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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $856 in Nairobi versus $526 in Machakos.

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

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

Living in Nairobi is roughly 63% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 KES 584

$3.07 KES 397

47.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.08 KES 4,410

$19.14 KES 2,476

78.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 KES 804

$6.36 KES 823

-2.36%

Cappuccino

$2.75 KES 356

$1.96 KES 254

40.31%

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

$0.60 KES 77.4

$0.60 KES 77.3

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 80.7

$0.53 KES 69.0

16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 KES 307

$2.13 KES 276

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 KES 340

$2.74 KES 355

-4.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 112

$0.38 KES 48.67

126.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.0

$0.47 KES 61.1

25.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 KES 252

$0.73 KES 94.8

167.12%

Eggs

$1.71 KES 221

$1.38 KES 178

23.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 KES 1,408

$10.68 KES 1,383

1.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 KES 837

$6.50 KES 841

-0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 KES 809

$4.68 KES 606

33.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 KES 434

$1.57 KES 204

113.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$0.81 KES 104

30.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 KES 253

$0.38 KES 48.89

413.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.37 KES 48.05

194.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.80 KES 104

35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$0.78 KES 101

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.5

$0.69 KES 89.0

5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.38 KES 48.70

107.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 KES 441

$3.39 KES 439

0.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.77 KES 1,523

$11.68 KES 1,512

0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.95 KES 253

13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 359

$2.83 KES 366

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.15 KES 6,101

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 204

$0.79 KES 102

98.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 197

$0.79 KES 102

92.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 367

$2.86 KES 370

-1.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.43 KES 186

11.19%

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

$21.2K KES 2.7M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-3.19%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$20.5K KES 2.6M

-0.08%

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

$61.9 KES 8,006

$62.6 KES 8,097

-1.12%

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

$15.82 KES 2,047

$7.54 KES 976

109.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.23 KES 4,688

$11.42 KES 1,477

217.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 KES 6,564

$38.55 KES 4,988

31.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.40 KES 1,992

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 KES 994

$7.71 KES 997

-0.39%

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

$245 KES 31.7K

$46.27 KES 5,988

430.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$11.4K KES 1.5M

1.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.45 KES 3,681

$11.44 KES 1,480

148.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.24 KES 3,654

$27.85 KES 3,604

1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 KES 9,022

$71.0 KES 9,181

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 KES 7,702

$38.84 KES 5,026

53.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 KES 56.6K

$92.3 KES 11.9K

374.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 KES 27.7K

$70.3 KES 9,094

204.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 KES 143.9K

$154 KES 20.0K

620.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 KES 64.8K

$115 KES 14.8K

336.76%

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)

$484 KES 62.7K

$391 KES 50.6K

23.74%

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 Nairobi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Machakos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Nairobi and $92.3 in Machakos. 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: $34.00 in Nairobi vs $19.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $162 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

Nairobi vs Machakos: 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.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Nairobi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Nairobi versus $92.3 in Machakos. 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 $856 per month in Nairobi versus $526 in Machakos – 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, Nairobi and Machakos 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.