Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Narok

For one person, living is cheaper in Malindi: $517 a month against $608 in Narok, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Narok outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Malindi, Kenya
Narok, Kenya
Malindi
🇰🇪 Kenya
$517
/mo nomad
Narok
🇰🇪 Kenya
$608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Malindi and in Narok

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 Narok actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $517 per month in Malindi vs $608 in Narok, rent included.

  • Malindi $517
  • Narok $608

A couple spends around $803 per month in Malindi vs $922 in Narok, rent included.

  • Malindi $803
  • Narok $922

A family of three spends $1,090 per month in Malindi vs $1,235 in Narok, rent included.

  • Malindi $1,090
  • Narok $1,235

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

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Malindi
Narok
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.14 KES 277
$2.29 KES 297
-6.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.30 KES 3,284
$22.64 KES 2,939
11.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.44 KES 1,355
$4.75 KES 617
119.79%
Cappuccino
$2.70 KES 351
$1.93 KES 251
39.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 KES 88.5
$0.37 KES 47.87
83.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 KES 67.1
$0.24 KES 31.18
116.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.29 KES 298
$1.97 KES 256
16.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 KES 419
$2.25 KES 292
43.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Malindi
Narok
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 KES 117
$0.76 KES 98.6
18.42%
White Bread (500g)
$0.50 KES 64.3
$0.48 KES 62.0
4.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.25 KES 162
$1.43 KES 186
-12.59%
Eggs
$1.83 KES 237
$1.21 KES 157
51.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.40 KES 1,480
$6.03 KES 783
89.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.98 KES 647
$6.25 KES 812
-20.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.89 KES 635
$6.21 KES 806
-21.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.07 KES 269
$2.99 KES 388
-30.77%
Banana (1kg)
$0.78 KES 101
$1.07 KES 139
-27.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.76 KES 228
$2.04 KES 264
-13.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.71 KES 91.7
$0.79 KES 103
-10.13%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 KES 93.7
$0.79 KES 103
-8.86%
Onion (1kg)
$0.65 KES 84.0
$0.75 KES 97.8
-13.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.59 KES 77.1
$0.75 KES 97.4
-21.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 KES 58.8
$0.52 KES 67.2
-13.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16 KES 540
$1.50 KES 195
177.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.83 KES 1,276
$7.10 KES 921
38.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 KES 261
$1.90 KES 246
5.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 KES 384
$2.26 KES 294
30.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Malindi
Narok
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.12 KES 146
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$38.58 KES 5,008
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 KES 408
$1.51 KES 195
107.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.78 KES 231
$1.37 KES 178
29.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.59 KES 596
$1.14 KES 148
302.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 KES 178
$1.39 KES 180
-1.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.0K KES 1.6M
$19.2K KES 2.5M
-37.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$12.0K KES 1.6M
$21.3K KES 2.8M
-43.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malindi
Narok
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.0 KES 9,870
$55.2 KES 7,170
37.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.99 KES 1,166
$7.56 KES 981
18.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.23 KES 3,924
$23.01 KES 2,987
31.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Malindi
Narok
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.62 KES 5,013
$23.43 KES 3,041
64.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$2.35 KES 305
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.42 KES 2,002
$7.84 KES 1,017
96.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Malindi
Narok
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$85.5 KES 11.1K
$58.4 KES 7,583
46.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,381 KES 698.4K
$7,728 KES 1.0M
-30.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Malindi
Narok
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.28 KES 1,723
$15.58 KES 2,022
-14.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$13.38 KES 1,737
$15.58 KES 2,023
-14.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$23.49 KES 3,049
$23.13 KES 3,003
1.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.81 KES 6,076
$38.05 KES 4,938
23.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Malindi
Narok
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$234 KES 30.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$152 KES 19.7K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$379 KES 49.2K
$305 KES 39.6K
24.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$235 KES 30.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,522 KES 197.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,140 KES 147.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Malindi
Narok
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$310 KES 40.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13
13
-

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

Last update for Malindi: October 25, 2026

Last update for Narok: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Malindi
$173
Narok
$166 4% $6.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Malindi
$115
Narok
$86 25.6% $29
Eating Out
Malindi
$104
Narok
$73 30% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Malindi
$69
Narok
$39 43.7% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Malindi
$44
Narok
$42 4.8% $2.1
Getting Around
Malindi
$12 *
Narok
$51 327% $39
Accommodation & Living
Malindi
- *
Narok
$152

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 $23 in Narok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $166 – making Narok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇪 Malindi
🇰🇪 Narok
🕒 Local time
18:55 6:55 PM
18:55 6:55 PM
Same time as Malindi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
117,735
40,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Malindi Narok 530 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Malindi
  • Narok

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 Narok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Malindi or Narok?
Narok costs about 18% more than Malindi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 Narok?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $775 per month in Malindi and $912 in Narok. 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 Narok?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Malindi and $23 in Narok. 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 Narok?
Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Narok – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Can you live on $800/month in Malindi or in Narok?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $517 in Malindi and $608 in Narok, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Malindi or Narok?
It depends on your priorities. Malindi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $517 in Malindi to $608 in Narok. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Malindi vs other spots: cost of living compared

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