Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Thika Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Thika

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $754 per month in Nairobi vs $478 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,271 per month in Nairobi vs $795 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,788 per month in Nairobi vs $1,113 in Thika, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 58% more than Thika, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Nairobi and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 44% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 KES 707

$5.27 KES 681

3.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.55 KES 4,982

$39.16 KES 5,061

-1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 KES 854

$6.95 KES 899

-4.89%

Cappuccino

$2.43 KES 314

$2.44 KES 315

-0.41%

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

$0.76 KES 98.5

$0.74 KES 95.8

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$0.50 KES 64.5

-2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 KES 291

$1.73 KES 223

30.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 370

$1.98 KES 256

44.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$0.92 KES 120

-6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.5

$0.44 KES 57.5

22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.33 KES 171

24.06%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$1.37 KES 177

24.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 KES 1,526

$11.51 KES 1,488

2.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 KES 886

$6.86 KES 887

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 KES 713

$1.98 KES 255

178.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 KES 390

$3.02 KES 390

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.07 KES 139

1.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 269

$2.09 KES 270

-0.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$1.04 KES 135

-2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 152

$1.11 KES 144

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$0.69 KES 88.6

-7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.82 KES 106

-1.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 KES 390

$2.35 KES 304

28.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 KES 1,494

$5.65 KES 731

104.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 285

$1.73 KES 223

27.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 KES 348

$1.91 KES 247

40.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 KES 4,035

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.53 KES 198

3.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.57 KES 203

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 386

$2.96 KES 383

0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.02 KES 132

49.02%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$22.1K KES 2.9M

-1.84%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$19.7K KES 2.6M

1.44%

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

$34.67 KES 4,481

$34.17 KES 4,415

1.46%

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

$16.49 KES 2,131

$17.06 KES 2,205

-3.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.76 KES 5,009

$38.97 KES 5,036

-0.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.53 KES 5,626

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 KES 2,627

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 KES 818

$6.30 KES 814

0.48%

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

$204 KES 26.4K

$202 KES 26.1K

1.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 KES 1.0M

$7,948 KES 1.0M

0.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.53 KES 2,395

$18.57 KES 2,400

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.86 KES 3,083

$24.27 KES 3,136

-1.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 KES 8,438

$66.5 KES 8,593

-1.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 KES 7,339

$56.7 KES 7,324

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 KES 58.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 144.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 KES 56.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,525 KES 197.1K

$615 KES 79.5K

148.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$902 KES 116.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$406 KES 52.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

11.5

29.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nairobi: April 25, 2026

Last update for Thika: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Nairobi versus $39.00 in Thika. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Nairobi vs $176 in Thika – so Thika wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nairobi costs about 58% more than Thika, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,131 per month in Nairobi and $717 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Nairobi and $39.00 in Thika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Nairobi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $754 in Nairobi and $478 in Thika, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thika costs $478 versus $754 in Nairobi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Thika. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nairobi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.