Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Homa Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Homa Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $478 per month in Malindi vs $58.7 in Homa Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $754 per month in Malindi vs $453 in Homa Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,031 per month in Malindi vs $848 in Homa Bay, rent included.

Malindi costs about 714% more than Homa Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malindi and Homa Bay are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 65% lower, Homa Bay 96% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 KES 267

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.15 KES 2,996

$148 KES 19.1K

-84.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 KES 1,331

$10.50 KES 1,359

-2.00%

Cappuccino

$2.55 KES 330

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

$0.70 KES 90.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.9

$1.03 KES 133

-59.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 294

$2.48 KES 321

-8.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 KES 407

$5.14 KES 665

-38.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 113

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 KES 164

Eggs

$1.77 KES 229

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 KES 1,242

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 KES 731

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.05 KES 654

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.0

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 KES 235

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.6

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 KES 86.3

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.6

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 KES 499

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 KES 1,029

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 KES 246

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 355

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 KES 408

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 KES 227

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 588

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 KES 184

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

$11.9K KES 1.5M

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

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

$55.3 KES 7,153

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

$13.43 KES 1,738

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.06 KES 4,019

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 KES 5,022

Cinema Ticket

$10.85 KES 1,403

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

$88.5 KES 11.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 KES 688.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.07 KES 1,691

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.72 KES 1,776

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.42 KES 3,031

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.41 KES 6,006

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 KES 50.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Malindi: August 17, 2026

Last update for Homa Bay: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi versus $148 in Homa Bay. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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 Homa Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Malindi is pricier by about 714%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $716 per month in Malindi and $88.0 in Homa Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $478 in Malindi and $58.7 in Homa Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi and $148 in Homa Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $478 in Malindi and $58.7 in Homa Bay, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Homa Bay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Homa Bay. 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.