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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Nairobi vs $363 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,299 per month in Nairobi vs $592 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,832 per month in Nairobi vs $821 in Malindi, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 111% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nairobi and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 43% lower, Malindi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 KES 717

$2.19 KES 283

153.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.48 KES 4,972

$31.56 KES 4,077

21.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 858

Cappuccino

$2.49 KES 322

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

$0.70 KES 91.1

$1.52 KES 196

-53.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.94 KES 122

-46.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 KES 305

$3.47 KES 448

-31.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$3.58 KES 462

-20.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$0.91 KES 118

-5.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 72.6

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 KES 207

$1.23 KES 158

30.08%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 216

$2.96 KES 382

-43.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KES 1,513

$11.60 KES 1,498

0.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 KES 893

$6.27 KES 810

10.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.64 KES 729

$5.06 KES 654

11.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 KES 398

$3.07 KES 397

0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.75 KES 96.6

42.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$2.63 KES 340

-21.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.70 KES 91.1

48.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.79 KES 102

35.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$0.66 KES 85.3

74.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.5

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.52 KES 66.6

44.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 KES 409

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 KES 1,523

$7.66 KES 989

53.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 285

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 365

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 193

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 382

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.44 KES 186

6.25%

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

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

$33.74 KES 4,359

$77.5 KES 10.0K

-56.48%

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

$16.72 KES 2,160

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.94 KES 5,032

$31.55 KES 4,077

23.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.13 KES 5,573

$38.14 KES 4,927

13.08%

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

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.69 KES 3,061

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 KES 8,308

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,184

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 KES 56.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 KES 24.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 KES 147.5K

$386 KES 49.9K

195.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 KES 55.8K

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

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 Malindi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Nairobi versus $32.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $166 – 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 111% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,147 per month in Nairobi and $544 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $765 in Nairobi and $363 in Malindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Nairobi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $765 in Nairobi and $363 in Malindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malindi costs $363 versus $765 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.