Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakuru and Kilifi Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakuru and Kilifi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $639 per month in Nakuru vs $629 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $978 per month in Nakuru vs $1,041 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,318 per month in Nakuru vs $1,453 in Kilifi, rent included.

Nakuru costs about 1% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nakuru and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Nakuru 54% lower, Kilifi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 KES 506

$1.94 KES 251

102.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 KES 4,405

$51.1 KES 6,612

-33.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.25 KES 808

$2.36 KES 305

164.83%

Cappuccino

$1.97 KES 255

$1.91 KES 247

3.14%

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

$0.38 KES 48.59

$0.75 KES 97.3

-49.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.36

$0.78 KES 101

-71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

$1.57 KES 203

49.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.6

$1.08 KES 140

-51.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$0.83 KES 108

-43.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 KES 197

$2.06 KES 266

-25.73%

Eggs

$1.61 KES 209

$2.01 KES 259

-19.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 KES 1,360

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 KES 823

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 KES 821

$7.60 KES 983

-16.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 KES 437

$2.34 KES 302

44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 KES 129

$0.72 KES 93.2

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 263

$1.74 KES 224

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$0.48 KES 61.7

131.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$0.73 KES 94.7

45.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.73 KES 94.9

46.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.7

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.4

$0.24 KES 31.20

208.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 KES 461

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 KES 1,496

$12.83 KES 1,659

-9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 KES 290

$1.77 KES 230

26.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.68 KES 3,450

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.36 KES 176

10.29%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

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

$60.9 KES 7,872

$15.56 KES 2,012

291.26%

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

$15.19 KES 1,964

$10.48 KES 1,355

44.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.73 KES 4,620

$25.00 KES 3,233

42.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.21 KES 3,648

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 KES 994

$7.60 KES 983

1.05%

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

$241 KES 31.1K

$161 KES 20.8K

49.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$5,048 KES 652.7K

133.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.54 KES 3,561

$9.46 KES 1,224

191.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.28 KES 3,398

$9.01 KES 1,164

191.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 KES 8,268

$15.20 KES 1,966

320.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 KES 7,762

$17.51 KES 2,264

242.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 KES 29.0K

$333 KES 43.0K

-32.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 KES 17.7K

$313 KES 40.5K

-56.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.4K

$272 KES 35.2K

97.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 KES 25.4K

$557 KES 72.1K

-64.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$231 KES 29.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

83.88%

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

Last update for Nakuru: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Nakuru versus $333 in Kilifi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Nakuru versus $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Nakuru vs $125 in Kilifi – so Kilifi 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

Nakuru vs Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $639 in Nakuru, $629 in Kilifi – roughly 1% apart. Nakuru costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $958 per month in Nakuru and $944 in Kilifi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilifi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Nakuru and $51.0 in Kilifi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Nakuru, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $639 in Nakuru and $629 in Kilifi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kilifi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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