Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Nakuru Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Nakuru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $629 per month in Kilifi vs $639 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,041 per month in Kilifi vs $978 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,453 per month in Kilifi vs $1,318 in Nakuru, rent included.

Kilifi is about 1% cheaper than Nakuru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 54% lower, Nakuru 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 KES 251

$3.92 KES 506

-50.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 KES 6,612

$34.07 KES 4,405

50.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.36 KES 305

$6.25 KES 808

-62.24%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 247

$1.97 KES 255

-3.05%

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

$0.75 KES 97.3

$0.38 KES 48.59

97.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.22 KES 28.36

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 KES 203

$2.34 KES 302

-32.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.52 KES 67.6

107.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 KES 108

$0.47 KES 61.0

76.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$1.53 KES 197

34.64%

Eggs

$2.01 KES 259

$1.61 KES 209

24.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 KES 1,360

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 KES 823

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 KES 983

$6.35 KES 821

19.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KES 302

$3.38 KES 437

-30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.2

$0.99 KES 129

-27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 KES 224

$2.03 KES 263

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$1.11 KES 144

-56.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.7

$1.06 KES 137

-31.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$1.07 KES 139

-31.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.7

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.20

$0.74 KES 95.4

-67.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 KES 461

Wine (Bottle)

$12.83 KES 1,659

$11.57 KES 1,496

10.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 KES 230

$2.24 KES 290

-20.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.68 KES 3,450

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.50 KES 194

-9.33%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

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

$15.56 KES 2,012

$60.9 KES 7,872

-74.44%

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

$10.48 KES 1,355

$15.19 KES 1,964

-31.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.00 KES 3,233

$35.73 KES 4,620

-30.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.21 KES 3,648

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 KES 983

$7.68 KES 994

-1.04%

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

$161 KES 20.8K

$241 KES 31.1K

-33.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,048 KES 652.7K

$11.8K KES 1.5M

-57.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.46 KES 1,224

$27.54 KES 3,561

-65.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.01 KES 1,164

$26.28 KES 3,398

-65.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.20 KES 1,966

$64.0 KES 8,268

-76.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.51 KES 2,264

$60.0 KES 7,762

-70.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 KES 43.0K

$224 KES 29.0K

48.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 KES 40.5K

$137 KES 17.7K

129.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 KES 35.2K

$537 KES 69.4K

-49.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 KES 72.1K

$197 KES 25.4K

183.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$231 KES 29.8K

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 8, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Kilifi versus $224 in Nakuru. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Kilifi versus $34.00 in Nakuru. Groceries tell a different story – $125 in Kilifi vs $198 in Nakuru – 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 Nakuru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $629 in Kilifi, $639 in Nakuru – roughly 1% apart. Nakuru costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $944 per month in Kilifi and $958 in Nakuru. 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 $34.00 in Nakuru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Nakuru, 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 $629 in Kilifi and $639 in Nakuru, 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.

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