Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Kilifi Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Kilifi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $497 per month in Malindi vs $630 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $779 per month in Malindi vs $1,038 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,060 per month in Malindi vs $1,446 in Kilifi, rent included.

Malindi is about 21% cheaper than Kilifi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malindi and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 64% lower, Kilifi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 KES 270

$1.96 KES 254

6.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.43 KES 3,032

$49.48 KES 6,402

-52.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 KES 1,343

$2.37 KES 307

337.97%

Cappuccino

$3.56 KES 460

$1.96 KES 254

81.63%

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

$0.96 KES 124

$0.81 KES 104

18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 51.7

$0.75 KES 96.7

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 KES 305

$1.56 KES 202

51.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 KES 418

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 115

$1.09 KES 141

-18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.7

$0.83 KES 108

-37.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 KES 156

$2.06 KES 267

-41.26%

Eggs

$1.81 KES 235

$1.93 KES 250

-6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 KES 1,454

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 KES 717

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.06 KES 655

$7.95 KES 1,028

-36.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$2.34 KES 303

-10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 96.3

$0.72 KES 93.2

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KES 236

$1.72 KES 223

6.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.8

$0.48 KES 61.7

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.4

$0.80 KES 104

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 KES 91.8

$0.78 KES 101

-8.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 KES 73.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.4

$0.24 KES 31.05

91.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 KES 615

Wine (Bottle)

$7.82 KES 1,011

$12.50 KES 1,617

-37.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.72 KES 223

12.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 368

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.93 KES 3,485

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 KES 392

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 KES 228

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 KES 594

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.38 KES 178

2.90%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

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

$54.7 KES 7,079

$15.34 KES 1,985

256.65%

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

$13.00 KES 1,682

$10.23 KES 1,323

27.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 KES 4,015

$25.09 KES 3,246

23.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.19 KES 5,070

$28.14 KES 3,641

39.27%

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 KES 1,412

$7.51 KES 971

45.27%

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

$86.9 KES 11.2K

$161 KES 20.8K

-45.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,368 KES 694.5K

$4,960 KES 641.7K

8.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.38 KES 1,731

$9.61 KES 1,243

39.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.60 KES 1,759

$9.06 KES 1,172

50.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.92 KES 2,965

$15.33 KES 1,983

49.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 KES 5,943

$17.41 KES 2,252

163.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 KES 42.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 KES 39.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 KES 50.1K

$273 KES 35.4K

41.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 KES 72.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

62.50%

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

Last update for Malindi: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi versus $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Malindi vs $125 in Kilifi – so Kilifi 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 Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $497 in Malindi, $630 in Kilifi – roughly 27% apart. Kilifi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $746 per month in Malindi and $944 in Kilifi. 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 $49.00 in Kilifi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 37% cheaper in Kilifi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $497 in Malindi and $630 in Kilifi, 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, Kilifi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.