Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiambu and Kilifi

For one person, living is cheaper in Kiambu: $503 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.

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Cost of Living Index in Kiambu
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Kiambu Living Index

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Kiambu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$503

/mo nomad

Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$645

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $503 in Kiambu versus $645 in Kilifi.

Kiambu $503
Kilifi $645

Estimated couple costs with rent: $823 in Kiambu versus $1,050 in Kilifi.

Kiambu $823
Kilifi $1,050

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,143 in Kiambu versus $1,454 in Kilifi.

Kiambu $1,143
Kilifi $1,454

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.41 KES 833

$1.89 KES 245

239.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.12 KES 4,431

$49.35 KES 6,408

-30.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 KES 847

$2.28 KES 296

185.96%

Cappuccino

$2.60 KES 337

$1.97 KES 256

31.98%

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

$0.64 KES 83.4

$0.75 KES 97.6

-14.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 81.1

$0.74 KES 95.5

-16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 293

$1.55 KES 202

45.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 KES 340

Milk (1 liter)

$0.54 KES 70.8

$1.06 KES 137

-49.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 KES 71.5

$0.88 KES 114

-37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 KES 237

$2.06 KES 267

-11.17%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 179

$1.98 KES 258

-30.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 KES 1,391

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 KES 866

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.01 KES 520

$7.86 KES 1,020

-48.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 KES 455

$2.32 KES 302

50.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.66 KES 85.5

57.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.0

$1.74 KES 226

-56.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 KES 77.1

$0.45 KES 58.3

31.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$0.73 KES 95.3

-1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.5

$0.79 KES 103

-10.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 KES 38.52

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 47.84

$0.24 KES 31.17

54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 440

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 KES 1,493

$12.87 KES 1,671

-10.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 KES 295

$1.75 KES 227

29.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 350

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 KES 81.3

$0.81 KES 105

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.27 KES 3,541

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 KES 196

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 KES 47.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 KES 365

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$1.37 KES 177

16.79%

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

$19.2K KES 2.5M

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

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

$56.4 KES 7,320

$15.66 KES 2,034

259.96%

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

$7.86 KES 1,020

$10.08 KES 1,309

-22.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.13 KES 4,562

$24.96 KES 3,242

40.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.67 KES 3,593

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 KES 755

$7.78 KES 1,010

-25.19%

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

$280 KES 36.4K

$164 KES 21.3K

70.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K KES 1.6M

$4,922 KES 639.2K

154.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.56 KES 3,579

$9.88 KES 1,283

178.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 KES 3,791

$9.02 KES 1,171

223.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 KES 9,109

$15.60 KES 2,025

349.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 KES 7,466

$17.37 KES 2,256

230.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 KES 15.0K

$332 KES 43.1K

-65.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 KES 40.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 KES 34.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 KES 72.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,175 KES 152.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$125 KES 16.3K

$229 KES 29.7K

-45.24%

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 Kiambu: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kiambu

$180 35.8%

Kilifi

–

Eating Out

Kiambu

$124 24.6%

Kilifi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kiambu

$99 19.7%

Kilifi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Kiambu

$83 16.5%

Kilifi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Kiambu

$12 * 2.3%

Kilifi

–

Getting Around

Kiambu

$5.8 * 1.2%

Kilifi

–

Accommodation & Living

Kiambu

- * 0%

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 $116 in Kiambu and $332 in Kilifi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kilifi pays 83% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $34 in Kiambu vs $49 in Kilifi. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $125, with Kilifi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Kiambu

🇰🇪 Kilifi

🕒 Local time

06:08 6:08 AM

Same time as Kiambu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

147,870

122,899

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Kiambu Kilifi 430 km

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Kiambu
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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

Kiambu vs Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kiambu is about 22% cheaper overall, especially in leisure and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Kiambu. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $116 in Kiambu versus $332 in Kilifi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $280 in Kiambu versus $164 in Kilifi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kiambu – a meal for two runs $34 versus $49 in Kilifi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kiambu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

It comes down to priorities – Kiambu wins on affordability, Kilifi on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.