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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Nairobi vs $467 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,299 per month in Nairobi vs $774 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,832 per month in Nairobi vs $1,082 in Garissa, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 64% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nairobi and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 43% lower, Garissa 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 KES 717

$6.55 KES 846

-15.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.48 KES 4,972

$23.28 KES 3,008

65.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 858

$2.78 KES 359

138.85%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KES 322

$4.36 KES 563

-42.89%

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

$0.70 KES 91.1

$1.15 KES 148

-39.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.68 KES 87.5

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 KES 305

$1.88 KES 243

25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$2.74 KES 354

3.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 72.6

$0.52 KES 66.8

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 KES 207

$1.10 KES 142

45.45%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 216

$1.70 KES 219

-1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KES 1,513

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 KES 893

$6.28 KES 811

10.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.64 KES 729

$4.31 KES 557

30.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 KES 398

$3.03 KES 391

1.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$2.35 KES 304

-54.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$3.14 KES 405

-34.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.68 KES 88.2

52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.86 KES 112

24.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.13 KES 145

1.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.5

$0.66 KES 84.8

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.48 KES 62.1

56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 KES 409

$2.37 KES 306

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 KES 1,523

$5.65 KES 730

108.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 285

$1.83 KES 237

20.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 365

$3.34 KES 432

-15.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.90 KES 3,992

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.36 KES 304

-35.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 193

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 382

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.07 KES 139

42.99%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$9,144 KES 1.2M

116.14%

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

$33.74 KES 4,359

$15.34 KES 1,982

119.95%

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

$16.72 KES 2,160

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.94 KES 5,032

$22.96 KES 2,967

69.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.13 KES 5,573

$23.01 KES 2,973

87.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 KES 2,664

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 KES 822

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

$205 KES 26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,113 KES 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.49 KES 2,389

$11.45 KES 1,480

61.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.69 KES 3,061

$7.86 KES 1,015

201.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 KES 8,308

$23.53 KES 3,040

173.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,184

$22.86 KES 2,953

143.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 KES 56.6K

$103 KES 13.3K

327.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 KES 24.1K

$76.1 KES 9,831

144.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 KES 147.5K

$193 KES 24.9K

492.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 KES 55.8K

$171 KES 22.1K

152.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 KES 197.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$909 KES 117.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 KES 55.7K

$130 KES 16.8K

232.40%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Nairobi versus $103 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 232% 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 $155 – 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: $765 in Nairobi, $467 in Garissa – roughly 64% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,147 per month in Nairobi and $700 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 $765 in Nairobi and $467 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 $765 in Nairobi and $467 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 $467 in Garissa to $765 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.