Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Kericho Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Kericho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $499 in Malindi versus $494 in Kericho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $795 in Malindi versus $778 in Kericho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,091 in Malindi versus $1,061 in Kericho.

Living in Malindi is roughly 1% more expensive than in Kericho, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Malindi 64% lower, Kericho 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 KES 269

$2.39 KES 309

-12.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 KES 3,038

$20.45 KES 2,646

14.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 KES 1,350

$6.33 KES 819

64.93%

Cappuccino

$3.70 KES 479

$2.71 KES 351

36.53%

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

$0.94 KES 122

$0.37 KES 48.51

154.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.9

$0.60 KES 77.1

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$2.35 KES 304

-2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$1.22 KES 158

163.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 KES 116

$0.59 KES 76.7

52.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.5

$0.47 KES 61.1

10.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 KES 165

$1.25 KES 162

1.60%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 224

$1.65 KES 213

4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 KES 1,443

$10.73 KES 1,388

3.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 KES 710

$6.51 KES 842

-15.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 KES 643

$4.06 KES 526

22.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 KES 270

$3.30 KES 427

-36.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.0

$1.03 KES 133

-27.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 KES 228

$2.05 KES 265

-14.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.4

$1.09 KES 141

-35.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 91.1

$0.68 KES 87.8

2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$0.71 KES 92.4

1.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 KES 78.6

$0.30 KES 38.72

103.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.5

$0.65 KES 83.5

-33.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 KES 605

$3.45 KES 446

35.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 KES 994

$11.69 KES 1,513

-34.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 KES 262

$2.22 KES 287

-8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$2.84 KES 367

4.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 390

$1.51 KES 195

99.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 KES 228

$1.57 KES 203

12.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 KES 610

$2.83 KES 366

66.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 KES 179

$1.60 KES 207

-13.13%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-45.01%

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

$20.5K KES 2.7M

-41.50%

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

$55.7 KES 7,203

$61.0 KES 7,897

-8.78%

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

$13.01 KES 1,683

$15.96 KES 2,065

-18.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 KES 3,965

$35.45 KES 4,587

-13.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.93 KES 5,038

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 KES 1,397

$7.60 KES 984

41.97%

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

$85.9 KES 11.1K

$252 KES 32.6K

-65.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,448 KES 704.9K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

-52.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.91 KES 1,670

$28.36 KES 3,670

-54.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.86 KES 1,793

$27.65 KES 3,578

-49.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.72 KES 2,940

$69.5 KES 8,998

-67.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.60 KES 6,030

$57.6 KES 7,453

-19.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 KES 50.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

-11.62%

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

Last update for Malindi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kericho: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $23.00 in Malindi vs $20.00 in Kericho. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $188, with Malindi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kericho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malindi and Kericho differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($499 vs $494 including rent). Kericho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $749 in Malindi and $741 in Kericho 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.

Childcare runs $85.9 in Malindi versus $252 in Kericho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kericho – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $23.00 in Malindi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kericho 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.

Expats usually find Kericho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Malindi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.