Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Garissa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Garissa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $436 per month in Kilifi vs $467 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $782 per month in Kilifi vs $774 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,128 per month in Kilifi vs $1,082 in Garissa, rent included.

Kilifi is about 7% cheaper than Garissa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kilifi and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 67% lower, Garissa 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 KES 291

$6.55 KES 846

-65.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,573

$23.28 KES 3,008

118.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.30 KES 297

$2.78 KES 359

-17.27%

Cappuccino

$1.90 KES 246

$4.36 KES 563

-56.42%

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

$1.15 KES 148

-35.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.68 KES 87.5

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.88 KES 243

5.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.86 KES 111

2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.52 KES 66.8

55.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.10 KES 142

72.73%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$1.70 KES 219

5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 KES 811

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 KES 557

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 KES 298

$3.03 KES 391

-23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 KES 109

$2.35 KES 304

-63.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KES 236

$3.14 KES 405

-41.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.7

$0.68 KES 88.2

-2.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$0.86 KES 112

-25.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$1.13 KES 145

-43.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.15

$0.48 KES 62.1

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 KES 1,656

$5.65 KES 730

126.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.83 KES 237

6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 KES 432

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 KES 3,559

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 KES 304

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.07 KES 139

28.04%

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

$9,144 KES 1.2M

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

$15.61 KES 2,017

$15.34 KES 1,982

1.76%

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

$10.28 KES 1,329

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.26 KES 3,263

$22.96 KES 2,967

10.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.03 KES 3,622

$23.01 KES 2,973

21.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 KES 985

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

$162 KES 20.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,072 KES 655.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.52 KES 1,229

$11.45 KES 1,480

-16.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.67 KES 1,121

$7.86 KES 1,015

10.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.59 KES 2,014

$23.53 KES 3,040

-33.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.13 KES 2,213

$22.86 KES 2,953

-25.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.8K

$103 KES 13.3K

72.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

$76.1 KES 9,831

48.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.5K

$193 KES 24.9K

42.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

$171 KES 22.1K

55.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 KES 30.4K

$130 KES 16.8K

81.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Kilifi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Kilifi versus $103 in Garissa. 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 81% higher in Kilifi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Kilifi versus $23.00 in Garissa. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Kilifi vs $155 in Garissa – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kilifi vs Garissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $436 in Kilifi, $467 in Garissa – roughly 7% apart. Garissa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $655 per month in Kilifi and $700 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilifi, 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 $51.0 in Kilifi and $23.00 in Garissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $436 in Kilifi and $467 in Garissa. 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 $436 in Kilifi and $467 in Garissa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kilifi – 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 Kilifi. 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.