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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $376 per month in Garissa vs $844 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $657 per month in Garissa vs $1,376 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $938 per month in Garissa vs $1,908 in Nairobi, rent included.

Garissa is about 55% cheaper than Nairobi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Garissa and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 73% lower, Nairobi 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 KES 1,512

$3.75 KES 485

211.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 KES 3,005

$35.04 KES 4,533

-33.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 KES 816

Cappuccino

$7.79 KES 1,008

$2.70 KES 350

188.52%

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

$1.97 KES 255

$0.60 KES 77.5

228.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 KES 148

$0.52 KES 67.2

119.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.0

$0.89 KES 116

-41.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.7

$0.57 KES 73.3

3.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.85 KES 240

-22.16%

Eggs

$1.92 KES 248

$1.70 KES 220

12.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 KES 1,365

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 KES 822

$6.30 KES 815

0.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.36 KES 694

$6.09 KES 788

-11.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 KES 511

$3.38 KES 438

16.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 KES 395

$1.00 KES 130

205.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 KES 584

$1.95 KES 253

131.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.9

$1.06 KES 138

-30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 KES 162

$1.06 KES 137

17.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 KES 201

$1.04 KES 135

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 KES 298

$0.69 KES 89.1

233.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 66.5

$0.73 KES 94.3

-30.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 439

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 KES 762

$11.53 KES 1,492

-48.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 217

$2.22 KES 287

-24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 KES 490

$2.72 KES 352

39.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.72 KES 6,045

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 381

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

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

$62.0 KES 8,021

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

$15.43 KES 1,996

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.66 KES 4,484

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 KES 6,593

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.56 KES 1,884

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 KES 1,025

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

$234 KES 30.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K KES 1.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.93 KES 3,485

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.62 KES 3,315

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 KES 8,306

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 KES 7,731

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 KES 59.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 KES 27.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 KES 149.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 KES 65.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,344 KES 173.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$912 KES 118.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$132 KES 17.1K

$473 KES 61.2K

-72.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

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

Last update for Garissa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 258% 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 $35.00 in Nairobi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $203 – 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: $376 in Garissa, $844 in Nairobi – roughly 124% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $564 per month in Garissa and $1,266 in Nairobi. 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 $35.00 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 $376 in Garissa and $844 in Nairobi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $376, than in Nairobi at $844. In Garissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nairobi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nairobi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $376 in Garissa to $844 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.