Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Nakuru Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Nakuru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $500 per month in Malindi vs $639 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $785 per month in Malindi vs $978 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,070 per month in Malindi vs $1,318 in Nakuru, rent included.

Malindi is about 22% cheaper than Nakuru, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 KES 271

$3.92 KES 506

-46.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 KES 3,017

$34.07 KES 4,405

-31.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 KES 1,370

$6.25 KES 808

69.44%

Cappuccino

$3.71 KES 480

$1.97 KES 255

88.32%

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

$0.95 KES 123

$0.38 KES 48.59

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.5

$0.22 KES 28.36

95.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$2.34 KES 302

-2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 KES 422

$2.77 KES 359

17.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 KES 121

$0.52 KES 67.6

78.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.0

$0.47 KES 61.0

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 KES 156

$1.53 KES 197

-20.92%

Eggs

$1.74 KES 225

$1.61 KES 209

8.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 KES 1,450

$10.52 KES 1,360

6.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 KES 706

$6.37 KES 823

-14.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 KES 661

$6.35 KES 821

-19.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 KES 277

$3.38 KES 437

-36.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.0

$0.99 KES 129

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 KES 238

$2.03 KES 263

-9.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$1.11 KES 144

-37.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.8

$1.06 KES 137

-35.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$1.07 KES 139

-38.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.1

$0.67 KES 86.7

-10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.0

$0.74 KES 95.4

-41.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 KES 584

$3.56 KES 461

26.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 KES 1,012

$11.57 KES 1,496

-32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.24 KES 290

-11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$2.82 KES 364

5.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 KES 388

$1.50 KES 194

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

$1.58 KES 205

8.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 KES 581

$2.98 KES 385

50.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.50 KES 194

-9.33%

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

$12.3K KES 1.6M

$20.5K KES 2.6M

-40.14%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

-40.05%

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

$55.3 KES 7,146

$60.9 KES 7,872

-9.21%

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

$13.28 KES 1,717

$15.19 KES 1,964

-12.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.29 KES 4,045

$35.73 KES 4,620

-12.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 KES 5,017

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 KES 1,416

$7.68 KES 994

42.58%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$241 KES 31.1K

-63.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,331 KES 689.3K

$11.8K KES 1.5M

-54.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$27.54 KES 3,561

-52.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.53 KES 1,749

$26.28 KES 3,398

-48.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.02 KES 2,976

$64.0 KES 8,268

-64.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.51 KES 5,885

$60.0 KES 7,762

-24.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 KES 29.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 KES 17.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 KES 49.5K

$537 KES 69.4K

-28.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 KES 25.4K

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 6, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi versus $34.00 in Nakuru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $198 – 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 Nakuru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nakuru costs about 28% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. 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 $958 in Nakuru. 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 $34.00 in Nakuru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Nakuru, 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 $639 in Nakuru, 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, Nakuru makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.