Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakuru and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakuru and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $639 per month in Nakuru vs $500 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $978 per month in Nakuru vs $785 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,318 per month in Nakuru vs $1,070 in Malindi, rent included.

Nakuru costs about 28% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Nakuru and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Nakuru 54% lower, Malindi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 KES 506

$2.09 KES 271

87.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 KES 4,405

$23.34 KES 3,017

45.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.25 KES 808

$10.59 KES 1,370

-40.98%

Cappuccino

$1.97 KES 255

$3.71 KES 480

-46.90%

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

$0.38 KES 48.59

$0.95 KES 123

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.36

$0.43 KES 55.5

-48.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

$2.29 KES 297

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$3.26 KES 422

-15.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.6

$0.93 KES 121

-44.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$0.49 KES 63.0

-4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.21 KES 156

26.45%

Eggs

$1.61 KES 209

$1.74 KES 225

-7.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 KES 1,360

$11.21 KES 1,450

-6.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 KES 823

$5.46 KES 706

16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 KES 821

$5.11 KES 661

24.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 KES 437

$2.14 KES 277

57.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 KES 129

$0.73 KES 94.0

35.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 263

$1.84 KES 238

10.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$0.69 KES 89.0

60.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$0.68 KES 87.8

55.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.66 KES 84.9

62.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.7

$0.60 KES 78.1

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.4

$0.43 KES 55.0

72.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 KES 461

$4.52 KES 584

-21.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 KES 1,496

$7.83 KES 1,012

47.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 KES 290

$1.98 KES 256

13.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.97 KES 384

-5.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

$3.00 KES 388

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.71 KES 221

-7.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$4.49 KES 581

-33.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.36 KES 176

10.29%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

$12.3K KES 1.6M

67.06%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$12.0K KES 1.5M

66.81%

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

$60.9 KES 7,872

$55.3 KES 7,146

10.15%

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

$15.19 KES 1,964

$13.28 KES 1,717

14.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.73 KES 4,620

$31.29 KES 4,045

14.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 KES 5,017

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 KES 994

$10.95 KES 1,416

-29.86%

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

$241 KES 31.1K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

174.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$5,331 KES 689.3K

121.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.54 KES 3,561

$13.03 KES 1,685

111.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.28 KES 3,398

$13.53 KES 1,749

94.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 KES 8,268

$23.02 KES 2,976

177.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 KES 7,762

$45.51 KES 5,885

31.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 KES 29.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 KES 17.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.4K

$383 KES 49.5K

40.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 KES 25.4K

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 Nakuru: September 7, 2026

Last update for Malindi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Nakuru versus $23.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 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

Nakuru vs Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nakuru costs about 28% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $958 per month in Nakuru and $750 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 Nakuru 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 16% more in Nakuru, 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 $639 in Nakuru and $500 in Malindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Malindi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nakuru makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.