Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Nanyuki

For one person, living is cheaper in Malindi: $517 a month against $609 in Nanyuki, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Malindi, Kenya
Nanyuki, Kenya
Malindi
🇰🇪 Kenya
$517
/mo nomad
Nanyuki
🇰🇪 Kenya
$609
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Malindi and in Nanyuki

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Malindi and in Nanyuki actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $517 per month in Malindi vs $609 in Nanyuki, rent included.

  • Malindi $517
  • Nanyuki $609

A couple spends around $803 per month in Malindi vs $1,016 in Nanyuki, rent included.

  • Malindi $803
  • Nanyuki $1,016

A family of three spends $1,090 per month in Malindi vs $1,424 in Nanyuki, rent included.

  • Malindi $1,090
  • Nanyuki $1,424

Malindi is about 15% cheaper than Nanyuki, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Malindi and Nanyuki are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 62% lower, Nanyuki 55% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Malindi
Nanyuki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.14 KES 278
$6.52 KES 847
-67.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.30 KES 3,285
$33.96 KES 4,410
-25.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.44 KES 1,355
$6.44 KES 836
62.11%
Cappuccino
$2.70 KES 351
$2.60 KES 338
3.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 KES 88.5
$0.64 KES 83.2
6.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 KES 67.1
$0.67 KES 86.5
-22.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.29 KES 298
$2.33 KES 303
-1.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 KES 419
$2.67 KES 347
20.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Malindi
Nanyuki
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 KES 117
$0.90 KES 116
-
White Bread (500g)
$0.50 KES 64.3
$0.54 KES 69.9
-7.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.25 KES 162
$1.18 KES 153
5.93%
Eggs
$1.83 KES 237
$1.74 KES 226
5.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.40 KES 1,481
$10.79 KES 1,402
5.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.98 KES 647
$6.73 KES 874
-26.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.89 KES 635
$6.39 KES 829
-23.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.07 KES 269
$3.39 KES 440
-38.94%
Banana (1kg)
$0.78 KES 102
$1.02 KES 133
-23.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.76 KES 228
$2.08 KES 270
-15.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.71 KES 91.8
$1.11 KES 144
-36.04%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 KES 93.8
$1.12 KES 145
-35.71%
Onion (1kg)
$0.65 KES 84.0
$1.05 KES 136
-38.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.59 KES 77.1
$0.75 KES 97.6
-21.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 KES 58.8
$0.76 KES 98.3
-40.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16 KES 540
$3.44 KES 447
20.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.83 KES 1,277
$11.38 KES 1,478
-13.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 KES 262
$2.18 KES 284
-7.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 KES 384
$2.70 KES 350
9.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Malindi
Nanyuki
Difference
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 KES 408
$1.56 KES 203
101.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.78 KES 231
$1.51 KES 197
17.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.59 KES 596
$2.85 KES 370
61.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 KES 178
$1.59 KES 207
-13.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.0K KES 1.6M
$19.5K KES 2.5M
-38.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$12.0K KES 1.6M
$22.2K KES 2.9M
-45.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malindi
Nanyuki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 KES 9,875
$57.0 KES 7,399
33.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.99 KES 1,167
$14.98 KES 1,945
-39.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.23 KES 3,926
$34.48 KES 4,478
-12.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Malindi
Nanyuki
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.62 KES 5,015
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.42 KES 2,003
$7.51 KES 975
105.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Malindi
Nanyuki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$85.5 KES 11.1K
$276 KES 35.8K
-69.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,381 KES 698.8K
$12.4K KES 1.6M
-56.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Malindi
Nanyuki
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.28 KES 1,724
$28.59 KES 3,712
-53.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$13.38 KES 1,738
$28.52 KES 3,703
-53.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$23.49 KES 3,050
$70.6 KES 9,172
-66.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.81 KES 6,079
$58.0 KES 7,527
-19.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Malindi
Nanyuki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$77.9 KES 10.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$64.9 KES 8,429
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$379 KES 49.2K
$235 KES 30.5K
61.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$189 KES 24.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Malindi
Nanyuki
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$117 KES 15.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13
14.71
-11.62%

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

Last update for Malindi: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nanyuki: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Malindi
$173
Nanyuki
$205 18.7% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malindi
$115
Nanyuki
$106 7.7% $8.8
Eating Out
Malindi
$104
Nanyuki
$125 20.7% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Malindi
$69
Nanyuki
$15 * 78.4% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Malindi
$44
Nanyuki
$84 91.5% $40
Getting Around
Malindi
$12 *
Nanyuki
$9.1 * 24.2% $2.9
Accommodation & Living
Malindi
- *
Nanyuki
$65

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Malindi versus $34 in Nanyuki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $205 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇪 Malindi
🇰🇪 Nanyuki
🕒 Local time
02:45 2:45 AM
02:45 2:45 AM
Same time as Malindi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
117,735
32,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Malindi Nanyuki 490 km
From you
  • Malindi
  • Nanyuki

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nanyuki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Malindi or Nanyuki?
Nanyuki costs about 18% more than Malindi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Malindi and in Nanyuki?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $775 per month in Malindi and $913 in Nanyuki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Malindi and in Nanyuki?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Malindi and $34 in Nanyuki. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Malindi or in Nanyuki?
Groceries cost about 19% more in Nanyuki, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Malindi or in Nanyuki?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $517 in Malindi and $609 in Nanyuki, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Malindi or Nanyuki?
It depends on your priorities. Malindi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $517 in Malindi to $609 in Nanyuki. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Malindi vs other spots: cost of living compared

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