KES 101

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$1.98 KES 256

-5.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$0.88 KES 114

-2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 66.8

$0.81 KES 104

-35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$1.90 KES 246

-42.11%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$1.80 KES 233

-5.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 KES 811

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 KES 557

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 391

$2.31 KES 298

31.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$0.85 KES 109

176.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 KES 405

$1.83 KES 236

71.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$0.66 KES 84.7

3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$0.64 KES 83.0

34.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$0.64 KES 82.4

76.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$0.24 KES 31.15

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 730

$12.82 KES 1,656

-55.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 KES 237

$1.95 KES 253

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 KES 432

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 KES 3,559

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 KES 304

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.37 KES 177

-21.90%

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

$9,144 KES 1.2M

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

$15.34 KES 1,982

$15.61 KES 2,017

-1.73%

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

$10.28 KES 1,329

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 KES 2,967

$25.26 KES 3,263

-9.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 KES 2,973

$28.03 KES 3,622

-17.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 KES 985

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

$162 KES 20.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,072 KES 655.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.45 KES 1,480

$9.52 KES 1,229

20.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.86 KES 1,015

$8.67 KES 1,121

-9.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.53 KES 3,040

$15.59 KES 2,014

50.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$22.86 KES 2,953

$17.13 KES 2,213

33.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 KES 13.3K

$177 KES 22.8K

-41.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 KES 9,831

$113 KES 14.6K

-32.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 KES 24.9K

$275 KES 35.5K

-29.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 KES 22.1K

$266 KES 34.4K

-35.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 KES 16.8K

$235 KES 30.4K

-44.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Garissa versus $177 in Kilifi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 81% higher in Kilifi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa versus $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Garissa vs $100 in Kilifi – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $467 in Garissa, $436 in Kilifi – roughly 7% apart. Garissa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $700 per month in Garissa and $655 in Kilifi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilifi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa and $51.0 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 $467 in Garissa and $436 in Kilifi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $467 in Garissa and $436 in Kilifi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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