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 $364 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $760 per month in Garissa vs $596 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,051 per month in Garissa vs $829 in Malindi, rent included.

Garissa costs about 29% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Garissa and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 65% lower, Malindi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 KES 872

$2.11 KES 272

219.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.25 KES 3,005

$31.20 KES 4,033

-25.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.67 KES 345

Cappuccino

$4.38 KES 566

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

$1.11 KES 143

$1.53 KES 198

-27.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$0.89 KES 115

-19.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 KES 255

$3.54 KES 457

-44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 KES 357

$3.40 KES 439

-18.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 115

$0.98 KES 127

-9.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.0

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 KES 143

$1.26 KES 163

-11.90%

Eggs

$1.63 KES 210

$2.91 KES 376

-43.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 KES 1,479

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 KES 777

$6.05 KES 781

-0.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.22 KES 545

$5.15 KES 665

-18.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 KES 401

$3.05 KES 395

1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 KES 297

$0.76 KES 97.9

202.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 KES 408

$2.64 KES 341

19.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$0.71 KES 91.3

-9.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 KES 109

$0.75 KES 96.4

12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 KES 154

$0.71 KES 92.2

67.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$0.52 KES 67.4

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 KES 297

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 KES 743

$7.65 KES 989

-24.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 KES 229

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 KES 424

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 KES 308

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.37 KES 177

-24.82%

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

$9,256 KES 1.2M

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

$15.69 KES 2,028

$78.4 KES 10.1K

-79.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.43 KES 3,028

$31.23 KES 4,037

-24.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 KES 2,987

$38.06 KES 4,919

-39.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.74 KES 1,517

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.81 KES 1,010

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.32 KES 3,014

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.03 KES 2,977

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$102 KES 13.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.5 KES 10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 KES 25.2K

$382 KES 49.3K

-48.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 KES 22.4K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Malindi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa versus $31.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $153 vs $166 – making Garissa 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: $468 in Garissa, $364 in Malindi – roughly 29% apart. Garissa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $703 per month in Garissa and $546 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 $364 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 $364 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.