Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Bungoma

For one person, living is cheaper in Bungoma: $144 a month against $517 in Malindi, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Malindi
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Malindi Living Index

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Malindi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$517

/mo nomad

Bungoma

🇰🇪 Kenya

$144

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Malindi and in Bungoma

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $517 in Malindi versus $144 in Bungoma.

Malindi $517
Bungoma $144

Estimated couple costs with rent: $803 in Malindi versus $290 in Bungoma.

Malindi $803
Bungoma $290

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,090 in Malindi versus $436 in Bungoma.

Malindi $1,090
Bungoma $436

Living in Malindi is roughly 259% more expensive than in Bungoma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Malindi 62% lower, Bungoma 89% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 KES 277

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 KES 3,284

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 KES 1,355

Cappuccino

$2.70 KES 351

$5.49 KES 712

-50.82%

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

$0.68 KES 88.5

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 298

$1.57 KES 204

45.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 KES 419

$1.68 KES 218

92.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 KES 117

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 KES 162

Eggs

$1.83 KES 237

$1.24 KES 161

47.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 KES 1,480

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 KES 647

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.89 KES 635

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 KES 269

$3.17 KES 411

-34.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.97 KES 125

-19.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 KES 228

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 91.7

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.0

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KES 77.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 58.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 KES 540

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 KES 1,276

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 KES 261

$1.57 KES 204

28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 KES 384

$1.68 KES 218

76.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 KES 408

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 KES 231

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 KES 596

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 178

$1.40 KES 182

-2.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$12.0K KES 1.6M

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

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

$76.0 KES 9,870

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

$8.99 KES 1,166

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.23 KES 3,924

$29.15 KES 3,783

3.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.62 KES 5,013

Cinema Ticket

$15.42 KES 2,002

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

$85.5 KES 11.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,381 KES 698.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.28 KES 1,723

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.38 KES 1,737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.49 KES 3,049

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.81 KES 6,076

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 KES 49.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 KES 21.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Malindi: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Malindi

$173 33.4%

Bungoma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Malindi

$115 22.3%

Bungoma

–

Eating Out

Malindi

$104 20.1%

Bungoma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Malindi

$69 13.5%

Bungoma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Malindi

$44 8.5%

Bungoma

–

Getting Around

Malindi

$12 * 2.3%

Bungoma

–

Accommodation & Living

Malindi

- * 0%

Bungoma

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Malindi

🇰🇪 Bungoma

🕒 Local time

19:45 7:45 PM

Same time as Malindi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,735

60,000

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Malindi Bungoma 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Malindi
Bungoma

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

Malindi vs Bungoma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bungoma is about 72% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $775 in Malindi and $216 in Bungoma to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 356% higher in Malindi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $517 per month in Malindi versus $144 in Bungoma – Bungoma is about 72% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bungoma gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.