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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $344 per month in Malindi vs $430 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $574 per month in Malindi vs $770 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $804 per month in Malindi vs $1,110 in Kilifi, rent included.

Malindi is about 20% cheaper than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malindi and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 74% lower, Kilifi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 KES 283

$2.27 KES 294

-3.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.16 KES 4,037

$50.9 KES 6,593

-38.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 307

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 248

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

$1.58 KES 205

$0.80 KES 103

97.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 KES 115

$0.76 KES 98.2

17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 KES 441

$1.89 KES 245

79.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 KES 460

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

$0.88 KES 114

3.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KES 97.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 KES 165

$1.96 KES 254

-35.20%

Eggs

$2.98 KES 387

$1.88 KES 243

58.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 KES 1,496

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 KES 799

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 KES 659

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 KES 412

$2.28 KES 295

39.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.90 KES 117

-12.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 KES 359

$1.79 KES 232

54.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 91.8

$0.70 KES 90.2

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 KES 105

$0.64 KES 82.5

26.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 86.1

$0.60 KES 77.6

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KES 63.5

$0.24 KES 31.25

104.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 KES 1,628

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 255

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 KES 3,464

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 KES 98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 KES 183

$1.31 KES 170

7.63%

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

$77.3 KES 10.0K

$15.25 KES 1,976

406.82%

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

$10.26 KES 1,329

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 KES 4,049

$24.87 KES 3,222

25.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.10 KES 4,935

$27.59 KES 3,574

38.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 KES 981

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

$163 KES 21.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,961 KES 642.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.76 KES 1,265

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.06 KES 1,174

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.31 KES 1,984

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.27 KES 2,238

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 KES 49.3K

$266 KES 34.5K

42.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 KES 34.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Malindi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Malindi versus $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $152 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: $344 in Malindi, $430 in Kilifi – roughly 25% apart. Kilifi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $516 per month in Malindi and $645 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 $31.00 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 $344 in Malindi and $430 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 $344 in Malindi and $430 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.