Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Kisumu

For one person, living costs are similar in Kilifi and in Kisumu: $634 and $644 a month, rent and utilities included.

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Cost of Living Index in Kisumu
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Kisumu Living Index

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Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$634

/mo nomad

Kisumu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$644

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kilifi and in Kisumu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kilifi and in Kisumu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $634 per month in Kilifi vs $644 in Kisumu, rent included.

Kilifi $634
Kisumu $644

A couple spends around $1,040 per month in Kilifi vs $977 in Kisumu, rent included.

Kilifi $1,040
Kisumu $977

A family of three spends $1,446 per month in Kilifi vs $1,311 in Kisumu, rent included.

Kilifi $1,446
Kisumu $1,311

Kilifi is about 2% cheaper than Kisumu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kilifi and Kisumu are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 53% lower, Kisumu 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.89 KES 245

$4.65 KES 603

-59.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.12 KES 6,368

$25.40 KES 3,293

93.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.24 KES 291

$6.55 KES 849

-65.80%

Cappuccino

$1.90 KES 246

$2.57 KES 334

-26.07%

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

$0.76 KES 98.0

$0.61 KES 79.3

24.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.60 KES 78.2

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.98 KES 257

-21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 360

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 KES 143

$0.52 KES 67.5

111.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KES 105

$0.52 KES 67.4

55.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 KES 269

$1.96 KES 254

6.12%

Eggs

$1.99 KES 258

$1.69 KES 219

17.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 KES 1,363

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 KES 834

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 KES 1,018

$5.07 KES 658

54.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 KES 293

$3.43 KES 444

-34.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.4

$0.94 KES 122

-23.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 KES 225

$2.07 KES 268

-15.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$1.13 KES 147

-61.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.3

$1.07 KES 138

-28.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.96 KES 124

-17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KES 95.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.23

$0.73 KES 94.8

-67.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 KES 407

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 KES 1,676

$7.68 KES 996

68.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 KES 230

$2.27 KES 295

-21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 KES 305

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 KES 3,554

$23.09 KES 2,994

18.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 373

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 177

$1.61 KES 208

-15.53%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

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

$15.59 KES 2,021

$55.8 KES 7,240

-72.08%

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

$10.44 KES 1,354

$15.35 KES 1,990

-31.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.22 KES 3,270

$34.77 KES 4,508

-27.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.21 KES 3,528

$23.41 KES 3,036

16.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 KES 975

$7.91 KES 1,025

-4.93%

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

$163 KES 21.2K

$115 KES 14.9K

41.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,110 KES 662.5K

$12.3K KES 1.6M

-58.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.84 KES 1,276

$11.77 KES 1,527

-16.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.05 KES 1,173

$19.06 KES 2,471

-52.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.61 KES 2,024

$15.63 KES 2,026

-0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.27 KES 2,239

$15.63 KES 2,026

10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 KES 43.0K

$153 KES 19.8K

116.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 KES 39.2K

$138 KES 17.9K

118.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 KES 35.1K

$563 KES 73.0K

-51.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 KES 71.5K

$212 KES 27.5K

159.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$756 KES 98.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$227 KES 29.5K

$758 KES 98.3K

-70.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

-45.62%

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

Last update for Kilifi: October 18, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kilifi

–

Kisumu

$189 29.4%

Accommodation & Living

Kilifi

–

Kisumu

$138 21.5%

Eating Out

Kilifi

–

Kisumu

$108 16.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kilifi

–

Kisumu

$106 16.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Kilifi

–

Kisumu

$39 6.1%

Getting Around

Kilifi

–

Kisumu

$35 5.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Kilifi

–

Kisumu

$28 4.3%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $332 in Kilifi versus $153 in Kisumu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 233% higher in Kisumu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Kilifi versus $25.00 in Kisumu. Groceries tell a different story – $125 in Kilifi vs $189 in Kisumu – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kisumu

🕒 Local time

21:01 9:01 PM

Same time as Kilifi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

122,899

1,155,574

💱 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

Kilifi Kisumu 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Kilifi
Kisumu

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

Kilifi vs Kisumu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $634 in Kilifi, $644 in Kisumu – roughly 2% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $951 per month in Kilifi and $965 in Kisumu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilifi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $163 per month in Kilifi and $115 in Kisumu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Kisumu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $634 in Kilifi and $644 in Kisumu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kisumu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $634 in Kilifi to $644 in Kisumu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kilifi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kisumu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.