Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanyuki and Malindi

For one person, living is cheaper in Malindi: $517 a month against $609 in Nanyuki, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Nanyuki, Kenya
Malindi, Kenya
Nanyuki
🇰🇪 Kenya
$609
/mo nomad
Malindi
🇰🇪 Kenya
$517
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $609 per month in Nanyuki vs $517 in Malindi, rent included.

  • Nanyuki $609
  • Malindi $517

A couple spends around $1,016 per month in Nanyuki vs $803 in Malindi, rent included.

  • Nanyuki $1,016
  • Malindi $803

A family of three spends $1,424 per month in Nanyuki vs $1,090 in Malindi, rent included.

  • Nanyuki $1,424
  • Malindi $1,090

Nanyuki costs about 18% more than Malindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Nanyuki and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Nanyuki 55% lower, Malindi 62% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nanyuki
Malindi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.52 KES 847
$2.14 KES 278
204.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.96 KES 4,410
$25.30 KES 3,285
34.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.44 KES 836
$10.44 KES 1,355
-38.31%
Cappuccino
$2.60 KES 338
$2.70 KES 351
-3.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 KES 83.2
$0.68 KES 88.5
-5.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 KES 86.5
$0.52 KES 67.1
28.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.33 KES 303
$2.29 KES 298
1.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 KES 347
$3.23 KES 419
-17.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nanyuki
Malindi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 KES 116
$0.90 KES 117
-
White Bread (500g)
$0.54 KES 69.9
$0.50 KES 64.3
8.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 KES 153
$1.25 KES 162
-5.60%
Eggs
$1.74 KES 226
$1.83 KES 237
-4.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.79 KES 1,402
$11.40 KES 1,481
-5.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.73 KES 874
$4.98 KES 647
35.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.39 KES 829
$4.89 KES 635
30.67%
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 KES 440
$2.07 KES 269
63.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.02 KES 133
$0.78 KES 102
30.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 KES 270
$1.76 KES 228
18.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.11 KES 144
$0.71 KES 91.8
56.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.12 KES 145
$0.72 KES 93.8
55.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.05 KES 136
$0.65 KES 84.0
61.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 KES 97.6
$0.59 KES 77.1
27.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 KES 98.3
$0.45 KES 58.8
68.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.44 KES 447
$4.16 KES 540
-17.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.38 KES 1,478
$9.83 KES 1,277
15.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 KES 284
$2.01 KES 262
8.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 KES 350
$2.96 KES 384
-8.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Nanyuki
Malindi
Difference
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.56 KES 203
$3.14 KES 408
-50.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 KES 197
$1.78 KES 231
-15.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.85 KES 370
$4.59 KES 596
-37.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.59 KES 207
$1.37 KES 178
16.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K KES 2.5M
$12.0K KES 1.6M
62.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K KES 2.9M
$12.0K KES 1.6M
84.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nanyuki
Malindi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.0 KES 7,399
$76.0 KES 9,875
-25.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.98 KES 1,945
$8.99 KES 1,167
66.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.48 KES 4,478
$30.23 KES 3,926
14.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nanyuki
Malindi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$38.62 KES 5,015
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.51 KES 975
$15.42 KES 2,003
-51.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nanyuki
Malindi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$276 KES 35.8K
$85.5 KES 11.1K
222.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.4K KES 1.6M
$5,381 KES 698.8K
131.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nanyuki
Malindi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.59 KES 3,712
$13.28 KES 1,724
115.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.52 KES 3,703
$13.38 KES 1,738
113.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.6 KES 9,172
$23.49 KES 3,050
200.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.0 KES 7,527
$46.81 KES 6,079
23.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nanyuki
Malindi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$77.9 KES 10.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$64.9 KES 8,429
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$235 KES 30.5K
$379 KES 49.2K
-38.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$189 KES 24.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nanyuki
Malindi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$117 KES 15.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14.71
13
13.15%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nanyuki: October 27, 2026

Last update for Malindi: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Nanyuki
$205
Malindi
$173 15.7% $32
Eating Out
Nanyuki
$125
Malindi
$104 17.1% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nanyuki
$106
Malindi
$115 8.3% $8.8
Clothing & Footwear
Nanyuki
$84
Malindi
$44 47.8% $40
Accommodation & Living
Nanyuki
$65
Malindi
- * 100%
Sport & Entertainment
Nanyuki
$15 *
Malindi
$69 363% $54
Getting Around
Nanyuki
$9.1 *
Malindi
$12 * 31.9% $2.9

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 in Nanyuki versus $25 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $173 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇪 Nanyuki
🇰🇪 Malindi
🕒 Local time
01:07 1:07 AM
01:07 1:07 AM
Same time as Nanyuki
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,000
117,735
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nanyuki Malindi 490 km
From you
  • Nanyuki
  • 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
Nanyuki vs Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nanyuki or Malindi?
Nanyuki costs about 18% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Nanyuki and in Malindi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $913 per month in Nanyuki and $775 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Nanyuki and in Malindi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Nanyuki and $25 in Malindi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Nanyuki or in Malindi?
Groceries cost about 19% more in Nanyuki, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Nanyuki or in Malindi?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $609 in Nanyuki and $517 in Malindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Nanyuki or Malindi?
It depends on your priorities. Malindi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $517 in Malindi to $609 in Nanyuki. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Nanyuki vs other spots: cost of living compared

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