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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $434 per month in Kilifi vs $453 in Machakos, rent included.

A couple spends around $768 per month in Kilifi vs $752 in Machakos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,102 per month in Kilifi vs $1,051 in Machakos, rent included.

Kilifi is about 4% cheaper than Machakos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Machakos are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 68% lower, Machakos 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 293

$2.34 KES 302

-2.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 KES 6,475

$38.88 KES 5,018

29.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.38 KES 308

$6.85 KES 884

-65.26%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 251

$1.99 KES 257

-2.01%

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

$0.79 KES 102

$0.74 KES 95.7

6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.50 KES 64.9

62.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.91 KES 247

2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 348

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KES 113

$0.38 KES 48.71

128.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.45 KES 57.8

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KES 246

$0.81 KES 104

134.57%

Eggs

$1.89 KES 244

$1.35 KES 175

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.65 KES 1,504

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 KES 864

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 KES 590

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 KES 293

$1.53 KES 197

48.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 113

$0.73 KES 94.5

19.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 KES 226

$0.41 KES 52.4

326.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.7

$0.37 KES 48.38

78.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 KES 81.1

$0.78 KES 101

-19.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.1

$0.75 KES 97.4

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.13

$0.41 KES 52.8

-41.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 388

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 KES 1,483

$11.72 KES 1,512

-1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 254

$1.98 KES 255

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 353

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.89 KES 3,471

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 KES 97.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$0.80 KES 104

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 383

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.45 KES 187

-6.21%

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)

$20.2K KES 2.6M

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

$15.69 KES 2,026

$33.86 KES 4,370

-53.66%

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

$10.29 KES 1,328

$7.93 KES 1,023

29.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.10 KES 3,239

$11.71 KES 1,511

114.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.31 KES 3,525

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 KES 1,020

$6.05 KES 781

30.58%

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

$161 KES 20.7K

$45.51 KES 5,874

252.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,109 KES 659.5K

$8,077 KES 1.0M

-36.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.50 KES 1,226

$11.55 KES 1,491

-17.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.66 KES 1,117

$24.37 KES 3,145

-64.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.32 KES 1,977

$66.4 KES 8,570

-76.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.73 KES 2,288

$38.37 KES 4,952

-53.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 KES 22.4K

$92.4 KES 11.9K

87.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

$69.9 KES 9,021

61.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 KES 34.5K

$154 KES 19.8K

73.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 KES 33.9K

$115 KES 14.8K

128.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$236 KES 30.4K

$389 KES 50.2K

-39.39%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Machakos: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $173 in Kilifi versus $92.4 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 65% higher in Machakos, 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 $50.0 in Kilifi versus $39.00 in Machakos. Groceries tell a different story – $98.0 in Kilifi vs $165 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: $434 in Kilifi, $453 in Machakos – roughly 4% apart. Machakos costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $651 per month in Kilifi and $680 in Machakos. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Kilifi and $39.00 in Machakos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Machakos, 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 $434 in Kilifi and $453 in Machakos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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