Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Garissa

For one person, living is cheaper in Garissa: $381 a month against $634 in Kilifi, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Kilifi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Jump to prices

Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$634

/mo nomad

Garissa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$381

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kilifi and in Garissa

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

A single person spends $634 per month in Kilifi vs $381 in Garissa, rent included.

Kilifi $634
Garissa $381

A couple spends around $1,049 per month in Kilifi vs $667 in Garissa, rent included.

Kilifi $1,049
Garissa $667

A family of three spends $1,465 per month in Kilifi vs $952 in Garissa, rent included.

Kilifi $1,465
Garissa $952

Kilifi costs about 66% more than Garissa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kilifi and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 53% lower, Garissa 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 KES 246

$11.79 KES 1,528

-83.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.32 KES 6,394

$23.02 KES 2,984

114.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.29 KES 297

Cappuccino

$1.99 KES 257

$7.73 KES 1,002

-74.26%

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

$0.81 KES 105

$1.88 KES 244

-56.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 96.2

$1.13 KES 147

-34.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 KES 196

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 KES 137

$0.52 KES 66.9

103.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.59 KES 76.9

49.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 KES 260

$1.47 KES 191

36.73%

Eggs

$1.94 KES 251

$1.92 KES 249

1.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 KES 791

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 KES 1,023

$5.39 KES 698

46.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 KES 296

$3.78 KES 490

-39.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.9

$3.11 KES 403

-77.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 232

$4.69 KES 608

-61.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 KES 57.7

$0.79 KES 102

-43.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 103

$1.22 KES 158

-35.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KES 103

$1.57 KES 204

-49.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 KES 307

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.39

$0.56 KES 72.3

-60.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 KES 1,643

$5.71 KES 741

121.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 KES 222

$1.67 KES 217

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 KES 496

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 95.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.67 KES 3,457

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 KES 171

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

$15.65 KES 2,029

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

$10.43 KES 1,353

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.11 KES 3,255

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.40 KES 3,552

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 KES 974

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

$160 KES 20.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,984 KES 646.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.82 KES 1,273

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.90 KES 1,154

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.50 KES 2,009

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.60 KES 2,282

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 KES 42.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 KES 39.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 KES 35.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 KES 73.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$227 KES 29.4K

$129 KES 16.8K

75.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Kilifi: October 13, 2026

Last update for Garissa: October 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 75% higher in Kilifi, 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 $49.00 in Kilifi versus $23.00 in Garissa. Groceries tell a different story – $124 in Kilifi vs $182 in Garissa – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Kilifi

🇰🇪 Garissa

🕒 Local time

22:00 10:00 PM

Same time as Kilifi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

122,899

119,696

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kilifi Garissa 350 km

From you

Kilifi
Garissa

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

Kilifi vs Garissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $634 in Kilifi, $381 in Garissa – roughly 66% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $951 per month in Kilifi and $572 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 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 $634 in Kilifi and $381 in Garissa. That's a gap of about 66%.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $634 in Kilifi and $381 in Garissa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Garissa – 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 Garissa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kilifi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.