Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Machakos and in Delhi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $516 per month in Machakos vs $526 in Delhi, rent included.
Machakos $516
Delhi $526
A couple spends around $797 per month in Machakos vs $882 in Delhi, rent included.
Machakos $797
Delhi $882
A family of three spends $1,078 per month in Machakos vs $1,239 in Delhi, rent included.
Machakos $1,078
Delhi $1,239
🙂
Machakos is about 2% cheaper than Delhi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Machakos and Delhi are more affordable than the global median – Machakos62% lower, Delhi61% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Machakos
Delhi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.15KES 408
$3.70₹352
-14.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.98KES 2,461
$21.33₹2,026
-11.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.19KES 803
$3.69₹351
67.75%
Cappuccino
$1.98KES 257
$2.30₹218
-13.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64KES 83.0
$0.39₹36.82
64.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54KES 69.8
$0.15₹14.05
260.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.11KES 273
$2.05₹195
2.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71KES 352
$3.13₹297
-13.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Machakos
Delhi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.37KES 48.53
$0.69₹65.9
-46.38%
White Bread(500g)
$0.44KES 56.9
$0.58₹54.6
-24.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.74KES 95.4
$0.78₹74.0
-5.13%
Eggs
$1.36KES 177
$1.15₹109
18.26%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.73KES 1,391
$4.28₹407
150.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.29KES 815
$3.52₹334
78.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.55KES 589
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.58KES 205
$1.93₹184
-18.13%
Banana(1kg)
$0.73KES 95.2
$0.79₹75.1
-7.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.40KES 52.4
$1.01₹95.6
-60.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.41KES 53.1
$0.53₹50.0
-22.64%
Potato(1kg)
$0.80KES 104
$0.28₹26.21
185.71%
Onion(1kg)
$0.81KES 104
$0.37₹35.46
118.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.68KES 88.4
$0.44₹41.89
54.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.38KES 49.11
$0.31₹29.89
22.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.51KES 455
$4.95₹470
-29.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.44KES 1,483
$8.57₹814
33.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90KES 247
$1.61₹152
18.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80KES 363
$2.66₹253
5.26%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$6.40₹608
-
🚌 Getting Around
Machakos
Delhi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.51₹48.63
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$15.59₹1,481
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.79KES 103
$1.04₹98.4
-24.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.78KES 101
$0.27₹25.79
188.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.84KES 368
$1.54₹146
84.42%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49KES 193
$1.11₹106
34.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2KKES 2.5M
$11.5K₹1.1M
66.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.5KKES 2.8M
$18.9K₹1.8M
13.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Machakos
Delhi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$56.1KES 7,279
$42.45₹4,031
32.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.82KES 1,014
$4.20₹399
86.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.48KES 1,488
$6.89₹654
66.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Machakos
Delhi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.18KES 4,950
$20.09₹1,908
90.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$7.89₹749
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.62KES 987
$5.31₹504
43.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Machakos
Delhi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$45.44KES 5,892
$101₹9,571
-54.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.3KKES 1.6M
$2,315₹219.8K
430.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Machakos
Delhi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$11.34KES 1,470
$24.64₹2,340
-53.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69KES 3,719
$28.82₹2,737
-0.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.4KES 8,991
$53.6₹5,088
29.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$38.50KES 4,992
$44.17₹4,194
-12.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Machakos
Delhi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$93.9KES 12.2K
$271₹25.8K
-65.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$68.7KES 8,905
$157₹14.9K
-56.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$154KES 20.0K
$744₹70.6K
-79.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$115KES 15.0K
$405₹38.4K
-71.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,574₹244.4K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,003₹95.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Machakos
Delhi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$383KES 49.6K
$615₹58.4K
-37.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
14.71
8.33
76.59%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Machakos: October 17, 2026
Last update for Delhi: October 18, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Machakos
$159 30.8%
Delhi
$110 20.8% ↓ 31.1%$49
🍽Eating Out
Machakos
$88 17.1%
Delhi
$87 16.5% ↓ 1.5%$1.4
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Machakos
$75 14.6%
Delhi
$54 10.2% ↓ 29%$22
🏠Accommodation & Living
Machakos
$69 13.3%
Delhi
$157 29.9% ↑ 129%$88
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Machakos
$67 12.9%
Delhi
$68 12.9% ↑ 2.3%$1.5
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Machakos
$53 10.4%
Delhi
$31 5.8% ↓ 42.5%$23
🚌Getting Around
Machakos
$4.7 * 0.9%
Delhi
$20 3.8% ↑ 326%$15
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Machakos
$350 32.5%
Delhi
$236 19.1% ↓ 32.5%$114
🍽Eating Out
Machakos
$265 24.6%
Delhi
$279 22.5% ↑ 5.3%$14
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Machakos
$83 7.7%
Delhi
$58 4.7% ↓ 30.7%$26
🏠Accommodation & Living
Machakos
$115 10.7%
Delhi
$405 32.7% ↑ 251%$289
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Machakos
$148 13.7%
Delhi
$151 12.2% ↑ 2.3%$3.3
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Machakos
$107 * 9.9%
Delhi
$69 5.6% ↓ 35.1%$38
🚌Getting Around
Machakos
$9.4 * 0.9%
Delhi
$41 3.3% ↑ 337%$32
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $93.9 in Machakos versus $271 in Delhi. 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 61% higher in Delhi, 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 $19.00 in Machakos versus $21.00 in Delhi. Groceries tell a different story – $159 in Machakos vs $110 in Delhi – so Delhi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Machakos vs Delhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Machakos and in Delhi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $516 in Machakos, $526 in Delhi – roughly 2% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Machakos compared to Delhi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $774 per month in Machakos and $789 in Delhi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Machakos and Delhi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Machakos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Machakos or Delhi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $516 in Machakos and $526 in Delhi. That's a gap of about 2%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Machakos and Delhi?
Kindergarten costs $45.44 per month in Machakos and $101 in Delhi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $800 go in Machakos compared to Delhi?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $516 in Machakos and $526 in Delhi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Machakos or Delhi?
Families tend to lean toward Machakos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Machakos or Delhi safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Machakos and Delhi?
If budget matters most, go with Machakos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Delhi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.