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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $453 per month in Machakos vs $434 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $752 per month in Machakos vs $768 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,051 per month in Machakos vs $1,102 in Kilifi, rent included.

Machakos costs about 4% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Machakos and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Machakos 66% lower, Kilifi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 303

$2.27 KES 293

3.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.88 KES 5,024

$50.2 KES 6,483

-22.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 KES 885

$2.38 KES 308

187.82%

Cappuccino

$1.99 KES 257

$1.95 KES 252

2.05%

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

$0.79 KES 102

-6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.81 KES 104

-38.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 KES 247

$1.96 KES 254

-2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 349

Milk (1 liter)

$0.38 KES 48.77

$0.87 KES 113

-56.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 KES 57.9

$0.81 KES 104

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.90 KES 246

-57.37%

Eggs

$1.35 KES 175

$1.89 KES 244

-28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.65 KES 1,506

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 KES 865

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 KES 591

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.27 KES 294

-32.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.7

$0.87 KES 113

-16.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.41 KES 52.5

$1.75 KES 226

-76.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.44

$0.66 KES 84.8

-43.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.63 KES 81.2

23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.5

$0.60 KES 77.2

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 KES 52.9

$0.24 KES 31.17

70.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 389

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 KES 1,514

$11.49 KES 1,485

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 255

$1.97 KES 254

0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 353

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)

$0.75 KES 97.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.80 KES 103

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 KES 187

$1.36 KES 176

6.62%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

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

$33.86 KES 4,375

$15.69 KES 2,028

115.81%

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

$7.93 KES 1,024

$10.29 KES 1,329

-22.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.71 KES 1,513

$25.10 KES 3,243

-53.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.31 KES 3,529

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 KES 782

$7.90 KES 1,021

-23.42%

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

$45.51 KES 5,881

$161 KES 20.8K

-71.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,077 KES 1.0M

$5,109 KES 660.3K

58.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.55 KES 1,493

$9.50 KES 1,227

21.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.37 KES 3,149

$8.66 KES 1,119

181.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,581

$15.32 KES 1,980

333.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.37 KES 4,958

$17.73 KES 2,291

116.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 KES 11.9K

$173 KES 22.4K

-46.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 KES 9,032

$113 KES 14.6K

-38.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$267 KES 34.5K

-42.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

$262 KES 33.9K

-56.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$389 KES 50.3K

$236 KES 30.5K

64.99%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $92.4 in Machakos versus $173 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 $39.00 in Machakos versus $50.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $165 in Machakos vs $98.0 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: $453 in Machakos, $434 in Kilifi – roughly 4% apart. Machakos costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $680 per month in Machakos and $651 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 $39.00 in Machakos and $50.0 in Kilifi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% 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 $453 in Machakos and $434 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.