Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Eldoret and Kilifi

For one person, living is cheaper in Eldoret: $506 a month against $645 in Kilifi, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Kilifi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Eldoret, Kenya
Kilifi, Kenya
Eldoret
🇰🇪 Kenya
$506
/mo nomad
Kilifi
🇰🇪 Kenya
$645
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Eldoret and in Kilifi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Eldoret and in Kilifi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $506 in Eldoret versus $645 in Kilifi.

  • Eldoret $506
  • Kilifi $645

Estimated couple costs with rent: $870 in Eldoret versus $1,050 in Kilifi.

  • Eldoret $870
  • Kilifi $1,050

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,234 in Eldoret versus $1,454 in Kilifi.

  • Eldoret $1,234
  • Kilifi $1,454

Living in Eldoret costs roughly 22% less than in Kilifi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Eldoret 63% lower, Kilifi 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Eldoret
Kilifi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.50 KES 195
$1.89 KES 245
-20.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.67 KES 4,500
$49.35 KES 6,405
-29.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.21 KES 807
$2.28 KES 296
172.37%
Cappuccino
$2.66 KES 346
$1.97 KES 256
35.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 KES 38.35
$0.75 KES 97.5
-60.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 KES 51.0
$0.74 KES 95.5
-47.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.34 KES 304
$1.55 KES 202
50.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 KES 347
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Eldoret
Kilifi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.72 KES 93.6
$1.06 KES 137
-32.08%
White Bread (500g)
$0.45 KES 58.9
$0.88 KES 114
-48.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 KES 194
$2.06 KES 267
-27.67%
Eggs
$1.50 KES 195
$1.98 KES 258
-24.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.91 KES 507
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.10 KES 533
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.13 KES 535
$7.86 KES 1,020
-47.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.36 KES 307
$2.32 KES 301
1.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 KES 138
$0.66 KES 85.5
60.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.72 KES 93.0
$1.74 KES 226
-58.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.87 KES 113
$0.45 KES 58.3
93.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.56 KES 72.5
$0.73 KES 95.2
-23.29%
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 KES 56.8
$0.79 KES 103
-44.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 KES 97.5
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 KES 86.5
$0.24 KES 31.15
179.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.38 KES 439
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 KES 732
$12.87 KES 1,670
-56.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 KES 274
$1.75 KES 227
20.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 KES 197
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Eldoret
Kilifi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 KES 176
$0.81 KES 105
66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.27 KES 3,540
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.55 KES 201
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 KES 203
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.84 KES 369
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 KES 202
$1.37 KES 177
13.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K KES 2.5M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.1K KES 2.9M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Eldoret
Kilifi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.35 KES 5,237
$15.66 KES 2,033
157.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.06 KES 1,955
$10.08 KES 1,308
49.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.77 KES 4,514
$24.96 KES 3,240
39.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Eldoret
Kilifi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.46 KES 4,992
$27.67 KES 3,591
39.00%
Cinema Ticket
$7.52 KES 976
$7.78 KES 1,010
-3.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Eldoret
Kilifi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$63.4 KES 8,224
$164 KES 21.3K
-61.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K KES 1.6M
$4,922 KES 638.9K
153.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Eldoret
Kilifi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$11.63 KES 1,509
$9.88 KES 1,282
17.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52 KES 3,832
$9.02 KES 1,170
227.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$19.48 KES 2,529
$15.60 KES 2,025
24.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$34.36 KES 4,460
$17.37 KES 2,255
97.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Eldoret
Kilifi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$91.8 KES 11.9K
$332 KES 43.0K
-72.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$89.9 KES 11.7K
$313 KES 40.6K
-71.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$265 KES 34.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$272 KES 35.3K
$556 KES 72.2K
-51.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$604 KES 78.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Eldoret
Kilifi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$229 KES 29.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14.71
8
83.88%

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

Last update for Eldoret: October 24, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Eldoret
$132
Kilifi
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Eldoret
$90
Kilifi
–
Accommodation & Living
Eldoret
$90
Kilifi
–
Eating Out
Eldoret
$82
Kilifi
–
Sport & Entertainment
Eldoret
$54
Kilifi
–
Clothing & Footwear
Eldoret
$43
Kilifi
–
Getting Around
Eldoret
$15 *
Kilifi
–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92 in Eldoret and $332 in Kilifi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35 in Eldoret vs $49 in Kilifi. Groceries flip the comparison at $132 vs $125, with Kilifi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇰🇪 Eldoret
🇰🇪 Kilifi
🕒 Local time
08:16 8:16 AM
08:16 8:16 AM
Same time as Eldoret
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
193,830
122,899
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Eldoret Kilifi 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Eldoret
  • Kilifi

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
Eldoret vs Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Eldoret or Kilifi?
Eldoret wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Kilifi. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Eldoret the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Eldoret and in Kilifi?
You’d need roughly $758 in Eldoret and $968 in Kilifi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Eldoret compared to Kilifi?
Rent for a central apartment: $92 in Eldoret versus $332 in Kilifi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Eldoret or in Kilifi?
Shoppers in Kilifi pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Eldoret compared to Kilifi?
All in, you’ll spend $506 per month in Eldoret versus $645 in Kilifi – Eldoret is about 22% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $800/month in Eldoret or in Kilifi?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Eldoret gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for families?
For families, Eldoret is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kilifi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

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