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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Mombasa vs $344 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Mombasa vs $574 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Mombasa vs $804 in Malindi, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 76% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mombasa and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Malindi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 308

$2.18 KES 283

8.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.29 KES 2,498

$31.16 KES 4,037

-38.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 KES 1,106

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 421

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

$0.51 KES 66.3

$1.58 KES 205

-67.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.2

$0.89 KES 115

-47.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$3.40 KES 441

-44.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

$3.55 KES 460

-17.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.91 KES 118

-10.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 187

$1.27 KES 165

13.39%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 223

$2.98 KES 387

-41.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 KES 1,291

$11.55 KES 1,496

-13.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 754

$6.17 KES 799

-5.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 679

$5.09 KES 659

2.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$3.18 KES 412

-43.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KES 121

$0.79 KES 102

17.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$2.77 KES 359

-43.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$0.71 KES 91.8

7.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.4

$0.81 KES 105

-12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$0.66 KES 86.1

59.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$0.49 KES 63.5

16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 430

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 KES 1,023

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 252

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,546

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 391

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 252

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 597

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$1.41 KES 183

13.48%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

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

$44.87 KES 5,813

$77.3 KES 10.0K

-41.95%

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

$14.07 KES 1,822

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 KES 5,715

$31.26 KES 4,049

41.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,356

$38.10 KES 4,935

-52.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 KES 589

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,325 KES 689.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 KES 1,734

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 KES 1,792

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,059

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.29 KES 6,126

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.4K

$380 KES 49.3K

59.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 KES 60.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,402 KES 699.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 497.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$318 KES 41.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Malindi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mombasa versus $31.00 in Malindi. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Mombasa vs $152 in Malindi – so Malindi 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

Mombasa vs Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mombasa costs about 76% 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 $907 per month in Mombasa and $516 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $604 in Mombasa and $344 in Malindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $604 in Mombasa and $344 in Malindi, 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.