Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $430 per month in Kilifi vs $344 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $770 per month in Kilifi vs $574 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,110 per month in Kilifi vs $804 in Malindi, rent included.

Kilifi costs about 25% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 68% lower, Malindi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$2.18 KES 283

4.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,593

$31.16 KES 4,037

63.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 307

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 248

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

$0.80 KES 103

$1.58 KES 205

-49.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$0.89 KES 115

-14.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 KES 245

$3.40 KES 441

-44.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 KES 460

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.91 KES 118

-3.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KES 97.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.27 KES 165

54.33%

Eggs

$1.88 KES 243

$2.98 KES 387

-36.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 KES 1,496

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 KES 799

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 KES 659

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 KES 295

$3.18 KES 412

-28.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 KES 117

$0.79 KES 102

13.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 232

$2.77 KES 359

-35.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.2

$0.71 KES 91.8

-1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.81 KES 105

-20.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.6

$0.66 KES 86.1

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.25

$0.49 KES 63.5

-51.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 KES 1,628

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 255

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 KES 3,464

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 KES 98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 KES 170

$1.41 KES 183

-7.09%

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

$15.25 KES 1,976

$77.3 KES 10.0K

-80.27%

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

$10.26 KES 1,329

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.87 KES 3,222

$31.26 KES 4,049

-20.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.59 KES 3,574

$38.10 KES 4,935

-27.59%

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

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.06 KES 1,174

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.31 KES 1,984

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.27 KES 2,238

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.5K

$380 KES 49.3K

-30.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 KES 34.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.5K

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 Malindi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Kilifi versus $31.00 in Malindi. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Kilifi vs $152 in Malindi – 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 Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $430 in Kilifi, $344 in Malindi – roughly 25% apart. Kilifi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $645 per month in Kilifi and $516 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Kilifi and $31.00 in Malindi. 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 $344 in Malindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $430 in Kilifi and $344 in Malindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Malindi – 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 Malindi. 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.