Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Thika Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Thika

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $629 per month in Kilifi vs $506 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,041 per month in Kilifi vs $862 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,453 per month in Kilifi vs $1,218 in Thika, rent included.

Kilifi costs about 24% more than Thika, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kilifi and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 54% lower, Thika 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 KES 251

$3.45 KES 446

-43.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 KES 6,612

$34.50 KES 4,461

48.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.36 KES 305

$6.27 KES 811

-62.36%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 247

$1.90 KES 246

0.53%

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

$0.75 KES 97.3

$0.30 KES 38.72

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.56 KES 72.8

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.98 KES 257

-20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 KES 272

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.69 KES 89.5

56.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 KES 108

$0.44 KES 57.2

88.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$1.15 KES 149

79.13%

Eggs

$2.01 KES 259

$1.41 KES 182

42.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 KES 1,328

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 KES 822

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 KES 983

$3.97 KES 513

91.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KES 302

$1.56 KES 201

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.2

$0.64 KES 83.2

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 KES 224

$0.81 KES 104

114.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$1.08 KES 140

-55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.7

$0.38 KES 48.79

92.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$0.44 KES 57.5

65.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.20

$0.38 KES 48.63

-36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 KES 359

Wine (Bottle)

$12.83 KES 1,659

$5.69 KES 735

125.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 KES 230

$1.84 KES 238

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

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)

$1.52 KES 197

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 KES 119

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.38 KES 179

-1.45%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

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)

$15.56 KES 2,012

$35.10 KES 4,539

-55.67%

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

$10.48 KES 1,355

$15.12 KES 1,955

-30.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.00 KES 3,233

$35.30 KES 4,564

-29.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.21 KES 3,648

$45.51 KES 5,885

-38.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 KES 983

$7.65 KES 989

-0.65%

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

$161 KES 20.8K

$53.9 KES 6,967

198.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,048 KES 652.7K

$3,541 KES 457.8K

42.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.46 KES 1,224

$27.29 KES 3,529

-65.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.01 KES 1,164

$26.43 KES 3,417

-65.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.20 KES 1,966

$63.5 KES 8,206

-76.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.51 KES 2,264

$19.58 KES 2,532

-10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 KES 43.0K

$98.4 KES 12.7K

238.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 KES 40.5K

$58.7 KES 7,584

434.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 KES 35.2K

$270 KES 34.9K

0.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 KES 72.1K

$177 KES 22.9K

214.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$616 KES 79.6K

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 Thika: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Kilifi versus $98.4 in Thika. 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 Thika. Groceries tell a different story – $125 in Kilifi vs $150 in Thika – 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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $629 in Kilifi, $506 in Thika – roughly 24% apart. Kilifi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $944 per month in Kilifi and $760 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thika, 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 Thika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Kilifi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $629 in Kilifi and $506 in Thika, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Thika – 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 Thika. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kilifi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.