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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $434 per month in Kilifi vs $478 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $768 per month in Kilifi vs $795 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,102 per month in Kilifi vs $1,113 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 68% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 293

$5.27 KES 681

-56.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 KES 6,483

$39.16 KES 5,061

28.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.38 KES 308

$6.95 KES 899

-65.76%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 252

$2.44 KES 315

-20.08%

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

$0.79 KES 102

$0.74 KES 95.8

6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.50 KES 64.5

62.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.73 KES 223

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KES 113

$0.92 KES 120

-5.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.44 KES 57.5

84.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.33 KES 171

42.86%

Eggs

$1.89 KES 244

$1.37 KES 177

37.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 KES 1,488

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 KES 887

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.98 KES 255

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 KES 294

$3.02 KES 390

-24.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.07 KES 139

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 KES 226

$2.09 KES 270

-16.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.8

$1.04 KES 135

-36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 KES 81.2

$1.03 KES 134

-38.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.2

$1.11 KES 144

-45.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.6

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.17

$0.82 KES 106

-70.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 KES 304

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 KES 1,485

$5.65 KES 731

103.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 254

$1.73 KES 223

13.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 KES 247

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.89 KES 3,475

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.57 KES 203

-49.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.02 KES 132

33.33%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

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

$15.69 KES 2,028

$34.17 KES 4,415

-54.08%

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

$10.29 KES 1,329

$17.06 KES 2,205

-39.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.10 KES 3,243

$38.97 KES 5,036

-35.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.31 KES 3,529

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 KES 1,021

$6.30 KES 814

25.40%

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

$161 KES 20.8K

$202 KES 26.1K

-20.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,109 KES 660.3K

$7,948 KES 1.0M

-35.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.50 KES 1,227

$18.57 KES 2,400

-48.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.66 KES 1,119

$24.27 KES 3,136

-64.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.32 KES 1,980

$66.5 KES 8,593

-76.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.73 KES 2,291

$56.7 KES 7,324

-68.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 KES 22.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 KES 34.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 KES 33.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$615 KES 79.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$236 KES 30.5K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Thika: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Kilifi versus $39.00 in Thika. Groceries tell a different story – $98.0 in Kilifi vs $176 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: $434 in Kilifi, $478 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 $651 per month in Kilifi and $717 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 $50.0 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 80% 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 $434 in Kilifi and $478 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.