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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $438 per month in Kilifi vs $480 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $786 per month in Kilifi vs $809 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,133 per month in Kilifi vs $1,137 in Thika, rent included.

Kilifi is about 9% cheaper than Thika, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 67% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.31 KES 299

$5.53 KES 717

-58.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,596

$38.49 KES 4,991

32.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.33 KES 302

$6.64 KES 861

-64.91%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 254

$2.38 KES 308

-17.65%

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

$0.74 KES 96.4

$0.75 KES 97.2

-1.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.5

$0.54 KES 70.3

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 KES 248

$1.67 KES 217

14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 258

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 KES 123

$0.88 KES 114

7.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 KES 99.0

$0.47 KES 61.5

61.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.36 KES 177

44.12%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 234

$1.36 KES 176

32.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 KES 1,512

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 849

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.92 KES 249

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 KES 307

$3.13 KES 406

-24.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 KES 110

$1.07 KES 139

-20.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 KES 236

$2.09 KES 271

-12.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.3

$1.05 KES 136

-34.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.7

$1.07 KES 139

-36.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 KES 79.1

$1.12 KES 146

-45.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 83.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.13

$0.76 KES 98.9

-68.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 KES 306

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 KES 1,669

$5.90 KES 765

118.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 KES 247

$1.73 KES 224

9.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 102

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.17 KES 3,522

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 KES 97.1

$1.50 KES 195

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 367

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 KES 179

$1.06 KES 138

30.19%

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)

$19.8K KES 2.6M

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

$15.41 KES 1,998

$34.61 KES 4,488

-55.48%

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

$10.15 KES 1,317

$17.09 KES 2,216

-40.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.30 KES 3,280

$39.46 KES 5,116

-35.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.30 KES 3,540

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 KES 978

$6.31 KES 819

19.65%

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

$163 KES 21.1K

$205 KES 26.6K

-20.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,121 KES 664.0K

$8,182 KES 1.1M

-37.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.77 KES 1,266

$18.51 KES 2,400

-47.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.95 KES 1,161

$24.40 KES 3,164

-63.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.25 KES 1,977

$66.5 KES 8,626

-77.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.63 KES 2,286

$56.5 KES 7,328

-68.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 KES 33.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$612 KES 79.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$236 KES 30.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

-30.43%

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

Last update for Kilifi: June 6, 2026

Last update for Thika: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Kilifi versus $38.00 in Thika. Groceries tell a different story – $101 in Kilifi vs $175 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: $438 in Kilifi, $480 in Thika – roughly 10% apart. Thika costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $657 per month in Kilifi and $721 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Kilifi and $38.00 in Thika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 73% more in Thika, 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 $438 in Kilifi and $480 in Thika, 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, Thika makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.