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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $461 per month in Garissa vs $430 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $775 per month in Garissa vs $770 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,089 per month in Garissa vs $1,110 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 66% lower, Kilifi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.38 KES 827

$2.27 KES 294

181.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.95 KES 2,974

$50.9 KES 6,593

-54.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.67 KES 346

$2.37 KES 307

12.66%

Cappuccino

$4.16 KES 539

$1.91 KES 248

117.80%

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

$1.10 KES 143

$0.80 KES 103

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.9

$0.76 KES 98.2

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.89 KES 245

0.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 KES 109

$0.88 KES 114

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 KES 66.3

$0.75 KES 97.2

-32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.96 KES 254

-41.33%

Eggs

$1.65 KES 214

$1.88 KES 243

-12.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 KES 819

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 KES 550

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 408

$2.28 KES 295

38.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 KES 296

$0.90 KES 117

153.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 KES 399

$1.79 KES 232

72.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.4

$0.70 KES 90.2

-8.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$0.64 KES 82.5

34.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$0.60 KES 77.6

90.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.2

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 57.2

$0.24 KES 31.25

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 KES 297

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 KES 733

$12.57 KES 1,628

-54.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 KES 243

$1.97 KES 255

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 KES 3,464

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 KES 299

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 KES 98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.31 KES 170

-17.56%

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

$9,343 KES 1.2M

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

$15.74 KES 2,040

$15.25 KES 1,976

3.21%

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

$10.26 KES 1,329

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.24 KES 3,011

$24.87 KES 3,222

-6.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.82 KES 2,956

$27.59 KES 3,574

-17.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 KES 981

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

$163 KES 21.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,961 KES 642.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.81 KES 1,531

$9.76 KES 1,265

21.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.53 KES 976

$9.06 KES 1,174

-16.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.75 KES 2,948

$15.31 KES 1,984

48.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.61 KES 3,058

$17.27 KES 2,238

36.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.9 KES 12.9K

$177 KES 22.9K

-43.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.2 KES 10.0K

$114 KES 14.7K

-32.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 KES 24.8K

$266 KES 34.5K

-28.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 KES 22.5K

$269 KES 34.8K

-35.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$128 KES 16.6K

$228 KES 29.5K

-43.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Garissa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.9 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 78% 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 – $154 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: $461 in Garissa, $430 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 $691 per month in Garissa and $645 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 $461 in Garissa and $430 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 $461 in Garissa and $430 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.