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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $442 per month in Machakos vs $433 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $763 per month in Machakos vs $769 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,085 per month in Machakos vs $1,105 in Kilifi, rent included.

Machakos costs about 2% 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

$2.37 KES 307

$2.38 KES 308

-0.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.19 KES 4,936

$50.6 KES 6,545

-24.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 KES 857

$2.37 KES 306

179.75%

Cappuccino

$1.89 KES 244

$1.88 KES 243

0.53%

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

$0.71 KES 91.6

$0.78 KES 101

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.4

$0.78 KES 101

-35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.98 KES 257

-1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 342

Milk (1 liter)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$0.91 KES 117

-54.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.6

$0.74 KES 96.2

-35.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.7

$1.95 KES 252

-61.03%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$1.87 KES 242

-26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 KES 1,475

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KES 851

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 604

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 KES 195

$2.35 KES 304

-35.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$0.88 KES 114

-15.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.17

$1.76 KES 227

-78.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.78

$0.65 KES 84.3

-41.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$0.63 KES 81.9

15.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.59 KES 76.8

33.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 48.00

$0.24 KES 31.21

54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 KES 1,474

$12.94 KES 1,673

-11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.98 KES 256

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

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)

$0.76 KES 98.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$0.76 KES 97.6

-3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 379

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.31 KES 169

15.27%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

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

$34.06 KES 4,402

$15.64 KES 2,021

117.77%

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

$7.77 KES 1,004

$10.15 KES 1,312

-23.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 KES 1,471

$24.82 KES 3,208

-54.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.43 KES 3,545

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 KES 778

$7.84 KES 1,014

-23.21%

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

$47.26 KES 6,109

$161 KES 20.9K

-70.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,045 KES 1.0M

$5,004 KES 646.7K

60.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.59 KES 1,498

$9.41 KES 1,216

23.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.79 KES 3,075

$9.04 KES 1,169

163.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 KES 8,522

$15.65 KES 2,023

321.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.20 KES 4,937

$17.33 KES 2,240

120.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$177 KES 22.9K

-47.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.4 KES 8,838

$115 KES 14.8K

-40.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.1K

$271 KES 35.0K

-42.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$262 KES 33.8K

-56.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 KES 49.1K

$230 KES 29.7K

65.36%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $92.3 in Machakos versus $177 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 65% 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 – $163 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: $442 in Machakos, $433 in Kilifi – roughly 2% apart. Machakos costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $663 per month in Machakos and $650 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 62% 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 $442 in Machakos and $433 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.