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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $348 per month in Malindi vs $454 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $571 per month in Malindi vs $761 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $794 per month in Malindi vs $1,068 in Garissa, rent included.

Malindi is about 23% cheaper than Garissa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malindi and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 74% lower, Garissa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 KES 274

$6.74 KES 874

-68.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.55 KES 3,962

$23.34 KES 3,027

30.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.69 KES 348

Cappuccino

$4.15 KES 538

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

$1.60 KES 207

$1.11 KES 144

44.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 KES 119

$0.67 KES 87.0

35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 KES 463

$1.96 KES 254

82.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 KES 461

$2.76 KES 358

28.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 KES 126

$0.85 KES 111

14.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 KES 66.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 KES 164

$1.09 KES 141

16.51%

Eggs

$2.92 KES 379

$1.69 KES 220

72.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.84 KES 1,535

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 KES 785

$6.16 KES 799

-1.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 KES 662

$4.27 KES 554

19.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 393

$3.02 KES 391

0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$2.25 KES 292

-65.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 KES 347

$3.04 KES 394

-12.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 KES 87.3

$0.65 KES 83.7

3.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$0.88 KES 114

-14.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 KES 91.0

$1.19 KES 154

-41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 KES 91.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.0

$0.44 KES 57.2

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.27 KES 295

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 KES 741

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 KES 231

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 KES 428

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 KES 293

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.03 KES 133

32.04%

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

$9,443 KES 1.2M

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

$76.8 KES 9,957

$15.35 KES 1,990

400.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.80 KES 3,993

$22.79 KES 2,955

35.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 KES 5,021

$22.82 KES 2,959

69.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.57 KES 1,501

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.95 KES 1,030

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.60 KES 3,060

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.12 KES 2,998

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$102 KES 13.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.1 KES 10.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 KES 50.8K

$192 KES 24.9K

103.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 KES 21.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$131 KES 16.9K

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

Last update for Malindi: June 7, 2026

Last update for Garissa: June 7, 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: $348 in Malindi, $454 in Garissa – roughly 30% apart. Garissa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $522 per month in Malindi and $680 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 $348 in Malindi and $454 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 $348 in Malindi and $454 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.