Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $453 in Machakos versus $754 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $752 in Machakos versus $1,271 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,051 in Machakos versus $1,788 in Nairobi.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 40% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Machakos 66% lower, Nairobi 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 302

$5.47 KES 706

-57.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.88 KES 5,018

$38.55 KES 4,976

0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 KES 884

$6.61 KES 853

3.63%

Cappuccino

$1.99 KES 257

$2.43 KES 314

-18.11%

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

$0.74 KES 95.7

$0.76 KES 98.4

-2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.9

$0.49 KES 63.8

2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 KES 247

$2.25 KES 291

-15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 348

$2.86 KES 369

-5.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.38 KES 48.71

$0.86 KES 111

-55.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 KES 57.8

$0.54 KES 69.4

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.65 KES 213

-50.91%

Eggs

$1.35 KES 175

$1.70 KES 219

-20.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.65 KES 1,504

$11.81 KES 1,524

-1.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 KES 864

$6.86 KES 885

-2.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 KES 590

$5.52 KES 712

-17.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 KES 197

$3.01 KES 389

-49.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.5

$1.09 KES 141

-33.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.41 KES 52.4

$2.08 KES 268

-80.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.38

$1.01 KES 130

-63.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.03 KES 133

-24.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$1.17 KES 151

-35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.0

$0.64 KES 82.4

1.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$0.81 KES 104

-49.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 388

$3.02 KES 390

-0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 KES 1,512

$11.56 KES 1,493

1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 255

$2.21 KES 285

-10.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 353

$2.69 KES 348

1.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 KES 4,030

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 KES 97.1

$1.58 KES 205

-52.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.57 KES 203

-49.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 383

$2.98 KES 385

-0.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 KES 187

$1.52 KES 196

-4.61%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

1.21%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

0.81%

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

$33.86 KES 4,370

$34.67 KES 4,475

-2.34%

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

$7.93 KES 1,023

$16.49 KES 2,128

-51.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.71 KES 1,511

$38.76 KES 5,003

-69.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.53 KES 5,619

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 KES 2,623

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 KES 781

$6.33 KES 817

-4.42%

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

$45.51 KES 5,874

$204 KES 26.4K

-77.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,077 KES 1.0M

$8,024 KES 1.0M

0.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.55 KES 1,491

$18.53 KES 2,392

-37.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.37 KES 3,145

$23.86 KES 3,079

2.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,570

$65.3 KES 8,427

1.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.37 KES 4,952

$56.8 KES 7,329

-32.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 KES 11.9K

$452 KES 58.3K

-79.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 KES 9,021

$183 KES 23.6K

-61.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.8K

$1,120 KES 144.5K

-86.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

$433 KES 55.9K

-73.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,525 KES 196.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$902 KES 116.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$389 KES 50.2K

$406 KES 52.4K

-4.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

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

Last update for Machakos: April 26, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.4 in Machakos and $452 in Nairobi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nairobi pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Machakos vs $39.00 in Nairobi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $206 per month, with Machakos cheaper across the board.

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 Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Nairobi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Nairobi earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $92.4 in Machakos versus $452 in Nairobi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $453 per month in Machakos versus $754 in Nairobi – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Machakos gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Machakos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $453 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Machakos and Nairobi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.