Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Naivasha and Malindi

For one person, living is cheaper in Malindi: $517 a month against $548 in Naivasha, rent and utilities included – about $370 less a year. The total is higher in Naivasha despite lower rent and utilities.

26

Cost of Living Index in Naivasha
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Naivasha Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Malindi
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Malindi Living Index

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Naivasha

🇰🇪 Kenya

$548

/mo nomad

Malindi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$517

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Naivasha 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 Naivasha and in Malindi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $548 per month in Naivasha vs $517 in Malindi, rent included.

Naivasha $548
Malindi $517

A couple spends around $898 per month in Naivasha vs $803 in Malindi, rent included.

Naivasha $898
Malindi $803

A family of three spends $1,249 per month in Naivasha vs $1,090 in Malindi, rent included.

Naivasha $1,249
Malindi $1,090

Naivasha costs about 6% more than Malindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Naivasha and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Naivasha 60% lower, Malindi 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 KES 867

$2.14 KES 278

211.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.85 KES 4,525

$25.30 KES 3,285

37.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 KES 827

$10.44 KES 1,355

-38.98%

Cappuccino

$2.60 KES 338

$2.70 KES 351

-3.70%

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

$0.68 KES 88.5

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 KES 81.3

$0.52 KES 67.1

21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KES 309

$2.29 KES 298

3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 344

$3.23 KES 419

-17.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.90 KES 117

-2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.4

$0.50 KES 64.3

6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 KES 251

$1.25 KES 162

54.40%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 227

$1.83 KES 237

-4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 KES 1,393

$11.40 KES 1,481

-5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 KES 848

$4.98 KES 647

31.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 KES 836

$4.89 KES 635

31.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 KES 437

$2.07 KES 269

62.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$0.78 KES 102

35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 KES 269

$1.76 KES 228

17.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$0.71 KES 91.8

60.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 KES 145

$0.72 KES 93.8

55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

$0.65 KES 84.0

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 KES 97.8

$0.59 KES 77.1

27.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.45 KES 58.8

82.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 KES 451

$4.16 KES 540

-16.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.45 KES 1,487

$9.83 KES 1,277

16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 KES 298

$2.01 KES 262

14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 360

$2.96 KES 384

-6.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$3.14 KES 408

-49.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$1.78 KES 231

-15.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 386

$4.59 KES 596

-35.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 KES 200

$1.37 KES 178

12.41%

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

$19.5K KES 2.5M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

61.88%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

79.97%

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

$55.2 KES 7,167

$76.0 KES 9,875

-27.42%

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

$15.20 KES 1,974

$8.99 KES 1,167

69.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.55 KES 4,486

$30.23 KES 3,926

14.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.62 KES 5,015

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 KES 1,028

$15.42 KES 2,003

-48.70%

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

$278 KES 36.2K

$85.5 KES 11.1K

225.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$5,381 KES 698.8K

126.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.46 KES 3,696

$13.28 KES 1,724

114.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.13 KES 3,783

$13.38 KES 1,738

117.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 KES 8,936

$23.49 KES 3,050

192.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 KES 7,752

$46.81 KES 6,079

27.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 KES 49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$762 KES 98.9K

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 Naivasha: October 25, 2026

Last update for Malindi: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Naivasha

$209 38%

Malindi

$173 33.4% 17.2% $36

Eating Out

Naivasha

$126 23%

Malindi

$104 20.1% 17.9% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Naivasha

$105 19.1%

Malindi

$115 22.3% 9.8% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Naivasha

$84 15.3%

Malindi

$44 8.5% 47.9% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Naivasha

$16 * 2.9%

Malindi

$69 13.5% 339% $54

Getting Around

Naivasha

$9.1 * 1.7%

Malindi

$12 * 2.3% 32.6% $3

Accommodation & Living

Naivasha

- * 0%

Malindi

- * 0%

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 $35 in Naivasha versus $25 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $173 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Naivasha

🇰🇪 Malindi

🕒 Local time

20:46 8:46 PM

Same time as Naivasha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,563

117,735

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Naivasha Malindi 490 km

From you

Naivasha
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

Naivasha vs Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Naivasha costs about 6% more than Malindi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $822 per month in Naivasha and $775 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 in Naivasha and $25 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 Naivasha, 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 $548 in Naivasha and $517 in Malindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Malindi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $517 in Malindi to $548 in Naivasha. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.