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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $436 per month in Kilifi vs $363 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $782 per month in Kilifi vs $592 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,128 per month in Kilifi vs $821 in Malindi, rent included.

Kilifi costs about 20% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 67% lower, Malindi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 KES 291

$2.19 KES 283

2.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,573

$31.56 KES 4,077

61.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.30 KES 297

Cappuccino

$1.90 KES 246

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

$1.52 KES 196

-51.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.94 KES 122

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 256

$3.47 KES 448

-42.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 KES 462

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.91 KES 118

-3.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KES 104

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.23 KES 158

54.47%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$2.96 KES 382

-39.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 KES 1,498

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 KES 810

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.06 KES 654

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 KES 298

$3.07 KES 397

-24.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 KES 109

$0.75 KES 96.6

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KES 236

$2.63 KES 340

-30.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.7

$0.70 KES 91.1

-5.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$0.79 KES 102

-18.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$0.66 KES 85.3

-3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.15

$0.52 KES 66.6

-53.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 KES 1,656

$7.66 KES 989

67.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 KES 3,559

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.44 KES 186

-4.86%

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

$15.61 KES 2,017

$77.5 KES 10.0K

-79.87%

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

$10.28 KES 1,329

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.26 KES 3,263

$31.55 KES 4,077

-19.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.03 KES 3,622

$38.14 KES 4,927

-26.51%

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

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.67 KES 1,121

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.59 KES 2,014

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.13 KES 2,213

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.5K

$386 KES 49.9K

-28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 KES 30.4K

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 Malindi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Kilifi versus $32.00 in Malindi. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Kilifi vs $166 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: $436 in Kilifi, $363 in Malindi – roughly 20% apart. Kilifi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $655 per month in Kilifi and $544 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 $32.00 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 $436 in Kilifi and $363 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 $436 in Kilifi and $363 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.