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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $436 in Kilifi versus $498 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $782 in Kilifi versus $791 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,128 in Kilifi versus $1,084 in Embu.

Living in Kilifi costs roughly 12% less than in Embu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kilifi 67% lower, Embu 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 KES 291

$5.29 KES 684

-57.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,574

$31.17 KES 4,027

63.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.30 KES 297

$5.31 KES 686

-56.69%

Cappuccino

$1.90 KES 246

$2.26 KES 292

-15.93%

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

$0.74 KES 95.9

$0.33 KES 43.05

124.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.22 KES 28.39

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.27 KES 293

-12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 KES 382

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.51 KES 66.5

72.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.52 KES 67.0

55.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KES 246

$0.95 KES 122

100.00%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$1.71 KES 221

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 KES 495

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 KES 420

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.07 KES 526

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 KES 298

$3.03 KES 391

-23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 KES 109

$1.04 KES 134

-18.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KES 236

$2.07 KES 268

-11.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.7

$0.40 KES 51.8

65.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$0.68 KES 87.2

-5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$0.90 KES 117

-28.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.15

$0.53 KES 68.4

-54.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 KES 1,656

$11.67 KES 1,508

9.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$2.28 KES 295

-14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 360

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.19 KES 154

-34.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 KES 3,559

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 196

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.57 KES 203

-49.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 383

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.44 KES 186

-4.86%

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)

$12.3K KES 1.6M

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

$15.61 KES 2,018

$34.82 KES 4,499

-55.17%

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

$10.28 KES 1,329

$16.52 KES 2,134

-37.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.26 KES 3,264

$38.04 KES 4,916

-33.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.03 KES 3,622

$17.29 KES 2,234

62.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 KES 985

$4.20 KES 543

81.43%

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

$162 KES 20.9K

$199 KES 25.8K

-18.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,072 KES 655.4K

$8,200 KES 1.1M

-38.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.52 KES 1,230

$9.43 KES 1,219

0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.67 KES 1,121

$24.50 KES 3,166

-64.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.59 KES 2,014

$65.8 KES 8,501

-76.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.13 KES 2,214

$15.59 KES 2,015

9.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

$77.8 KES 10.1K

127.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

$55.1 KES 7,116

105.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

$93.5 KES 12.1K

184.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 KES 30.4K

$268 KES 34.6K

-12.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-46.09%

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

Last update for Kilifi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Embu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in Kilifi and $77.8 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Embu pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $51.0 in Kilifi vs $31.00 in Embu. Groceries flip the comparison at $100 vs $146, 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

Kilifi vs Embu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kilifi and Embu differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($436 vs $498 including rent). Kilifi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Embu. 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: $177 in Kilifi versus $77.8 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $162 in Kilifi versus $199 in Embu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kilifi – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $31.00 in Embu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kilifi 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 Kilifi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Embu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.