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: $769 in Nairobi versus $459 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,278 in Nairobi versus $759 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Nairobi versus $1,060 in Machakos.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 68% more expensive than Machakos, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 42% lower, Machakos 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 KES 682

$2.33 KES 302

126.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.65 KES 5,001

$39.40 KES 5,099

-1.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 KES 885

$7.01 KES 907

-2.43%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 308

$1.91 KES 247

24.61%

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

$0.71 KES 91.4

$0.70 KES 90.7

1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$1.88 KES 244

20.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 366

$2.66 KES 345

6.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.37 KES 48.25

137.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.3

$0.48 KES 62.5

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 213

$0.76 KES 98.0

117.11%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 219

$1.36 KES 175

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 KES 1,491

$11.39 KES 1,474

1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 KES 854

$6.67 KES 863

-1.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.71 KES 739

$4.67 KES 604

22.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 KES 409

$1.54 KES 199

105.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$0.74 KES 95.9

39.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 KES 279

$0.40 KES 52.3

437.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

$0.40 KES 51.9

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.80 KES 104

33.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$0.76 KES 97.8

46.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.1

$0.68 KES 88.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.6

$0.41 KES 52.4

85.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KES 388

$3.14 KES 406

-4.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 KES 1,509

$11.78 KES 1,524

-1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.99 KES 257

11.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 349

$2.73 KES 353

-1.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.07 KES 4,020

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$0.80 KES 103

91.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$0.75 KES 96.5

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 KES 365

$2.97 KES 384

-5.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.45 KES 188

8.28%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

0.21%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

-0.10%

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

$34.79 KES 4,502

$34.77 KES 4,499

0.06%

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

$17.11 KES 2,214

$7.66 KES 991

123.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.66 KES 5,132

$11.82 KES 1,529

235.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 KES 5,445

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 KES 2,649

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 KES 798

$6.23 KES 806

-0.96%

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

$206 KES 26.7K

$46.71 KES 6,045

341.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,139 KES 1.1M

$8,055 KES 1.0M

1.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.90 KES 2,317

$11.82 KES 1,529

51.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.61 KES 3,054

$23.76 KES 3,075

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 KES 8,391

$65.8 KES 8,519

-1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 KES 7,459

$38.50 KES 4,983

49.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 KES 57.8K

$91.5 KES 11.8K

388.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.6K

$69.9 KES 9,047

161.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 144.9K

$156 KES 20.1K

619.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 KES 54.5K

$114 KES 14.8K

269.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 KES 201.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 KES 115.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 KES 54.8K

$379 KES 49.1K

11.51%

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 Nairobi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Machakos: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Nairobi and $91.5 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nairobi pays 12% 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 Nairobi vs $39.00 in Machakos. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $165, with Machakos cheaper for home cooking.

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 68% 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.

Nairobi pays 12% more on average, 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: $447 in Nairobi versus $91.5 in Machakos. 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 $769 per month in Nairobi versus $459 in Machakos – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $459 in Machakos versus $769 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 $459 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 68% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.