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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $430 per month in Kilifi vs $461 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $770 per month in Kilifi vs $775 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,110 per month in Kilifi vs $1,089 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 68% lower, Garissa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$6.38 KES 827

-64.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,593

$22.95 KES 2,974

121.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 307

$2.67 KES 346

-11.24%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 248

$4.16 KES 539

-54.09%

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

$0.80 KES 103

$1.10 KES 143

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$0.68 KES 87.9

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 KES 245

$1.90 KES 246

-0.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.84 KES 109

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KES 97.2

$0.51 KES 66.3

47.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.15 KES 149

70.43%

Eggs

$1.88 KES 243

$1.65 KES 214

13.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 KES 819

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 KES 550

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 KES 295

$3.15 KES 408

-27.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 KES 117

$2.28 KES 296

-60.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 232

$3.08 KES 399

-41.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.2

$0.64 KES 83.4

9.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.86 KES 112

-25.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.6

$1.14 KES 148

-47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.2

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.25

$0.44 KES 57.2

-45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 KES 297

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 KES 1,628

$5.66 KES 733

122.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 255

$1.87 KES 243

5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 KES 3,464

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 KES 299

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 KES 98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 KES 170

$1.08 KES 140

21.30%

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

$9,343 KES 1.2M

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

$15.25 KES 1,976

$15.74 KES 2,040

-3.11%

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

$10.26 KES 1,329

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.87 KES 3,222

$23.24 KES 3,011

7.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.59 KES 3,574

$22.82 KES 2,956

20.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 KES 981

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

$163 KES 21.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,961 KES 642.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.76 KES 1,265

$11.81 KES 1,531

-17.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.06 KES 1,174

$7.53 KES 976

20.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.31 KES 1,984

$22.75 KES 2,948

-32.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.27 KES 2,238

$23.61 KES 3,058

-26.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

$99.9 KES 12.9K

77.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$77.2 KES 10.0K

47.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.5K

$191 KES 24.8K

39.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 KES 34.8K

$173 KES 22.5K

54.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.5K

$128 KES 16.6K

78.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Kilifi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Garissa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Kilifi versus $99.9 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 78% 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 $154 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: $430 in Kilifi, $461 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 $645 per month in Kilifi and $691 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 $430 in Kilifi and $461 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 $430 in Kilifi and $461 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.