Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Malindi

For one person, living is cheaper in Malindi: $520 a month against $858 in Nairobi, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Nairobi
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Nairobi Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Malindi
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Malindi Living Index

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Nairobi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$858

/mo nomad

Malindi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$520

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nairobi and in Malindi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nairobi and in Malindi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $858 per month in Nairobi vs $520 in Malindi, rent included.

Nairobi $858
Malindi $520

A couple spends around $1,405 per month in Nairobi vs $806 in Malindi, rent included.

Nairobi $1,405
Malindi $806

A family of three spends $1,952 per month in Nairobi vs $1,092 in Malindi, rent included.

Nairobi $1,952
Malindi $1,092

Nairobi costs about 65% more than Malindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nairobi and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 36% lower, Malindi 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.34 KES 822

$2.06 KES 267

207.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 KES 4,417

$24.99 KES 3,241

36.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 KES 831

$10.58 KES 1,372

-39.41%

Cappuccino

$2.65 KES 344

$2.76 KES 358

-3.99%

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

$0.63 KES 81.3

$0.68 KES 88.8

-7.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.3

$0.52 KES 67.2

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 295

$2.35 KES 304

-3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 361

$3.31 KES 429

-16.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 116

$0.90 KES 116

-1.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 73.0

$0.54 KES 69.8

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KES 247

$1.27 KES 164

49.61%

Eggs

$1.72 KES 223

$1.79 KES 232

-3.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 KES 1,404

$11.74 KES 1,522

-7.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 KES 846

$4.81 KES 624

35.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.38 KES 827

$4.99 KES 647

27.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 KES 431

$2.08 KES 269

59.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

$0.73 KES 94.7

50.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 KES 265

$1.82 KES 236

12.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$0.67 KES 87.2

64.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$0.68 KES 87.6

55.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$0.67 KES 87.5

56.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KES 95.8

$0.59 KES 76.6

25.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.43 KES 55.3

83.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 KES 451

$4.06 KES 526

-14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.64 KES 1,510

$9.88 KES 1,281

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 286

$1.95 KES 253

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 368

$2.91 KES 377

-2.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 KES 100

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.01 KES 5,965

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 KES 202

$3.03 KES 393

-48.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 198

$1.70 KES 221

-10.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

$4.66 KES 604

-36.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 201

$1.43 KES 186

8.39%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$12.3K KES 1.6M

78.69%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

71.69%

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

$55.1 KES 7,145

$77.9 KES 10.1K

-29.22%

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

$15.13 KES 1,962

$9.43 KES 1,223

60.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.54 KES 4,478

$31.35 KES 4,065

10.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 KES 6,500

$39.09 KES 5,069

28.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 KES 2,010

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 KES 982

$15.22 KES 1,974

-50.26%

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

$251 KES 32.5K

$87.5 KES 11.3K

186.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K KES 1.6M

$5,349 KES 693.5K

131.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.61 KES 3,580

$13.08 KES 1,696

111.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.05 KES 3,766

$13.47 KES 1,746

115.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 KES 9,205

$23.22 KES 3,010

205.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 KES 7,679

$46.29 KES 6,002

27.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 KES 57.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 KES 27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 KES 144.1K

$378 KES 49.0K

194.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 KES 64.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,324 KES 171.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$912 KES 118.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$480 KES 62.2K

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: October 12, 2026

Last update for Malindi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Nairobi

$214 25%

Malindi

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Nairobi

$208 24.2%

Malindi

$172 33.2% 17% $35

Eating Out

Nairobi

$124 14.4%

Malindi

$105 20.1% 15.5% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nairobi

$105 12.2%

Malindi

$119 22.8% 13.2% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Nairobi

$84 9.8%

Malindi

$43 8.3% 48.6% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Nairobi

$65 7.6%

Malindi

$70 13.4% 6.5% $4.3

Getting Around

Nairobi

$58 6.8%

Malindi

$12 * 2.2% 80.2% $47

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Nairobi versus $25.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $172 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Nairobi

🇰🇪 Malindi

🕒 Local time

22:00 10:00 PM

Same time as Nairobi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,138,295 Capital

117,735

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Nairobi Malindi 420 km

From you

Nairobi
Malindi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 65% more than Malindi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,287 per month in Nairobi and $780 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 $34.00 in Nairobi and $25.00 in Malindi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $520, than in Nairobi at $858. 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 $520 versus $858 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.