Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kisumu and Kilifi

For one person, living costs are similar in Kisumu and in Kilifi: $644 and $634 a month, rent and utilities included.

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Cost of Living Index in Kisumu
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Kisumu Living Index

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Kisumu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$644

/mo nomad

Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$634

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kisumu and in Kilifi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kisumu and in Kilifi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $644 per month in Kisumu vs $634 in Kilifi, rent included.

Kisumu $644
Kilifi $634

A couple spends around $977 per month in Kisumu vs $1,040 in Kilifi, rent included.

Kisumu $977
Kilifi $1,040

A family of three spends $1,311 per month in Kisumu vs $1,446 in Kilifi, rent included.

Kisumu $1,311
Kilifi $1,446

Kisumu costs about 2% more than Kilifi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kisumu and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Kisumu 52% lower, Kilifi 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 KES 603

$1.89 KES 245

146.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.40 KES 3,293

$49.12 KES 6,368

-48.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 KES 849

$2.24 KES 291

192.41%

Cappuccino

$2.57 KES 334

$1.90 KES 246

35.26%

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

$0.61 KES 79.3

$0.76 KES 98.0

-19.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.2

$0.80 KES 104

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 257

$1.56 KES 202

26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 360

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.5

$1.10 KES 143

-52.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.4

$0.81 KES 105

-35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 KES 254

$2.08 KES 269

-5.77%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 219

$1.99 KES 258

-15.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 KES 1,363

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 KES 834

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 KES 658

$7.85 KES 1,018

-35.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 KES 444

$2.26 KES 293

51.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 KES 122

$0.72 KES 93.4

30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 KES 268

$1.74 KES 225

18.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 KES 147

$0.44 KES 56.9

156.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.76 KES 98.3

40.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 KES 124

$0.79 KES 102

21.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KES 95.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$0.24 KES 31.23

204.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 KES 407

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 KES 996

$12.93 KES 1,676

-40.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 KES 295

$1.78 KES 230

27.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 KES 305

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.09 KES 2,994

$27.42 KES 3,554

-15.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 373

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 KES 208

$1.36 KES 177

18.38%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

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

$55.8 KES 7,240

$15.59 KES 2,021

258.18%

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

$15.35 KES 1,990

$10.44 KES 1,354

47.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.77 KES 4,508

$25.22 KES 3,270

37.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.41 KES 3,036

$27.21 KES 3,528

-13.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 KES 1,025

$7.52 KES 975

5.19%

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

$115 KES 14.9K

$163 KES 21.2K

-29.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K KES 1.6M

$5,110 KES 662.5K

141.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.77 KES 1,527

$9.84 KES 1,276

19.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 KES 2,471

$9.05 KES 1,173

110.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.63 KES 2,026

$15.61 KES 2,024

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.63 KES 2,026

$17.27 KES 2,239

-9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$153 KES 19.8K

$332 KES 43.0K

-53.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 KES 17.9K

$302 KES 39.2K

-54.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 KES 73.0K

$271 KES 35.1K

108.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 KES 27.5K

$551 KES 71.5K

-61.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$756 KES 98.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 KES 98.3K

$227 KES 29.5K

233.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

83.88%

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

Last update for Kisumu: October 18, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kisumu

$189 29.4%

Kilifi

–

Accommodation & Living

Kisumu

$138 21.5%

Kilifi

–

Eating Out

Kisumu

$108 16.8%

Kilifi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kisumu

$106 16.5%

Kilifi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Kisumu

$39 6.1%

Kilifi

–

Getting Around

Kisumu

$35 5.5%

Kilifi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Kisumu

$28 4.3%

Kilifi

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $153 in Kisumu versus $332 in Kilifi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 233% higher in Kisumu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kisumu versus $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Kisumu vs $125 in Kilifi – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Kisumu

🇰🇪 Kilifi

🕒 Local time

14:39 2:39 PM

Same time as Kisumu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,155,574

122,899

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kisumu Kilifi 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Kisumu
Kilifi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Kisumu vs Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $644 in Kisumu, $634 in Kilifi – roughly 2% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $965 per month in Kisumu and $951 in Kilifi. 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 $115 per month in Kisumu and $163 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Kisumu, 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 $644 in Kisumu and $634 in Kilifi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Kisumu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $634 in Kilifi to $644 in Kisumu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kilifi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kisumu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.