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: $443 in Machakos versus $781 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $754 in Machakos versus $1,274 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,065 in Machakos versus $1,766 in Nairobi.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 43% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Machakos 67% lower, Nairobi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 303

$5.45 KES 706

-57.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.41 KES 4,980

$37.93 KES 4,918

1.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 KES 893

$6.86 KES 890

0.44%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 252

$2.44 KES 316

-20.08%

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

$0.69 KES 90.1

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.7

$0.50 KES 64.4

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.34 KES 303

-19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$2.87 KES 372

-3.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$0.91 KES 118

-56.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$0.56 KES 73.2

-21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.9

$1.57 KES 204

-51.59%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$1.69 KES 219

-19.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 KES 1,490

$11.47 KES 1,487

0.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 KES 878

$6.72 KES 871

0.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 KES 615

$5.72 KES 741

-16.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$3.03 KES 393

-49.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$1.04 KES 134

-27.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.26

$2.15 KES 279

-82.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 49.23

$1.06 KES 137

-64.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.06 KES 138

-24.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.11 KES 144

-29.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.7

$0.69 KES 89.9

-5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.81

$0.76 KES 99.1

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 KES 404

$3.05 KES 395

1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 KES 1,498

$11.75 KES 1,524

-1.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$2.26 KES 294

-12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

$2.73 KES 354

0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.00 KES 4,019

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 KES 95.2

$1.59 KES 206

-54.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.55 KES 202

-48.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 384

$2.89 KES 375

2.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.58 KES 205

-4.43%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$21.2K KES 2.8M

3.36%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

-1.07%

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

$34.62 KES 4,489

$33.91 KES 4,397

2.09%

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

$7.56 KES 980

$17.06 KES 2,212

-55.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 KES 1,510

$39.79 KES 5,160

-70.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.28 KES 5,611

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 KES 2,636

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 KES 813

$6.12 KES 794

2.45%

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

$46.87 KES 6,077

$207 KES 26.8K

-77.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,961 KES 1.0M

$8,165 KES 1.1M

-2.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.72 KES 1,520

$17.89 KES 2,319

-34.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,091

$24.26 KES 3,146

-1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,497

$64.2 KES 8,322

2.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 KES 4,962

$56.4 KES 7,308

-32.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.1 KES 12.1K

$442 KES 57.3K

-78.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 KES 8,910

$185 KES 24.0K

-62.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 KES 19.7K

$1,112 KES 144.2K

-86.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$434 KES 56.3K

-72.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,520 KES 197.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$887 KES 115.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 KES 50.9K

$423 KES 54.9K

-7.25%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $93.1 in Machakos and $442 in Nairobi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nairobi pays 8% 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: $38.00 in Machakos vs $38.00 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 76% 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 8% 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: $93.1 in Machakos versus $442 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 $443 per month in Machakos versus $781 in Nairobi – a 76% 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 $443 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 76% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.