Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Garissa Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Garissa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $844 per month in Nairobi vs $376 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,376 per month in Nairobi vs $657 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,908 per month in Nairobi vs $938 in Garissa, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 124% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nairobi and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 39% lower, Garissa 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 KES 485

$11.69 KES 1,512

-67.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 KES 4,533

$23.22 KES 3,005

50.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 KES 816

Cappuccino

$2.70 KES 350

$7.79 KES 1,008

-65.34%

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

$0.60 KES 77.5

$1.97 KES 255

-69.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.2

$1.14 KES 148

-54.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 116

$0.52 KES 67.0

71.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.3

$0.59 KES 76.7

-3.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 KES 240

$1.44 KES 186

28.47%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 220

$1.92 KES 248

-11.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 KES 1,365

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 KES 815

$6.35 KES 822

-0.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 KES 788

$5.36 KES 694

13.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 KES 438

$3.95 KES 511

-14.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$3.05 KES 395

-67.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 KES 253

$4.52 KES 584

-56.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$0.74 KES 95.9

43.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.25 KES 162

-15.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.56 KES 201

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.1

$2.30 KES 298

-70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 KES 94.3

$0.51 KES 66.5

43.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 439

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 KES 1,492

$5.89 KES 762

95.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.68 KES 217

32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KES 352

$3.79 KES 490

-28.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.72 KES 6,045

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 381

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

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

$62.0 KES 8,021

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

$15.43 KES 1,996

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.66 KES 4,484

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 KES 6,593

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.56 KES 1,884

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 KES 1,025

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

$234 KES 30.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K KES 1.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.93 KES 3,485

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.62 KES 3,315

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 KES 8,306

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 KES 7,731

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 KES 59.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 KES 27.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 KES 149.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 KES 65.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,344 KES 173.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$912 KES 118.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 KES 61.2K

$132 KES 17.1K

257.90%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Garissa: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 258% 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 $35.00 in Nairobi versus $23.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $182 – making Garissa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $844 in Nairobi, $376 in Garissa – roughly 124% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,266 per month in Nairobi and $564 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 $35.00 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 $844 in Nairobi and $376 in Garissa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $376, than in Nairobi at $844. 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 $376 in Garissa to $844 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.