Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $436 per month in Kilifi vs $765 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $782 per month in Kilifi vs $1,299 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,128 per month in Kilifi vs $1,832 in Nairobi, rent included.

Kilifi is about 43% cheaper than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 67% lower, Nairobi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 KES 291

$5.55 KES 717

-59.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,573

$38.48 KES 4,972

32.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.30 KES 297

$6.64 KES 858

-65.36%

Cappuccino

$1.90 KES 246

$2.49 KES 322

-23.69%

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

$0.70 KES 91.1

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.50 KES 65.0

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.36 KES 305

-16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.86 KES 111

2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.56 KES 72.6

44.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.60 KES 207

18.75%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$1.68 KES 216

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KES 1,513

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 KES 893

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.64 KES 729

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 KES 298

$3.08 KES 398

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 KES 109

$1.07 KES 139

-20.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KES 236

$2.06 KES 266

-11.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.7

$1.04 KES 135

-36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$1.07 KES 138

-40.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$1.15 KES 149

-44.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.5

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.15

$0.75 KES 96.6

-68.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 KES 409

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 KES 1,656

$11.79 KES 1,523

8.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$2.21 KES 285

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 365

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.75 KES 97.4

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 KES 3,559

$30.90 KES 3,992

-10.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.50 KES 193

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 382

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.53 KES 198

-10.46%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

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

$15.61 KES 2,017

$33.74 KES 4,359

-53.73%

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

$10.28 KES 1,329

$16.72 KES 2,160

-38.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.26 KES 3,263

$38.94 KES 5,032

-35.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.03 KES 3,622

$43.13 KES 5,573

-35.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 KES 2,664

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 KES 985

$6.36 KES 822

19.81%

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

$162 KES 20.9K

$205 KES 26.5K

-21.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,072 KES 655.3K

$8,113 KES 1.0M

-37.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.52 KES 1,229

$18.49 KES 2,389

-48.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.67 KES 1,121

$23.69 KES 3,061

-63.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.59 KES 2,014

$64.3 KES 8,308

-75.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.13 KES 2,213

$55.6 KES 7,184

-69.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.8K

$438 KES 56.6K

-59.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

$186 KES 24.1K

-39.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.5K

$1,142 KES 147.5K

-75.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

$432 KES 55.8K

-38.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 KES 197.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$909 KES 117.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 KES 30.4K

$431 KES 55.7K

-45.48%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Kilifi versus $438 in Nairobi. 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 83% higher in Nairobi, 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 Nairobi. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Kilifi vs $207 in Nairobi – 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 Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $436 in Kilifi, $765 in Nairobi – roughly 75% apart. Nairobi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $655 per month in Kilifi and $1,147 in Nairobi. 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 $162 per month in Kilifi and $205 in Nairobi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 106% more in Nairobi, 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 $436 in Kilifi and $765 in Nairobi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Nairobi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $436 in Kilifi to $765 in Nairobi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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