Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Thika Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Thika

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $500 per month in Malindi vs $506 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $785 per month in Malindi vs $862 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,070 per month in Malindi vs $1,218 in Thika, rent included.

Malindi is about 1% cheaper than Thika, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Malindi and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 64% lower, Thika 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 KES 271

$3.45 KES 446

-39.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 KES 3,017

$34.50 KES 4,461

-32.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 KES 1,370

$6.27 KES 811

68.90%

Cappuccino

$3.71 KES 480

$1.90 KES 246

95.26%

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

$0.95 KES 123

$0.30 KES 38.72

216.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.5

$0.56 KES 72.8

-23.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$1.98 KES 257

15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 KES 422

$2.10 KES 272

55.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 KES 121

$0.69 KES 89.5

34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.0

$0.44 KES 57.2

11.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 KES 156

$1.15 KES 149

5.22%

Eggs

$1.74 KES 225

$1.41 KES 182

23.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 KES 1,450

$10.27 KES 1,328

9.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 KES 706

$6.36 KES 822

-14.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 KES 661

$3.97 KES 513

28.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 KES 277

$1.56 KES 201

37.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.0

$0.64 KES 83.2

14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 KES 238

$0.81 KES 104

127.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$1.08 KES 140

-36.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.8

$0.38 KES 48.79

78.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$0.44 KES 57.5

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.1

$0.73 KES 94.0

-17.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.0

$0.38 KES 48.63

13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 KES 584

$2.77 KES 359

63.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 KES 1,012

$5.69 KES 735

37.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.84 KES 238

7.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$1.98 KES 256

50.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 KES 388

$1.52 KES 197

97.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

$0.92 KES 119

85.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 KES 581

$2.96 KES 383

51.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.38 KES 179

-1.45%

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

$12.3K KES 1.6M

$20.4K KES 2.6M

-39.85%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

-40.46%

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

$55.3 KES 7,146

$35.10 KES 4,539

57.46%

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

$13.28 KES 1,717

$15.12 KES 1,955

-12.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.29 KES 4,045

$35.30 KES 4,564

-11.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 KES 5,017

$45.51 KES 5,885

-14.74%

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 KES 1,416

$7.65 KES 989

43.14%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$53.9 KES 6,967

62.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,331 KES 689.3K

$3,541 KES 457.8K

50.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$27.29 KES 3,529

-52.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.53 KES 1,749

$26.43 KES 3,417

-48.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.02 KES 2,976

$63.5 KES 8,206

-63.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.51 KES 5,885

$19.58 KES 2,532

132.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.4 KES 12.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.7 KES 7,584

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 KES 49.5K

$270 KES 34.9K

41.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$616 KES 79.6K

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 Thika: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi versus $34.00 in Thika. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Malindi vs $150 in Thika – so Thika 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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thika costs about 1% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $760 in Thika. 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 Thika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Thika – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $500 in Malindi and $506 in Thika, 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, Thika makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.