Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Machakos Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Machakos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $650 per month in Kilifi vs $526 in Machakos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Kilifi vs $809 in Machakos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,484 per month in Kilifi vs $1,092 in Machakos, rent included.

Kilifi costs about 24% more than Machakos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kilifi and Machakos are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 52% lower, Machakos 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 KES 256

$3.07 KES 397

-35.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.71 KES 6,433

$19.14 KES 2,476

159.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.35 KES 304

$6.36 KES 823

-63.05%

Cappuccino

$1.87 KES 242

$1.96 KES 254

-4.59%

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

$0.78 KES 101

$0.60 KES 77.3

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 96.1

$0.53 KES 69.0

39.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.13 KES 276

-28.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 355

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KES 134

$0.38 KES 48.67

173.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.47 KES 61.1

87.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 KES 258

$0.73 KES 94.8

172.60%

Eggs

$1.92 KES 248

$1.38 KES 178

39.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 KES 1,383

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 KES 841

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 KES 973

$4.68 KES 606

60.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 KES 294

$1.57 KES 204

44.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.0

$0.81 KES 104

-12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 232

$0.38 KES 48.89

371.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 KES 56.7

$0.37 KES 48.05

18.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.8

$0.80 KES 104

-5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.78 KES 101

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.10

$0.38 KES 48.70

-36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 439

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 KES 1,636

$11.68 KES 1,512

8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 KES 221

$1.95 KES 253

-12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.90 KES 3,481

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 KES 102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 KES 102

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 178

$1.43 KES 186

-4.20%

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)

$20.5K KES 2.6M

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

$15.32 KES 1,983

$62.6 KES 8,097

-75.52%

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

$10.48 KES 1,357

$7.54 KES 976

38.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.09 KES 3,247

$11.42 KES 1,477

119.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.20 KES 3,649

$38.55 KES 4,988

-26.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 KES 1,021

$7.71 KES 997

2.33%

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

$159 KES 20.6K

$46.27 KES 5,988

244.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,045 KES 652.8K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

-55.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.83 KES 1,272

$11.44 KES 1,480

-14.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.82 KES 1,141

$27.85 KES 3,604

-68.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.72 KES 2,034

$71.0 KES 9,181

-77.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.19 KES 2,225

$38.84 KES 5,026

-55.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 KES 43.0K

$92.3 KES 11.9K

260.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 KES 40.5K

$70.3 KES 9,094

344.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.5K

$154 KES 20.0K

72.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 KES 72.3K

$115 KES 14.8K

387.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$234 KES 30.3K

$391 KES 50.6K

-40.12%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Machakos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $332 in Kilifi versus $92.3 in Machakos. 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 67% higher in Machakos, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Kilifi versus $19.00 in Machakos. Groceries tell a different story – $123 in Kilifi vs $162 in Machakos – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Machakos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $650 in Kilifi, $526 in Machakos – roughly 24% apart. Kilifi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $975 per month in Kilifi and $789 in Machakos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Kilifi and $19.00 in Machakos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% cheaper in Kilifi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $650 in Kilifi and $526 in Machakos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Machakos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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