Cost of Living Comparison Between Embu and Kilifi Cost of Living Comparison Between Embu and Kilifi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $489 in Embu versus $630 in Kilifi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $789 in Embu versus $1,038 in Kilifi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,089 in Embu versus $1,446 in Kilifi.

Living in Embu costs roughly 22% less than in Kilifi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Embu 64% lower, Kilifi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 KES 509

$1.96 KES 254

100.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.04 KES 4,017

$49.48 KES 6,402

-37.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 KES 686

$2.37 KES 307

123.63%

Cappuccino

$2.25 KES 292

$1.96 KES 254

14.80%

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

$0.34 KES 43.64

$0.81 KES 104

-58.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.31

$0.75 KES 96.7

-70.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KES 308

$1.56 KES 202

52.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 345

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 KES 71.7

$1.09 KES 141

-49.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.6

$0.83 KES 108

-37.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 KES 124

$2.06 KES 267

-53.40%

Eggs

$1.71 KES 221

$1.93 KES 250

-11.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.78 KES 489

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 KES 414

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 KES 547

$7.95 KES 1,028

-46.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 KES 430

$2.34 KES 303

41.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.72 KES 93.2

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.72 KES 223

12.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.42

$0.48 KES 61.7

-22.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$0.80 KES 104

-13.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 KES 119

$0.78 KES 101

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$0.24 KES 31.05

120.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 KES 443

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 KES 1,513

$12.50 KES 1,617

-6.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 KES 291

$1.72 KES 223

30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 367

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 KES 147

$0.78 KES 101

46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.93 KES 3,485

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 KES 202

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 196

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.38 KES 178

10.87%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

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

$12.5K KES 1.6M

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

$60.5 KES 7,827

$15.34 KES 1,985

294.39%

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

$15.08 KES 1,951

$10.23 KES 1,323

47.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.70 KES 4,619

$25.09 KES 3,246

42.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.09 KES 2,211

$28.14 KES 3,641

-39.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 KES 534

$7.51 KES 971

-45.01%

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

$239 KES 30.9K

$161 KES 20.8K

48.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K KES 1.5M

$4,960 KES 641.7K

135.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.17 KES 1,187

$9.61 KES 1,243

-4.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.70 KES 3,324

$9.06 KES 1,172

183.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 KES 8,313

$15.33 KES 1,983

319.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.23 KES 1,970

$17.41 KES 2,252

-12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$77.7 KES 10.1K

$328 KES 42.5K

-76.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.4 KES 7,034

$307 KES 39.8K

-82.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 KES 35.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.0 KES 12.0K

$564 KES 72.9K

-83.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$273 KES 35.3K

$228 KES 29.4K

19.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

83.88%

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

Last update for Embu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $77.7 in Embu and $328 in Kilifi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Embu pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Embu vs $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries flip the comparison at $147 vs $125, with Kilifi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Embu vs Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Embu and Kilifi differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($489 vs $630 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Embu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $77.7 in Embu versus $328 in Kilifi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $239 in Embu versus $161 in Kilifi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Embu – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $49.00 in Kilifi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Embu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Embu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Kilifi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.