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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $782 per month in Nairobi vs $461 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,305 per month in Nairobi vs $775 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,828 per month in Nairobi vs $1,089 in Garissa, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 70% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nairobi and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 42% lower, Garissa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 KES 693

$6.38 KES 827

-16.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 KES 4,926

$22.95 KES 2,974

65.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 KES 895

$2.67 KES 346

158.80%

Cappuccino

$2.39 KES 309

$4.16 KES 539

-42.55%

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

$0.71 KES 91.9

$1.10 KES 143

-35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.6

$0.68 KES 87.9

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 KES 299

$1.90 KES 246

21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 385

$2.65 KES 343

12.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 122

$0.84 KES 109

11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.3

$0.51 KES 66.3

3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 KES 212

$1.15 KES 149

42.61%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 218

$1.65 KES 214

2.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 KES 1,521

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 KES 886

$6.32 KES 819

8.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.44 KES 705

$4.25 KES 550

28.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 392

$3.15 KES 408

-3.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$2.28 KES 296

-52.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 269

$3.08 KES 399

-32.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.64 KES 83.4

62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$0.86 KES 112

23.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KES 150

$1.14 KES 148

0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.9

$0.70 KES 90.2

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.44 KES 57.2

79.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 394

$2.29 KES 297

32.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 KES 1,511

$5.66 KES 733

106.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 288

$1.87 KES 243

18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 365

$3.20 KES 414

-11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.59 KES 3,963

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$2.31 KES 299

-31.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 373

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.08 KES 140

44.44%

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

$22.0K KES 2.9M

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$9,343 KES 1.2M

118.52%

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

$34.70 KES 4,495

$15.74 KES 2,040

120.46%

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

$16.60 KES 2,151

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 KES 5,122

$23.24 KES 3,011

70.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.29 KES 5,608

$22.82 KES 2,956

89.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.63 KES 2,672

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 KES 787

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

$202 KES 26.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,140 KES 1.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 KES 2,368

$11.81 KES 1,531

54.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.56 KES 3,053

$7.53 KES 976

212.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,605

$22.75 KES 2,948

192.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.7 KES 7,339

$23.61 KES 3,058

139.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 KES 58.3K

$99.9 KES 12.9K

350.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 KES 23.9K

$77.2 KES 10.0K

139.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 KES 146.9K

$191 KES 24.8K

492.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 KES 54.1K

$173 KES 22.5K

140.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 KES 201.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 KES 114.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$416 KES 53.9K

$128 KES 16.6K

225.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

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

Last update for Nairobi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Garissa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $450 in Nairobi versus $99.9 in Garissa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 226% 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 $38.00 in Nairobi versus $23.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $154 – 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: $782 in Nairobi, $461 in Garissa – roughly 70% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,174 per month in Nairobi and $691 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Garissa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 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 $782 in Nairobi and $461 in Garissa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $782 in Nairobi and $461 in Garissa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Nairobi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $461 in Garissa to $782 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.