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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $512 per month in Machakos vs $629 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $788 per month in Machakos vs $1,041 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,063 per month in Machakos vs $1,453 in Kilifi, rent included.

Machakos is about 19% cheaper than Kilifi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Machakos and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Machakos 63% lower, Kilifi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.18 KES 411

$1.94 KES 251

63.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 KES 2,475

$51.1 KES 6,612

-62.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 KES 795

$2.36 KES 305

160.59%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KES 267

$1.91 KES 247

8.38%

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

$0.56 KES 72.8

$0.75 KES 97.3

-25.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.8

$0.78 KES 101

-34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 KES 271

$1.57 KES 203

33.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 KES 51.9

$1.08 KES 140

-62.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 60.9

$0.83 KES 108

-43.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.06 KES 266

-61.65%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 175

$2.01 KES 259

-32.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 KES 1,355

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 KES 831

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 KES 602

$7.60 KES 983

-38.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.34 KES 302

-35.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$0.72 KES 93.2

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.40 KES 52.3

$1.74 KES 224

-77.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 KES 52.1

$0.48 KES 61.7

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.2

$0.73 KES 94.7

2.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 KES 96.2

$0.73 KES 94.9

1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.7

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 51.9

$0.24 KES 31.20

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 KES 463

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 KES 1,485

$12.83 KES 1,659

-10.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 254

$1.77 KES 230

11.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 373

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.68 KES 3,450

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 KES 102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 KES 102

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.36 KES 176

11.03%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

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)

$60.1 KES 7,775

$15.56 KES 2,012

286.44%

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

$7.94 KES 1,027

$10.48 KES 1,355

-24.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 KES 1,516

$25.00 KES 3,233

-53.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.06 KES 4,922

$28.21 KES 3,648

34.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 KES 1,023

$7.60 KES 983

4.08%

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

$45.50 KES 5,884

$161 KES 20.8K

-71.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$5,048 KES 652.7K

129.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.74 KES 1,518

$9.46 KES 1,224

24.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.50 KES 3,297

$9.01 KES 1,164

183.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 KES 8,293

$15.20 KES 1,966

321.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.12 KES 4,930

$17.51 KES 2,264

117.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.5 KES 12.2K

$333 KES 43.0K

-71.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.1 KES 9,058

$313 KES 40.5K

-77.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.2K

$272 KES 35.2K

-42.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.8K

$557 KES 72.1K

-79.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 KES 50.1K

$231 KES 29.8K

67.74%

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 Machakos: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $94.5 in Machakos versus $333 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 68% higher in Machakos, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Machakos versus $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $160 in Machakos vs $125 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: $512 in Machakos, $629 in Kilifi – roughly 23% apart. Kilifi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $768 per month in Machakos and $944 in Kilifi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Machakos and $51.0 in Kilifi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Kilifi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $512 in Machakos and $629 in Kilifi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

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