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: $765 in Nairobi versus $442 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,287 in Nairobi versus $763 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,810 in Nairobi versus $1,085 in Machakos.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 73% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 43% lower, Machakos 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 KES 714

$2.37 KES 307

132.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.37 KES 4,960

$38.19 KES 4,936

0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 858

$6.63 KES 857

0.15%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 307

$1.89 KES 244

25.93%

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

$0.71 KES 91.6

4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.9

$0.50 KES 64.4

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 KES 298

$1.95 KES 252

18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 371

$2.65 KES 342

8.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KES 113

$0.41 KES 52.8

112.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$0.48 KES 61.6

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$0.76 KES 97.7

109.21%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 220

$1.37 KES 177

24.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 KES 1,509

$11.41 KES 1,475

2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 KES 862

$6.59 KES 851

1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.73 KES 740

$4.68 KES 604

22.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 395

$1.51 KES 195

102.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.74 KES 95.6

47.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 KES 277

$0.37 KES 48.17

478.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$0.38 KES 48.78

165.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$0.73 KES 94.9

39.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

$0.79 KES 102

43.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$0.66 KES 85.0

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.37 KES 48.00

116.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 393

$3.12 KES 403

-2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 KES 1,470

$11.40 KES 1,474

-0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 KES 288

$1.96 KES 253

13.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 KES 347

$2.79 KES 361

-3.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.47 KES 3,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$0.76 KES 98.2

109.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$0.73 KES 94.8

115.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$2.94 KES 379

1.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.51 KES 195

3.97%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$21.4K KES 2.8M

1.63%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$19.7K KES 2.5M

1.51%

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

$34.46 KES 4,454

$34.06 KES 4,402

1.17%

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

$17.09 KES 2,208

$7.77 KES 1,004

119.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.70 KES 5,132

$11.38 KES 1,471

248.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 KES 5,439

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 KES 2,646

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 KES 787

$6.02 KES 778

1.16%

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

$203 KES 26.3K

$47.26 KES 6,109

330.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,007 KES 1.0M

$8,045 KES 1.0M

-0.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.51 KES 2,393

$11.59 KES 1,498

59.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.13 KES 3,119

$23.79 KES 3,075

1.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 KES 8,377

$65.9 KES 8,522

-1.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 KES 7,363

$38.20 KES 4,937

49.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 KES 58.8K

$92.3 KES 11.9K

392.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.7K

$68.4 KES 8,838

167.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 KES 143.4K

$156 KES 20.1K

612.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 KES 55.2K

$114 KES 14.7K

274.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,535 KES 198.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$898 KES 116.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$440 KES 56.8K

$380 KES 49.1K

15.67%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Nairobi and $92.3 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nairobi pays 16% 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 Nairobi vs $38.00 in Machakos. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $163, 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 73% 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 16% 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: $455 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 26% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $765 per month in Nairobi versus $442 in Machakos – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Machakos versus $765 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 $442 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 73% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.