Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Kiambu Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Kiambu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $430 in Kilifi versus $486 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $770 in Kilifi versus $750 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,110 in Kilifi versus $1,014 in Kiambu.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Kilifi 68% lower, Kiambu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$3.16 KES 410

-28.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,593

$19.55 KES 2,533

160.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 307

$4.55 KES 589

-47.91%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 248

$1.91 KES 247

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

$0.80 KES 103

$0.54 KES 70.2

48.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$0.34 KES 43.48

123.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 KES 245

$1.76 KES 228

7.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 293

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.68 KES 88.3

29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KES 97.2

$0.53 KES 68.1

41.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.66 KES 216

18.07%

Eggs

$1.88 KES 243

$1.36 KES 176

38.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 KES 1,522

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 848

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 KES 537

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 KES 295

$3.04 KES 394

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 KES 117

$1.09 KES 141

-17.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 232

$0.78 KES 102

129.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.2

$0.56 KES 72.7

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.55 KES 70.7

16.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.6

$0.76 KES 98.5

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 KES 41.56

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.25

$0.40 KES 52.0

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 390

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 KES 1,628

$11.43 KES 1,481

9.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 255

$2.19 KES 284

-10.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 362

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.6

$0.56 KES 72.1

33.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 KES 3,464

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 207

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$0.37 KES 48.56

105.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 KES 369

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 KES 170

$1.53 KES 198

-14.38%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

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

$15.25 KES 1,976

$28.59 KES 3,704

-46.66%

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

$10.26 KES 1,329

$7.60 KES 984

35.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.87 KES 3,222

$29.32 KES 3,799

-15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.59 KES 3,574

$11.59 KES 1,502

138.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 KES 981

$5.64 KES 731

34.22%

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

$163 KES 21.1K

$204 KES 26.5K

-20.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,961 KES 642.6K

$8,097 KES 1.0M

-38.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.76 KES 1,265

$6.24 KES 808

56.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.06 KES 1,174

$23.84 KES 3,088

-62.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.31 KES 1,984

$27.40 KES 3,550

-44.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.27 KES 2,238

$30.38 KES 3,936

-43.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

$115 KES 14.9K

53.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$92.7 KES 12.0K

22.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.5K

$191 KES 24.8K

39.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 KES 34.8K

$146 KES 18.9K

83.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,137 KES 147.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.5K

$122 KES 15.8K

86.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-27.27%

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

Last update for Kilifi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in Kilifi and $115 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kilifi pays 87% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Kilifi vs $20.00 in Kiambu. Groceries flip the comparison at $100 vs $181, 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 Kiambu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kilifi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kilifi pays 87% more on average, 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: $177 in Kilifi versus $115 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $163 in Kilifi versus $204 in Kiambu. 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 $20.00 in Kiambu. 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 13% less than in Kiambu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.