Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiambu and Malindi

For one person, living is cheaper in Kiambu: $503 a month against $517 in Malindi, rent and utilities included – about $170 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Malindi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

24

Cost of Living Index in Kiambu
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Kiambu Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Malindi
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Malindi Living Index

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Kiambu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$503

/mo nomad

Malindi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$517

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kiambu and in Malindi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kiambu and in Malindi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $503 in Kiambu versus $517 in Malindi.

Kiambu $503
Malindi $517

Estimated couple costs with rent: $823 in Kiambu versus $803 in Malindi.

Kiambu $823
Malindi $803

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,143 in Kiambu versus $1,090 in Malindi.

Kiambu $1,143
Malindi $1,090

Living in Kiambu costs roughly 3% less than in Malindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kiambu 63% lower, Malindi 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.41 KES 833

$2.14 KES 278

199.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.12 KES 4,431

$25.30 KES 3,285

34.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 KES 847

$10.44 KES 1,355

-37.55%

Cappuccino

$2.60 KES 337

$2.70 KES 351

-3.70%

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

$0.64 KES 83.4

$0.68 KES 88.5

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 81.1

$0.52 KES 67.1

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 293

$2.29 KES 298

-1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 KES 340

$3.23 KES 419

-18.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.54 KES 70.8

$0.90 KES 117

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 KES 71.5

$0.50 KES 64.3

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 KES 237

$1.25 KES 162

46.40%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 179

$1.83 KES 237

-25.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 KES 1,391

$11.40 KES 1,481

-6.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 KES 866

$4.98 KES 647

33.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.01 KES 520

$4.89 KES 635

-18.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 KES 455

$2.07 KES 269

69.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.78 KES 102

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.0

$1.76 KES 228

-57.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 KES 77.1

$0.71 KES 91.8

-16.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$0.72 KES 93.8

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.5

$0.65 KES 84.0

9.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 KES 38.52

$0.59 KES 77.1

-49.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 47.84

$0.45 KES 58.8

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 440

$4.16 KES 540

-18.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 KES 1,493

$9.83 KES 1,277

16.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 KES 295

$2.01 KES 262

12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 350

$2.96 KES 384

-8.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 KES 81.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 KES 196

$3.14 KES 408

-51.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 KES 47.33

$1.78 KES 231

-79.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 KES 365

$4.59 KES 596

-38.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$1.37 KES 178

16.79%

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

$19.2K KES 2.5M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

59.49%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

79.99%

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

$56.4 KES 7,320

$76.0 KES 9,875

-25.87%

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

$7.86 KES 1,020

$8.99 KES 1,167

-12.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.13 KES 4,562

$30.23 KES 3,926

16.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.62 KES 5,015

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 KES 755

$15.42 KES 2,003

-62.26%

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

$280 KES 36.4K

$85.5 KES 11.1K

227.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K KES 1.6M

$5,381 KES 698.8K

132.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.56 KES 3,579

$13.28 KES 1,724

107.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 KES 3,791

$13.38 KES 1,738

118.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 KES 9,109

$23.49 KES 3,050

198.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 KES 7,466

$46.81 KES 6,079

22.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 KES 15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 KES 49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,175 KES 152.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$125 KES 16.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

13.15%

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

Last update for Kiambu: October 26, 2026

Last update for Malindi: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kiambu

$180 35.8%

Malindi

$173 33.4% 4.1% $7.4

Eating Out

Kiambu

$124 24.6%

Malindi

$104 20.1% 16.2% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kiambu

$99 19.7%

Malindi

$115 22.3% 16% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Kiambu

$83 16.5%

Malindi

$44 8.5% 47.4% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Kiambu

$12 * 2.3%

Malindi

$69 13.5% 497% $58

Getting Around

Kiambu

$5.8 * 1.2%

Malindi

$12 * 2.3% 106% $6.2

Accommodation & Living

Kiambu

- * 0%

Malindi

- * 0%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34 in Kiambu vs $25 in Malindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $173 per month, with Malindi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Kiambu

🇰🇪 Malindi

🕒 Local time

04:21 4:21 AM

Same time as Kiambu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

147,870

117,735

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kiambu Malindi 430 km

From you

Kiambu
Malindi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Kiambu vs Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kiambu is about 3% cheaper overall, especially in leisure and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $755 in Kiambu and $775 in Malindi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $280 in Kiambu versus $85 in Malindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Malindi – a meal for two runs $25 versus $34 in Kiambu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kiambu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.