Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Garissa Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Garissa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $350 per month in Malindi vs $468 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $573 per month in Malindi vs $773 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $796 per month in Malindi vs $1,077 in Garissa, rent included.

Malindi is about 25% cheaper than Garissa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malindi and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 74% lower, Garissa 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 KES 277

$6.53 KES 843

-67.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.23 KES 4,035

$23.19 KES 2,997

34.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.74 KES 354

Cappuccino

$4.38 KES 566

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

$1.59 KES 205

$1.11 KES 143

43.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 KES 117

$0.73 KES 93.9

23.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 KES 452

$1.91 KES 247

83.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 KES 458

$2.74 KES 354

29.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 KES 127

$0.90 KES 117

8.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 66.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 KES 156

$1.15 KES 149

5.22%

Eggs

$2.99 KES 387

$1.66 KES 214

80.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 KES 1,473

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 KES 801

$6.04 KES 781

2.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.94 KES 638

$4.15 KES 536

19.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 KES 408

$3.02 KES 390

4.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$2.26 KES 292

-65.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 KES 340

$3.11 KES 403

-15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$0.64 KES 82.2

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.81 KES 105

-7.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.4

$1.18 KES 152

-39.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 66.9

$0.48 KES 61.8

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 KES 307

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 KES 737

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 KES 229

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 KES 293

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.04 KES 135

36.54%

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

$9,271 KES 1.2M

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

$77.1 KES 9,959

$15.34 KES 1,983

402.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.93 KES 3,997

$22.96 KES 2,967

34.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.39 KES 4,961

$23.55 KES 3,044

63.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.53 KES 1,490

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.87 KES 1,017

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.16 KES 2,993

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.41 KES 3,025

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.6 KES 12.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.0 KES 9,949

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 KES 49.9K

$196 KES 25.4K

96.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 KES 21.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$132 KES 17.0K

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

Last update for Malindi: April 27, 2026

Last update for Garissa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Malindi versus $23.00 in Garissa. Groceries tell a different story – $151 in Malindi vs $152 in Garissa – so Malindi 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

Malindi vs Garissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $350 in Malindi, $468 in Garissa – roughly 34% apart. Garissa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $525 per month in Malindi and $702 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 $31.00 in Malindi 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 $350 in Malindi and $468 in Garissa. 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 $350 in Malindi and $468 in Garissa, 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, Garissa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.