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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $433 per month in Kilifi vs $472 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $769 per month in Kilifi vs $791 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,105 per month in Kilifi vs $1,110 in Thika, rent included.

Kilifi is about 8% cheaper than Thika, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 67% lower, Thika 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 KES 308

$5.46 KES 705

-56.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 KES 6,545

$38.67 KES 4,998

30.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 306

$6.85 KES 885

-65.40%

Cappuccino

$1.88 KES 243

$2.41 KES 311

-21.99%

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

$0.78 KES 101

$0.75 KES 96.6

4.00%

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 257

$1.65 KES 213

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 257

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 117

$0.87 KES 113

4.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 KES 96.2

$0.44 KES 56.9

68.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.37 KES 177

42.34%

Eggs

$1.87 KES 242

$1.35 KES 174

38.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 KES 1,493

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 KES 885

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$3.02 KES 391

-22.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.04 KES 134

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 KES 227

$2.11 KES 273

-16.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.3

$1.00 KES 129

-35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 KES 81.9

$1.07 KES 138

-41.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 KES 76.8

$1.11 KES 144

-46.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.21

$0.76 KES 98.1

-68.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

Wine (Bottle)

$12.94 KES 1,673

$5.67 KES 733

128.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.69 KES 218

17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.39 KES 3,540

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 KES 97.6

$1.53 KES 197

-50.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 KES 169

$1.05 KES 136

24.76%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

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

$15.64 KES 2,021

$33.97 KES 4,391

-53.96%

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

$10.15 KES 1,312

$16.57 KES 2,142

-38.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.82 KES 3,208

$39.97 KES 5,166

-37.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.43 KES 3,545

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 KES 1,014

$6.13 KES 793

27.90%

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

$161 KES 20.9K

$203 KES 26.3K

-20.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,004 KES 646.7K

$8,150 KES 1.1M

-38.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.41 KES 1,216

$18.27 KES 2,362

-48.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.04 KES 1,169

$24.31 KES 3,142

-62.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.65 KES 2,023

$66.4 KES 8,585

-76.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.33 KES 2,240

$55.6 KES 7,190

-68.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 KES 35.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 KES 33.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$613 KES 79.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 KES 29.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Thika: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Kilifi versus $39.00 in Thika. Groceries tell a different story – $101 in Kilifi vs $174 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: $433 in Kilifi, $472 in Thika – roughly 9% apart. Thika costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $650 per month in Kilifi and $707 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 $39.00 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 $433 in Kilifi and $472 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.