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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $377 per month in Garissa vs $500 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $655 per month in Garissa vs $785 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $933 per month in Garissa vs $1,070 in Malindi, rent included.

Garissa is about 25% cheaper than Malindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Garissa and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 73% lower, Malindi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.46 KES 1,481

$2.09 KES 271

448.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.63 KES 3,055

$23.34 KES 3,017

1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 KES 1,370

Cappuccino

$7.68 KES 993

$3.71 KES 480

107.01%

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

$1.98 KES 256

$0.95 KES 123

108.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 KES 146

$0.43 KES 55.5

162.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 KES 422

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 KES 66.6

$0.93 KES 121

-45.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.6

$0.49 KES 63.0

20.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.21 KES 156

23.97%

Eggs

$1.89 KES 245

$1.74 KES 225

8.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 KES 1,450

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 KES 778

$5.46 KES 706

10.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.50 KES 711

$5.11 KES 661

7.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 KES 493

$2.14 KES 277

78.04%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 KES 405

$0.73 KES 94.0

330.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.76 KES 616

$1.84 KES 238

158.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 95.0

$0.69 KES 89.0

5.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KES 158

$0.68 KES 87.8

79.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$0.66 KES 84.9

130.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 KES 293

$0.60 KES 78.1

276.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 66.6

$0.43 KES 55.0

18.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 KES 584

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 KES 743

$7.83 KES 1,012

-26.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 KES 224

$1.98 KES 256

-12.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 KES 501

$2.97 KES 384

30.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 KES 388

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 KES 581

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

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

$12.3K KES 1.6M

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

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

$55.3 KES 7,146

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

$13.28 KES 1,717

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.29 KES 4,045

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 KES 5,017

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 KES 1,416

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,331 KES 689.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.53 KES 1,749

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.02 KES 2,976

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.51 KES 5,885

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 KES 49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$129 KES 16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Garissa: September 8, 2026

Last update for Malindi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Garissa versus $23.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $171 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $377 in Garissa, $500 in Malindi – roughly 33% apart. Malindi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $566 per month in Garissa and $750 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 $24.00 in Garissa and $23.00 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 $377 in Garissa and $500 in Malindi. 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 $377 in Garissa and $500 in Malindi, 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, Malindi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.