Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $461 per month in Garissa vs $782 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $775 per month in Garissa vs $1,305 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,089 per month in Garissa vs $1,828 in Nairobi, rent included.

Garissa is about 41% cheaper than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Garissa and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 66% lower, Nairobi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.38 KES 827

$5.35 KES 693

19.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.95 KES 2,974

$38.02 KES 4,926

-39.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.67 KES 346

$6.91 KES 895

-61.36%

Cappuccino

$4.16 KES 539

$2.39 KES 309

74.06%

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

$1.10 KES 143

$0.71 KES 91.9

54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.9

$0.51 KES 65.6

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.31 KES 299

-17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

$2.97 KES 385

-10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 KES 109

$0.94 KES 122

-10.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 KES 66.3

$0.53 KES 68.3

-3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.64 KES 212

-29.88%

Eggs

$1.65 KES 214

$1.69 KES 218

-2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 KES 1,521

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 KES 819

$6.84 KES 886

-7.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 KES 550

$5.44 KES 705

-21.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 408

$3.03 KES 392

3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 KES 296

$1.08 KES 140

111.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 KES 399

$2.08 KES 269

48.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.4

$1.04 KES 135

-38.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$1.06 KES 138

-18.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$1.15 KES 150

-0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.2

$0.70 KES 90.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 57.2

$0.79 KES 102

-44.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 KES 297

$3.04 KES 394

-24.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 KES 733

$11.67 KES 1,511

-51.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 KES 243

$2.22 KES 288

-15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

$2.82 KES 365

13.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.59 KES 3,963

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 KES 299

$1.59 KES 206

45.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 373

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.56 KES 202

-30.77%

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

$22.0K KES 2.9M

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

$9,343 KES 1.2M

$20.4K KES 2.6M

-54.24%

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

$15.74 KES 2,040

$34.70 KES 4,495

-54.64%

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

$16.60 KES 2,151

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.24 KES 3,011

$39.54 KES 5,122

-41.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.82 KES 2,956

$43.29 KES 5,608

-47.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.63 KES 2,672

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 KES 787

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

$202 KES 26.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,140 KES 1.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.81 KES 1,531

$18.28 KES 2,368

-35.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.53 KES 976

$23.56 KES 3,053

-68.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.75 KES 2,948

$66.4 KES 8,605

-65.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.61 KES 3,058

$56.7 KES 7,339

-58.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.9 KES 12.9K

$450 KES 58.3K

-77.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.2 KES 10.0K

$185 KES 23.9K

-58.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 KES 24.8K

$1,134 KES 146.9K

-83.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 KES 22.5K

$417 KES 54.1K

-58.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 KES 201.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 KES 114.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$128 KES 16.6K

$416 KES 53.9K

-69.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

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

Last update for Garissa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.9 in Garissa versus $450 in Nairobi. 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 226% higher in Nairobi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa versus $38.00 in Nairobi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $154 vs $207 – 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 Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $461 in Garissa, $782 in Nairobi – roughly 70% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $691 per month in Garissa and $1,174 in Nairobi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Garissa, 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 $38.00 in Nairobi. 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 $782 in Nairobi. 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 $782 in Nairobi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Nairobi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $461 in Garissa to $782 in Nairobi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Garissa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nairobi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.