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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $500 per month in Malindi vs $377 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $785 per month in Malindi vs $655 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,070 per month in Malindi vs $933 in Garissa, rent included.

Malindi costs about 33% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malindi and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 64% lower, Garissa 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 KES 271

$11.46 KES 1,481

-81.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 KES 3,017

$23.63 KES 3,055

-1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 KES 1,370

Cappuccino

$3.71 KES 480

$7.68 KES 993

-51.69%

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

$0.95 KES 123

$1.98 KES 256

-52.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.5

$1.13 KES 146

-61.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 KES 422

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 KES 121

$0.51 KES 66.6

82.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.0

$0.59 KES 76.6

-16.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 KES 156

$1.50 KES 194

-19.33%

Eggs

$1.74 KES 225

$1.89 KES 245

-7.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 KES 1,450

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 KES 706

$6.02 KES 778

-9.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 KES 661

$5.50 KES 711

-7.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 KES 277

$3.81 KES 493

-43.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.0

$3.14 KES 405

-76.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 KES 238

$4.76 KES 616

-61.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$0.73 KES 95.0

-5.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.8

$1.22 KES 158

-44.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$1.52 KES 197

-56.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.1

$2.26 KES 293

-73.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.0

$0.51 KES 66.6

-15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 KES 584

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 KES 1,012

$5.74 KES 743

36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.73 KES 224

14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$3.88 KES 501

-23.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 KES 388

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 KES 581

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

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

$12.3K KES 1.6M

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

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

$55.3 KES 7,146

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

$13.28 KES 1,717

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.29 KES 4,045

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 KES 5,017

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 KES 1,416

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,331 KES 689.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.53 KES 1,749

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.02 KES 2,976

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.51 KES 5,885

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 KES 49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$129 KES 16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Malindi: September 6, 2026

Last update for Garissa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi versus $24.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $182 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $500 in Malindi, $377 in Garissa – roughly 33% apart. Malindi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $750 per month in Malindi and $566 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 $23.00 in Malindi and $24.00 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 $500 in Malindi and $377 in Garissa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $500 in Malindi and $377 in Garissa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Garissa – 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 Garissa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malindi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.