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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Mombasa vs $497 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Mombasa vs $779 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Mombasa vs $1,060 in Malindi, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 39% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 50% lower, Malindi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 KES 298

$2.09 KES 270

10.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,981

$23.43 KES 3,030

-1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,372

$10.38 KES 1,343

2.22%

Cappuccino

$3.60 KES 466

$3.56 KES 460

1.12%

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

$1.00 KES 130

$0.96 KES 123

4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.7

$0.40 KES 51.7

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$2.36 KES 305

-4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$3.23 KES 418

-0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$0.89 KES 115

5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.52 KES 67.7

-5.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.21 KES 156

30.58%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.81 KES 235

0.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,415

$11.24 KES 1,454

-2.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$5.54 KES 716

-1.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.34 KES 691

$5.06 KES 655

5.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$0.74 KES 96.2

55.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$1.83 KES 236

-2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.1

$0.64 KES 82.7

1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$0.72 KES 93.4

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$0.71 KES 91.7

47.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.56 KES 72.9

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.3

$0.46 KES 59.4

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

$4.75 KES 614

-5.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 KES 984

$7.82 KES 1,011

-2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 KES 258

$1.94 KES 251

3.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

$2.84 KES 368

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,914

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

$3.03 KES 392

-0.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

$1.76 KES 227

-2.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

$4.59 KES 594

-1.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.42 KES 184

9.86%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

-0.69%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

-2.18%

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

$55.1 KES 7,124

$54.7 KES 7,074

0.69%

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

$13.42 KES 1,735

$13.00 KES 1,681

3.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$31.03 KES 4,012

9.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,354

$39.19 KES 5,067

-53.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,450

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 KES 1,422

$10.91 KES 1,411

0.82%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$86.9 KES 11.2K

0.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.0K

$5,368 KES 694.1K

2.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$13.38 KES 1,730

-2.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,745

$13.60 KES 1,758

-0.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,989

$22.92 KES 2,963

0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,887

$45.93 KES 5,939

-0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

$387 KES 50.1K

38.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 KES 50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 697.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Malindi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Mombasa versus $23.00 in Malindi. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Mombasa vs $171 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 39% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Mombasa and $746 in Malindi. 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 Mombasa and $23.00 in Malindi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $689 in Mombasa and $497 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.