Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Isiolo and Kilifi

For one person, living is cheaper in Isiolo: $544 a month against $634 in Kilifi, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Kilifi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Isiolo
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Isiolo Living Index

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Isiolo

🇰🇪 Kenya

$544

/mo nomad

Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$634

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $544 in Isiolo versus $634 in Kilifi.

Isiolo $544
Kilifi $634

Estimated couple costs with rent: $891 in Isiolo versus $1,040 in Kilifi.

Isiolo $891
Kilifi $1,040

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Isiolo versus $1,446 in Kilifi.

Isiolo $1,239
Kilifi $1,446

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 14% less than in Kilifi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isiolo 60% lower, Kilifi 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.25 KES 811

$1.89 KES 245

230.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 KES 4,543

$49.12 KES 6,368

-28.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 KES 829

$2.24 KES 291

185.71%

Cappuccino

$2.69 KES 349

$1.90 KES 246

41.58%

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

$0.66 KES 84.9

$0.76 KES 98.0

-13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 73.0

$0.80 KES 104

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$1.56 KES 202

46.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 KES 342

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 116

$1.10 KES 143

-19.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.81 KES 105

-29.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 KES 248

$2.08 KES 269

-8.17%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 218

$1.99 KES 258

-15.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 KES 1,398

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 KES 840

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 KES 807

$7.85 KES 1,018

-20.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 KES 427

$2.26 KES 293

46.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$0.72 KES 93.4

45.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 263

$1.74 KES 225

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$0.44 KES 56.9

161.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 KES 145

$0.76 KES 98.3

47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.79 KES 102

36.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.7

$0.24 KES 31.23

212.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 KES 457

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 KES 1,482

$12.93 KES 1,676

-11.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 KES 300

$1.78 KES 230

30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 KES 349

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 KES 3,554

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 197

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 371

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 KES 209

$1.36 KES 177

18.38%

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

$21.8K KES 2.8M

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

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

$56.5 KES 7,319

$15.59 KES 2,021

262.09%

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

$14.95 KES 1,939

$10.44 KES 1,354

43.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.44 KES 4,465

$25.22 KES 3,270

36.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.21 KES 3,528

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 KES 1,004

$7.52 KES 975

3.06%

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

$249 KES 32.3K

$163 KES 21.2K

52.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K KES 1.6M

$5,110 KES 662.5K

142.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.88 KES 3,615

$9.84 KES 1,276

183.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.53 KES 3,829

$9.05 KES 1,173

226.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 KES 9,256

$15.61 KES 2,024

357.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.6 KES 7,592

$17.27 KES 2,239

239.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 KES 43.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 KES 39.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 KES 35.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 KES 71.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$777 KES 100.7K

$227 KES 29.5K

241.53%

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 Isiolo: October 18, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Isiolo

$206 37.9%

Kilifi

–

Eating Out

Isiolo

$123 22.6%

Kilifi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Isiolo

$106 19.5%

Kilifi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Isiolo

$84 15.5%

Kilifi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Isiolo

$15 * 2.9%

Kilifi

–

Getting Around

Isiolo

$9.1 * 1.7%

Kilifi

–

Accommodation & Living

Isiolo

- * 0%

Kilifi

–

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

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 242% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Isiolo vs $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $125, with Kilifi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Isiolo

🇰🇪 Kilifi

🕒 Local time

12:32 12:32 PM

Same time as Isiolo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

45,989

122,899

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Isiolo Kilifi 510 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Isiolo
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

Isiolo vs Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Kilifi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 242% higher in Isiolo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Kilifi pay roughly 65% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $544 per month in Isiolo versus $634 in Kilifi – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Isiolo 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 Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Kilifi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.