Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $500 per month in Malindi vs $696 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $785 per month in Malindi vs $1,132 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,070 per month in Malindi vs $1,567 in Mombasa, rent included.

Malindi is about 28% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Malindi and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 64% lower, Mombasa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 KES 271

$2.27 KES 294

-7.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 KES 3,017

$23.41 KES 3,027

-0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 KES 1,370

$10.46 KES 1,353

1.24%

Cappuccino

$3.71 KES 480

$3.72 KES 481

-0.27%

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

$0.95 KES 123

$0.94 KES 122

1.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.5

$0.40 KES 51.6

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$2.28 KES 294

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 KES 422

$3.20 KES 414

1.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 KES 121

$0.89 KES 115

4.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.0

$0.53 KES 68.1

-7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 KES 156

$1.58 KES 204

-23.42%

Eggs

$1.74 KES 225

$1.73 KES 224

0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 KES 1,450

$10.87 KES 1,406

3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 KES 706

$5.66 KES 732

-3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 KES 661

$5.33 KES 689

-4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 KES 277

$2.11 KES 273

1.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.0

$1.15 KES 149

-36.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 KES 238

$1.75 KES 226

5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$0.64 KES 82.7

7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.8

$0.67 KES 86.3

1.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$1.01 KES 131

-34.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.1

$0.60 KES 77.6

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.0

$0.42 KES 54.6

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 KES 584

$4.59 KES 594

-1.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 KES 1,012

$7.86 KES 1,016

-0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.99 KES 257

-0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.13 KES 5,059

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 KES 388

$3.04 KES 393

-1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

$1.70 KES 219

0.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 KES 581

$4.63 KES 598

-3.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.56 KES 202

-12.82%

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

$12.3K KES 1.6M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

1.16%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

-0.97%

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

$55.3 KES 7,146

$54.4 KES 7,029

1.67%

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

$13.28 KES 1,717

$13.01 KES 1,682

2.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.29 KES 4,045

$33.92 KES 4,386

-7.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 KES 5,017

$18.29 KES 2,365

112.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 KES 2,545

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 KES 1,416

$11.02 KES 1,424

-0.64%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$88.4 KES 11.4K

-0.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,331 KES 689.3K

$5,445 KES 704.0K

-2.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$13.32 KES 1,722

-2.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.53 KES 1,749

$13.39 KES 1,732

1.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.02 KES 2,976

$23.00 KES 2,974

0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.51 KES 5,885

$46.52 KES 6,015

-2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 KES 30.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 KES 49.5K

$535 KES 69.2K

-28.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 KES 50.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,432 KES 702.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,861 KES 499.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 KES 41.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Malindi: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi versus $23.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $175 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mombasa costs about 39% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $750 per month in Malindi and $1,044 in Mombasa. 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 $23.00 in Mombasa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Mombasa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $500 in Malindi and $696 in Mombasa, 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, Mombasa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.