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: $526 in Machakos versus $856 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $809 in Machakos versus $1,396 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,092 in Machakos versus $1,937 in Nairobi.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 38% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Machakos 62% lower, Nairobi 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 KES 397

$4.52 KES 584

-32.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 KES 2,476

$34.08 KES 4,410

-43.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 KES 823

$6.21 KES 804

2.42%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 254

$2.75 KES 356

-28.73%

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

$0.60 KES 77.3

$0.60 KES 77.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 69.0

$0.62 KES 80.7

-14.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 KES 276

$2.37 KES 307

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 355

$2.63 KES 340

4.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.38 KES 48.67

$0.86 KES 112

-55.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.1

$0.59 KES 76.0

-20.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.95 KES 252

-62.56%

Eggs

$1.38 KES 178

$1.71 KES 221

-19.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 KES 1,383

$10.88 KES 1,408

-1.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 KES 841

$6.47 KES 837

0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 606

$6.25 KES 809

-25.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$3.35 KES 434

-53.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.06 KES 137

-23.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.89

$1.95 KES 253

-80.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.05

$1.09 KES 141

-66.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.08 KES 140

-25.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.04 KES 134

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$0.73 KES 94.5

-5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.70

$0.79 KES 102

-51.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 439

$3.41 KES 441

-0.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 KES 1,512

$11.77 KES 1,523

-0.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$2.22 KES 287

-12.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$2.78 KES 359

1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.15 KES 6,101

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.57 KES 204

-49.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.52 KES 197

-48.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$2.83 KES 367

1.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 KES 186

$1.59 KES 205

-10.06%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$21.2K KES 2.7M

3.30%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

$20.4K KES 2.6M

0.08%

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

$62.6 KES 8,097

$61.9 KES 8,006

1.13%

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

$7.54 KES 976

$15.82 KES 2,047

-52.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.42 KES 1,477

$36.23 KES 4,688

-68.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 KES 4,988

$50.7 KES 6,564

-24.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.40 KES 1,992

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 KES 997

$7.68 KES 994

0.39%

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

$46.27 KES 5,988

$245 KES 31.7K

-81.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$11.6K KES 1.5M

-1.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.44 KES 1,480

$28.45 KES 3,681

-59.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 KES 3,604

$28.24 KES 3,654

-1.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 KES 9,181

$69.7 KES 9,022

1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.84 KES 5,026

$59.5 KES 7,702

-34.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$437 KES 56.6K

-78.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.3 KES 9,094

$214 KES 27.7K

-67.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 20.0K

$1,112 KES 143.9K

-86.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

$501 KES 64.8K

-77.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,298 KES 168.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$898 KES 116.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$391 KES 50.6K

$484 KES 62.7K

-19.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

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

Last update for Machakos: September 13, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.3 in Machakos and $437 in Nairobi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nairobi pays 24% 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: $19.00 in Machakos vs $34.00 in Nairobi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $207 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 63% 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, salaries run 24% lower in Nairobi. 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: $92.3 in Machakos versus $437 in Nairobi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $526 per month in Machakos versus $856 in Nairobi – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $526 in Machakos versus $856 in Nairobi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Nairobi. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Machakos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $526 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 63% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.