Cost of Living Comparison Between Thika and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Thika and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $480 per month in Thika vs $348 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $809 per month in Thika vs $571 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,137 per month in Thika vs $794 in Malindi, rent included.

Thika costs about 38% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thika and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Thika 64% lower, Malindi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 KES 717

$2.12 KES 274

160.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.49 KES 4,991

$30.55 KES 3,962

25.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 861

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 308

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

$0.75 KES 97.2

$1.60 KES 207

-53.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.91 KES 119

-40.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KES 217

$3.57 KES 463

-53.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 258

$3.56 KES 461

-44.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.97 KES 126

-9.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 KES 177

$1.27 KES 164

7.09%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.92 KES 379

-53.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 KES 1,512

$11.84 KES 1,535

-1.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 849

$6.05 KES 785

8.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.92 KES 249

$5.11 KES 662

-62.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 KES 406

$3.03 KES 393

3.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.78 KES 101

37.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 271

$2.67 KES 347

-21.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$0.67 KES 87.3

56.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.75 KES 97.4

42.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 KES 146

$0.70 KES 91.0

60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 83.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.9

$0.48 KES 62.0

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 KES 306

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 KES 765

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 KES 224

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 367

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 KES 138

$1.36 KES 176

-22.06%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

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

$34.61 KES 4,488

$76.8 KES 9,957

-54.93%

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

$17.09 KES 2,216

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 KES 5,116

$30.80 KES 3,993

28.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 KES 5,021

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 KES 819

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

$205 KES 26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,182 KES 1.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.51 KES 2,400

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.40 KES 3,164

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,626

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 KES 7,328

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 KES 50.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$612 KES 79.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

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

Last update for Thika: June 9, 2026

Last update for Malindi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Thika versus $31.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $151 – 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

Thika vs Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thika costs about 38% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $721 per month in Thika and $522 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $480 in Thika and $348 in Malindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Thika, 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 $480 in Thika and $348 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, Thika makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.