Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $844 per month in Nairobi vs $497 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,376 per month in Nairobi vs $779 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,908 per month in Nairobi vs $1,060 in Malindi, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 70% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nairobi and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 39% lower, Malindi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 KES 485

$2.09 KES 270

79.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 KES 4,533

$23.43 KES 3,032

49.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 KES 816

$10.38 KES 1,343

-39.21%

Cappuccino

$2.70 KES 350

$3.56 KES 460

-24.16%

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

$0.60 KES 77.5

$0.96 KES 124

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.2

$0.40 KES 51.7

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

$2.36 KES 305

-0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

$3.23 KES 418

-14.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 116

$0.89 KES 115

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.3

$0.52 KES 67.7

9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 KES 240

$1.21 KES 156

52.89%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 220

$1.81 KES 235

-6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 KES 1,365

$11.24 KES 1,454

-6.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 KES 815

$5.54 KES 717

13.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 KES 788

$5.06 KES 655

20.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 KES 438

$2.10 KES 271

60.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$0.74 KES 96.3

35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.83 KES 236

6.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$0.64 KES 82.8

65.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$0.72 KES 93.4

47.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.71 KES 91.8

46.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.1

$0.56 KES 73.0

23.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 KES 94.3

$0.46 KES 59.4

58.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 439

$4.75 KES 615

-28.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 KES 1,492

$7.82 KES 1,011

47.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.94 KES 251

14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KES 352

$2.84 KES 368

-4.23%

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

$3.03 KES 392

-50.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.76 KES 228

-10.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 381

$4.59 KES 594

-35.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.42 KES 184

7.04%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

65.29%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

62.89%

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

$62.0 KES 8,021

$54.7 KES 7,079

13.31%

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

$15.43 KES 1,996

$13.00 KES 1,682

18.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.66 KES 4,484

$31.03 KES 4,015

11.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 KES 6,593

$39.19 KES 5,070

30.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.56 KES 1,884

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 KES 1,025

$10.91 KES 1,412

-27.41%

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

$234 KES 30.3K

$86.9 KES 11.2K

169.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K KES 1.5M

$5,368 KES 694.5K

115.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.93 KES 3,485

$13.38 KES 1,731

101.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.62 KES 3,315

$13.60 KES 1,759

88.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 KES 8,306

$22.92 KES 2,965

180.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 KES 7,731

$45.93 KES 5,943

30.09%

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

$387 KES 50.1K

197.34%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

13.15%

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

Last update for Nairobi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Malindi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nairobi versus $23.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $171 – making Malindi 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 Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nairobi costs about 70% 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 $1,266 per month in Nairobi 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 $35.00 in Nairobi 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 19% more in Nairobi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Malindi, where all-in costs run around $497, than in Nairobi at $844. In Malindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nairobi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malindi costs $497 versus $844 in Nairobi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. 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.