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: $754 in Nairobi versus $453 in Machakos.

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

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

Living in Nairobi is roughly 66% more expensive than Machakos, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 KES 706

$2.34 KES 302

133.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.55 KES 4,976

$38.88 KES 5,018

-0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 KES 853

$6.85 KES 884

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$2.43 KES 314

$1.99 KES 257

22.11%

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

$0.76 KES 98.4

$0.74 KES 95.7

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.50 KES 64.9

-2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 KES 291

$1.91 KES 247

17.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 369

$2.70 KES 348

5.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$0.38 KES 48.71

126.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.4

$0.45 KES 57.8

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 213

$0.81 KES 104

103.70%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$1.35 KES 175

25.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 KES 1,524

$11.65 KES 1,504

1.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 KES 885

$6.69 KES 864

2.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 KES 712

$4.57 KES 590

20.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 KES 389

$1.53 KES 197

96.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.73 KES 94.5

49.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 268

$0.41 KES 52.4

407.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$0.37 KES 48.38

172.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$0.78 KES 101

32.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

$0.75 KES 97.4

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$0.65 KES 84.0

-1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.41 KES 52.8

97.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 KES 390

$3.01 KES 388

0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 KES 1,493

$11.72 KES 1,512

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 285

$1.98 KES 255

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 KES 348

$2.73 KES 353

-1.47%

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)

$1.58 KES 205

$0.75 KES 97.1

110.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$0.80 KES 104

96.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$2.97 KES 383

0.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.45 KES 187

4.83%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-1.20%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-0.80%

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

$34.67 KES 4,475

$33.86 KES 4,370

2.39%

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

$16.49 KES 2,128

$7.93 KES 1,023

107.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.76 KES 5,003

$11.71 KES 1,511

231.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.53 KES 5,619

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 KES 2,623

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 KES 817

$6.05 KES 781

4.63%

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

$204 KES 26.4K

$45.51 KES 5,874

349.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 KES 1.0M

$8,077 KES 1.0M

-0.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.53 KES 2,392

$11.55 KES 1,491

60.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.86 KES 3,079

$24.37 KES 3,145

-2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 KES 8,427

$66.4 KES 8,570

-1.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 KES 7,329

$38.37 KES 4,952

48.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 KES 58.3K

$92.4 KES 11.9K

388.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.6K

$69.9 KES 9,021

161.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 144.5K

$154 KES 19.8K

628.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 KES 55.9K

$115 KES 14.8K

277.30%

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)

$406 KES 52.4K

$389 KES 50.2K

4.33%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Machakos: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Nairobi and $92.4 in Machakos. 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 Nairobi vs $39.00 in Machakos. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 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 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.

Nairobi pays 4% 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: $452 in Nairobi versus $92.4 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 $754 per month in Nairobi versus $453 in Machakos – 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, 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 66% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.