Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanyuki and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanyuki and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $577 per month in Nanyuki vs $500 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $965 per month in Nanyuki vs $785 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,352 per month in Nanyuki vs $1,070 in Malindi, rent included.

Nanyuki costs about 15% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Nanyuki and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Nanyuki 58% lower, Malindi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 KES 503

$2.09 KES 271

86.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.36 KES 4,572

$23.34 KES 3,017

51.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.33 KES 819

$10.59 KES 1,370

-40.23%

Cappuccino

$2.66 KES 344

$3.71 KES 480

-28.30%

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

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.95 KES 123

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 71.8

$0.43 KES 55.5

30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

$2.29 KES 297

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 346

$3.26 KES 422

-18.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 KES 116

$0.93 KES 121

-3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.6

$0.49 KES 63.0

10.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 KES 152

$1.21 KES 156

-2.48%

Eggs

$1.65 KES 214

$1.74 KES 225

-5.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 KES 1,340

$11.21 KES 1,450

-7.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 KES 798

$5.46 KES 706

13.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 KES 806

$5.11 KES 661

21.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 KES 431

$2.14 KES 277

56.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 KES 128

$0.73 KES 94.0

35.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 262

$1.84 KES 238

10.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.69 KES 89.0

55.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$0.68 KES 87.8

61.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.66 KES 84.9

65.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.4

$0.60 KES 78.1

21.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 KES 93.1

$0.43 KES 55.0

67.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 KES 445

$4.52 KES 584

-23.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 KES 1,528

$7.83 KES 1,012

50.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 KES 298

$1.98 KES 256

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.97 KES 384

-6.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 KES 195

$3.00 KES 388

-49.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.71 KES 221

-11.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$4.49 KES 581

-36.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.36 KES 176

16.91%

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

$20.5K KES 2.7M

$12.3K KES 1.6M

67.47%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$12.0K KES 1.5M

64.01%

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

$60.6 KES 7,832

$55.3 KES 7,146

9.59%

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

$15.47 KES 2,000

$13.28 KES 1,717

16.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.53 KES 4,594

$31.29 KES 4,045

13.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 KES 5,017

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 KES 1,017

$10.95 KES 1,416

-28.22%

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

$239 KES 30.9K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

172.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$5,331 KES 689.3K

117.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.29 KES 3,529

$13.03 KES 1,685

109.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 KES 3,333

$13.53 KES 1,749

90.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 KES 8,050

$23.02 KES 2,976

170.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 KES 7,792

$45.51 KES 5,885

32.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 KES 9,840

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.0 KES 8,406

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.9K

$383 KES 49.5K

-39.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 KES 25.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$118 KES 15.2K

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 Nanyuki: September 7, 2026

Last update for Malindi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Nanyuki versus $23.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 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

Nanyuki vs Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanyuki costs about 15% 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 $866 per month in Nanyuki 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 $35.00 in Nanyuki 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 17% more in Nanyuki, 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 $577 in Nanyuki 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, Nanyuki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.