Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $468 per month in Garissa vs $350 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $773 per month in Garissa vs $573 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,077 per month in Garissa vs $796 in Malindi, rent included.

Garissa costs about 34% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Garissa and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 65% lower, Malindi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 KES 843

$2.14 KES 277

205.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.19 KES 2,997

$31.23 KES 4,035

-25.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.74 KES 354

Cappuccino

$4.38 KES 566

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

$1.11 KES 143

$1.59 KES 205

-30.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 KES 93.9

$0.90 KES 117

-18.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 KES 247

$3.50 KES 452

-45.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$3.55 KES 458

-22.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 KES 117

$0.98 KES 127

-8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 66.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.21 KES 156

-4.96%

Eggs

$1.66 KES 214

$2.99 KES 387

-44.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 KES 1,473

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 KES 781

$6.20 KES 801

-2.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 KES 536

$4.94 KES 638

-15.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 KES 390

$3.16 KES 408

-4.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 KES 292

$0.78 KES 101

189.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 KES 403

$2.63 KES 340

18.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.2

$0.72 KES 93.3

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 KES 105

$0.75 KES 96.6

8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 KES 152

$0.71 KES 92.4

66.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.8

$0.52 KES 66.9

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 KES 307

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 KES 737

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 KES 229

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 KES 293

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.42 KES 184

-26.76%

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

$9,271 KES 1.2M

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

$15.34 KES 1,983

$77.1 KES 9,959

-80.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 KES 2,967

$30.93 KES 3,997

-25.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.55 KES 3,044

$38.39 KES 4,961

-38.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.53 KES 1,490

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.87 KES 1,017

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.16 KES 2,993

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.41 KES 3,025

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.6 KES 12.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.0 KES 9,949

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 KES 25.4K

$386 KES 49.9K

-49.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 KES 21.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$132 KES 17.0K

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

Last update for Garissa: April 27, 2026

Last update for Malindi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa versus $31.00 in Malindi. Groceries tell a different story – $152 in Garissa vs $151 in Malindi – so Malindi 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 Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $468 in Garissa, $350 in Malindi – roughly 34% apart. Garissa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $702 per month in Garissa and $525 in Malindi. 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 $31.00 in Malindi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $468 in Garissa and $350 in Malindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $468 in Garissa and $350 in Malindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Malindi – 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 Malindi. 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.