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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $430 per month in Kilifi vs $587 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $770 per month in Kilifi vs $995 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,110 per month in Kilifi vs $1,403 in Nakuru, rent included.

Kilifi is about 27% cheaper than Nakuru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 68% lower, Nakuru 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$3.42 KES 443

-33.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,593

$37.95 KES 4,916

34.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 307

$6.92 KES 896

-65.75%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 248

$1.70 KES 220

12.35%

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

$0.80 KES 103

$0.38 KES 48.75

110.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$0.32 KES 41.55

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 KES 245

$1.37 KES 178

37.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 KES 199

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.52 KES 67.3

69.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KES 97.2

$0.48 KES 62.0

56.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.16 KES 150

68.97%

Eggs

$1.88 KES 243

$1.32 KES 170

42.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 KES 1,028

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 KES 834

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.19 KES 543

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 KES 295

$1.71 KES 221

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 KES 117

$0.44 KES 57.4

104.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 232

$1.78 KES 230

0.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.2

$0.55 KES 71.7

27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.40 KES 52.4

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.6

$0.57 KES 73.3

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.25

$0.61 KES 78.6

-60.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 KES 256

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 KES 1,628

$11.49 KES 1,488

9.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 255

$1.58 KES 205

24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 KES 232

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.6

$0.79 KES 102

-5.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 KES 3,464

$26.55 KES 3,440

0.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$0.75 KES 97.0

1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 KES 364

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 KES 170

$1.26 KES 163

3.97%

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

$12.5K KES 1.6M

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

$14.9K KES 1.9M

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

$15.25 KES 1,976

$31.44 KES 4,072

-51.49%

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

$10.26 KES 1,329

$16.75 KES 2,170

-38.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.87 KES 3,222

$39.81 KES 5,157

-37.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.59 KES 3,574

$45.56 KES 5,903

-39.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 KES 981

$5.39 KES 698

40.45%

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

$163 KES 21.1K

$200 KES 25.9K

-18.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,961 KES 642.6K

$3,810 KES 493.6K

30.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.76 KES 1,265

$18.28 KES 2,368

-46.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.06 KES 1,174

$23.64 KES 3,062

-61.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.31 KES 1,984

$37.95 KES 4,917

-59.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.27 KES 2,238

$54.6 KES 7,077

-68.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

$229 KES 29.7K

-22.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$115 KES 14.9K

-1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.5K

$384 KES 49.7K

-30.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 KES 34.8K

$271 KES 35.0K

-0.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

-36.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kilifi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Kilifi versus $229 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 $38.00 in Nakuru. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Kilifi vs $156 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: $430 in Kilifi, $587 in Nakuru – roughly 37% apart. Nakuru costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $645 per month in Kilifi and $881 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.

Kindergarten costs $163 per month in Kilifi and $200 in Nakuru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $430 in Kilifi and $587 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.