Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Garissa

For one person, living is cheaper in Garissa: $381 a month against $858 in Nairobi, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nairobi
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Nairobi Living Index

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Nairobi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$858

/mo nomad

Garissa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$381

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nairobi and in Garissa

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

A single person spends $858 per month in Nairobi vs $381 in Garissa, rent included.

Nairobi $858
Garissa $381

A couple spends around $1,405 per month in Nairobi vs $667 in Garissa, rent included.

Nairobi $1,405
Garissa $667

A family of three spends $1,952 per month in Nairobi vs $952 in Garissa, rent included.

Nairobi $1,952
Garissa $952

Nairobi costs about 125% more than Garissa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Nairobi and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 36% lower, Garissa 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.34 KES 822

$11.79 KES 1,528

-46.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 KES 4,417

$23.02 KES 2,984

48.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 KES 831

Cappuccino

$2.65 KES 344

$7.73 KES 1,002

-65.72%

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

$0.63 KES 81.3

$1.88 KES 244

-66.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.3

$1.13 KES 147

-46.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 295

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 361

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 116

$0.52 KES 66.9

71.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 73.0

$0.59 KES 76.9

-5.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KES 247

$1.47 KES 191

29.25%

Eggs

$1.72 KES 223

$1.92 KES 249

-10.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 KES 1,404

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 KES 846

$6.10 KES 791

6.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.38 KES 827

$5.39 KES 698

18.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 KES 431

$3.78 KES 490

-12.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

$3.11 KES 403

-64.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 KES 265

$4.69 KES 608

-56.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$0.79 KES 102

39.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.22 KES 158

-13.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.57 KES 204

-33.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KES 95.8

$2.37 KES 307

-68.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.56 KES 72.3

41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 KES 451

Wine (Bottle)

$11.64 KES 1,510

$5.71 KES 741

103.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 286

$1.67 KES 217

32.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 368

$3.82 KES 496

-25.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 KES 100

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.01 KES 5,965

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 KES 202

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 198

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 201

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

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

$55.1 KES 7,145

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

$15.13 KES 1,962

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.54 KES 4,478

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 KES 6,500

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 KES 2,010

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 KES 982

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

$251 KES 32.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K KES 1.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.61 KES 3,580

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.05 KES 3,766

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 KES 9,205

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 KES 7,679

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 KES 57.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 KES 27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 KES 144.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 KES 64.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,324 KES 171.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$912 KES 118.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$480 KES 62.2K

$129 KES 16.8K

271.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

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

Last update for Nairobi: October 12, 2026

Last update for Garissa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Nairobi

$214 25%

Garissa

–

Groceries & Markets

Nairobi

$208 24.2%

Garissa

–

Eating Out

Nairobi

$124 14.4%

Garissa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nairobi

$105 12.2%

Garissa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nairobi

$84 9.8%

Garissa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nairobi

$65 7.6%

Garissa

–

Getting Around

Nairobi

$58 6.8%

Garissa

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 271% higher in Nairobi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Nairobi versus $23.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $182 – making Garissa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Nairobi

🇰🇪 Garissa

🕒 Local time

11:25 11:25 AM

Same time as Nairobi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,138,295 Capital

119,696

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Nairobi Garissa 330 km

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Nairobi
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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

Nairobi vs Garissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $858 in Nairobi, $381 in Garissa – roughly 125% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,287 per month in Nairobi and $572 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Nairobi and $23.00 in Garissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $858 in Nairobi and $381 in Garissa. That's a gap of about 125%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $381, than in Nairobi at $858. In Garissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nairobi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nairobi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $381 in Garissa to $858 in Nairobi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Garissa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nairobi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.