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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $467 per month in Garissa vs $765 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $774 per month in Garissa vs $1,299 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,082 per month in Garissa vs $1,832 in Nairobi, rent included.

Garissa is about 39% cheaper than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Garissa and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 65% lower, Nairobi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 KES 846

$5.55 KES 717

18.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.28 KES 3,008

$38.48 KES 4,972

-39.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 KES 359

$6.64 KES 858

-58.13%

Cappuccino

$4.36 KES 563

$2.49 KES 322

75.10%

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

$1.15 KES 148

$0.70 KES 91.1

64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.50 KES 65.0

36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.36 KES 305

-20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$2.83 KES 366

-3.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 66.8

$0.56 KES 72.6

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$1.60 KES 207

-31.25%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$1.68 KES 216

1.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KES 1,513

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 KES 811

$6.91 KES 893

-9.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 KES 557

$5.64 KES 729

-23.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 391

$3.08 KES 398

-1.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$1.07 KES 139

119.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 KES 405

$2.06 KES 266

52.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$1.04 KES 135

-34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$1.07 KES 138

-19.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$1.15 KES 149

-1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.8

$0.65 KES 84.5

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$0.75 KES 96.6

-36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

$3.16 KES 409

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 730

$11.79 KES 1,523

-52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 KES 237

$2.21 KES 285

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 KES 432

$2.83 KES 365

18.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.90 KES 3,992

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 KES 304

$1.53 KES 198

54.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 193

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 382

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.53 KES 198

-30.07%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

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

$9,144 KES 1.2M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

-53.73%

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

$15.34 KES 1,982

$33.74 KES 4,359

-54.53%

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

$16.72 KES 2,160

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 KES 2,967

$38.94 KES 5,032

-41.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 KES 2,973

$43.13 KES 5,573

-46.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 KES 2,664

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 KES 822

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

$205 KES 26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,113 KES 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.45 KES 1,480

$18.49 KES 2,389

-38.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.86 KES 1,015

$23.69 KES 3,061

-66.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.53 KES 3,040

$64.3 KES 8,308

-63.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$22.86 KES 2,953

$55.6 KES 7,184

-58.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 KES 13.3K

$438 KES 56.6K

-76.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 KES 9,831

$186 KES 24.1K

-59.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 KES 24.9K

$1,142 KES 147.5K

-83.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 KES 22.1K

$432 KES 55.8K

-60.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 KES 197.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$909 KES 117.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 KES 16.8K

$431 KES 55.7K

-69.92%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Garissa versus $438 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 232% 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: $155 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: $467 in Garissa, $765 in Nairobi – roughly 64% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $700 per month in Garissa and $1,147 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 $467 in Garissa and $765 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 $467 in Garissa and $765 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 $467 in Garissa to $765 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.