Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Kilifi Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Kilifi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $443 per month in Machakos vs $438 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $754 per month in Machakos vs $786 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,065 per month in Machakos vs $1,133 in Kilifi, rent included.

Machakos costs about 1% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 303

$2.31 KES 299

1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.41 KES 4,980

$50.9 KES 6,596

-24.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 KES 893

$2.33 KES 302

195.71%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 252

$1.96 KES 254

-0.51%

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

$0.69 KES 90.1

$0.74 KES 96.4

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.7

$0.76 KES 98.5

-32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$1.91 KES 248

-1.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$0.95 KES 123

-57.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$0.76 KES 99.0

-42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.9

$1.96 KES 254

-61.22%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$1.80 KES 234

-24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 KES 1,490

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 KES 878

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 KES 615

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.37 KES 307

-35.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$0.85 KES 110

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.26

$1.82 KES 236

-79.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 49.23

$0.69 KES 89.3

-44.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.68 KES 87.7

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.61 KES 79.1

27.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.7

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.81

$0.24 KES 31.13

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 KES 404

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 KES 1,498

$12.87 KES 1,669

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$1.90 KES 247

4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 102

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.17 KES 3,522

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 KES 95.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$0.75 KES 97.1

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 384

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.38 KES 179

9.42%

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)

$19.6K KES 2.5M

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

$34.62 KES 4,489

$15.41 KES 1,998

124.66%

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

$7.56 KES 980

$10.15 KES 1,317

-25.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 KES 1,510

$25.30 KES 3,280

-53.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.30 KES 3,540

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 KES 813

$7.55 KES 978

-16.95%

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

$46.87 KES 6,077

$163 KES 21.1K

-71.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,961 KES 1.0M

$5,121 KES 664.0K

55.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.72 KES 1,520

$9.77 KES 1,266

19.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,091

$8.95 KES 1,161

166.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,497

$15.25 KES 1,977

329.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 KES 4,962

$17.63 KES 2,286

117.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.1 KES 12.1K

$178 KES 23.1K

-47.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 KES 8,910

$113 KES 14.7K

-39.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 KES 19.7K

$275 KES 35.7K

-44.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$261 KES 33.8K

-54.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 KES 50.9K

$236 KES 30.7K

66.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

85.50%

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

Last update for Machakos: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $93.1 in Machakos versus $178 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 66% higher in Machakos, 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 $38.00 in Machakos versus $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $165 in Machakos vs $101 in Kilifi – 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

Machakos vs Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $443 in Machakos, $438 in Kilifi – roughly 1% apart. Machakos costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $665 per month in Machakos and $657 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.

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

Groceries cost about 63% more in Machakos, 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 $443 in Machakos and $438 in Kilifi, 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.

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, Machakos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.