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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $363 per month in Malindi vs $436 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $592 per month in Malindi vs $782 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $821 per month in Malindi vs $1,128 in Kilifi, rent included.

Malindi is about 17% cheaper than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malindi and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 73% lower, Kilifi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 KES 283

$2.25 KES 291

-2.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.56 KES 4,077

$50.9 KES 6,573

-37.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.30 KES 297

Cappuccino

$1.90 KES 246

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

$1.52 KES 196

$0.74 KES 95.8

105.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 KES 122

$0.78 KES 101

20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 KES 448

$1.98 KES 256

75.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 KES 462

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

$0.88 KES 114

3.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KES 104

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 KES 158

$1.90 KES 246

-35.26%

Eggs

$2.96 KES 382

$1.80 KES 233

64.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 KES 1,498

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 KES 810

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.06 KES 654

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 KES 397

$2.31 KES 298

32.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.85 KES 109

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 KES 340

$1.83 KES 236

43.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 91.1

$0.66 KES 84.7

6.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.64 KES 83.0

23.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.3

$0.64 KES 82.4

3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 66.6

$0.24 KES 31.15

116.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 KES 989

$12.82 KES 1,656

-40.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 KES 3,559

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.37 KES 177

5.11%

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

$77.5 KES 10.0K

$15.61 KES 2,017

396.67%

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

$10.28 KES 1,329

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.55 KES 4,077

$25.26 KES 3,263

24.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.14 KES 4,927

$28.03 KES 3,622

36.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 KES 985

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

$162 KES 20.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,072 KES 655.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.52 KES 1,229

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.67 KES 1,121

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.59 KES 2,014

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.13 KES 2,213

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 KES 49.9K

$275 KES 35.5K

40.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 KES 30.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Malindi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Malindi versus $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in Malindi vs $100 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: $363 in Malindi, $436 in Kilifi – roughly 20% apart. Kilifi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $544 per month in Malindi and $655 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 $32.00 in Malindi and $51.0 in Kilifi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $363 in Malindi and $436 in Kilifi. 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 $363 in Malindi and $436 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.