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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $433 per month in Kilifi vs $442 in Machakos, rent included.

A couple spends around $769 per month in Kilifi vs $763 in Machakos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,105 per month in Kilifi vs $1,085 in Machakos, rent included.

Kilifi is about 2% cheaper than Machakos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Machakos are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 67% lower, Machakos 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 KES 308

$2.37 KES 307

0.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 KES 6,545

$38.19 KES 4,936

32.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 306

$6.63 KES 857

-64.25%

Cappuccino

$1.88 KES 243

$1.89 KES 244

-0.53%

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

$0.78 KES 101

$0.71 KES 91.6

9.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.50 KES 64.4

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 257

$1.95 KES 252

1.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 342

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 117

$0.41 KES 52.8

121.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 KES 96.2

$0.48 KES 61.6

54.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 KES 252

$0.76 KES 97.7

156.58%

Eggs

$1.87 KES 242

$1.37 KES 177

36.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 KES 1,475

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KES 851

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 604

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$1.51 KES 195

55.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.74 KES 95.6

18.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 KES 227

$0.37 KES 48.17

375.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.3

$0.38 KES 48.78

71.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 KES 81.9

$0.73 KES 94.9

-13.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 KES 76.8

$0.79 KES 102

-25.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.21

$0.37 KES 48.00

-35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

Wine (Bottle)

$12.94 KES 1,673

$11.40 KES 1,474

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.96 KES 253

1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.39 KES 3,540

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 KES 98.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 KES 97.6

$0.73 KES 94.8

4.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 379

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 KES 169

$1.51 KES 195

-13.25%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

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

$15.64 KES 2,021

$34.06 KES 4,402

-54.08%

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

$10.15 KES 1,312

$7.77 KES 1,004

30.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.82 KES 3,208

$11.38 KES 1,471

118.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.43 KES 3,545

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 KES 1,014

$6.02 KES 778

30.23%

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

$161 KES 20.9K

$47.26 KES 6,109

241.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,004 KES 646.7K

$8,045 KES 1.0M

-37.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.41 KES 1,216

$11.59 KES 1,498

-18.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.04 KES 1,169

$23.79 KES 3,075

-62.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.65 KES 2,023

$65.9 KES 8,522

-76.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.33 KES 2,240

$38.20 KES 4,937

-54.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

$92.3 KES 11.9K

91.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

$68.4 KES 8,838

67.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 KES 35.0K

$156 KES 20.1K

74.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 KES 33.8K

$114 KES 14.7K

129.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 KES 29.7K

$380 KES 49.1K

-39.53%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 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 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 $51.0 in Kilifi versus $38.00 in Machakos. Groceries tell a different story – $101 in Kilifi vs $163 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: $433 in Kilifi, $442 in Machakos – roughly 2% apart. Machakos costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $650 per month in Kilifi and $663 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 $51.0 in Kilifi and $38.00 in Machakos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% 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 $433 in Kilifi and $442 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.