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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $429 per month in Kilifi vs $459 in Machakos, rent included.

A couple spends around $777 per month in Kilifi vs $759 in Machakos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,125 per month in Kilifi vs $1,060 in Machakos, rent included.

Kilifi is about 7% 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

$2.30 KES 298

$2.33 KES 302

-1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 KES 6,518

$39.40 KES 5,105

27.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.35 KES 304

$7.01 KES 908

-66.48%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 247

$1.91 KES 248

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

$0.80 KES 103

$0.70 KES 90.8

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 103

$0.51 KES 65.5

56.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.88 KES 244

5.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 KES 345

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.37 KES 48.30

137.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 KES 103

$0.48 KES 62.5

64.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 KES 257

$0.76 KES 98.1

160.53%

Eggs

$1.83 KES 238

$1.36 KES 176

34.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 KES 1,476

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 KES 864

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.67 KES 605

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 KES 297

$1.54 KES 199

48.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 KES 116

$0.74 KES 96.0

20.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 KES 236

$0.40 KES 52.3

355.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.2

$0.40 KES 51.9

72.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 83.6

$0.80 KES 104

-18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.8

$0.76 KES 98.0

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.20

$0.41 KES 52.5

-41.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 KES 406

Wine (Bottle)

$12.72 KES 1,648

$11.78 KES 1,526

7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 KES 244

$1.99 KES 257

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 353

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 95.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.43 KES 3,554

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 KES 103

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 KES 96.0

$0.75 KES 96.6

-1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.45 KES 188

-6.21%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

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

$15.24 KES 1,974

$34.77 KES 4,504

-56.17%

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

$10.30 KES 1,334

$7.66 KES 992

34.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 KES 3,272

$11.82 KES 1,531

113.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.19 KES 3,652

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 KES 1,021

$6.23 KES 807

26.48%

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

$161 KES 20.9K

$46.71 KES 6,052

244.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,094 KES 659.9K

$8,055 KES 1.0M

-36.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.79 KES 1,269

$11.82 KES 1,531

-17.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.63 KES 1,119

$23.76 KES 3,078

-63.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.71 KES 2,035

$65.8 KES 8,529

-76.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.48 KES 2,264

$38.50 KES 4,988

-54.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$175 KES 22.6K

$91.5 KES 11.8K

91.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

$69.9 KES 9,057

61.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.6K

$156 KES 20.2K

76.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 KES 33.8K

$114 KES 14.8K

128.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$234 KES 30.4K

$379 KES 49.2K

-38.21%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Machakos: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $175 in Kilifi versus $91.5 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 62% 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 – $100 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: $429 in Kilifi, $459 in Machakos – roughly 7% apart. Machakos costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $643 per month in Kilifi and $689 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 64% 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 $429 in Kilifi and $459 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.