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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $606 per month in Nakuru vs $436 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $996 per month in Nakuru vs $782 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,386 per month in Nakuru vs $1,128 in Kilifi, rent included.

Nakuru costs about 39% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nakuru and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Nakuru 55% lower, Kilifi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 KES 454

$2.25 KES 291

56.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.94 KES 5,032

$50.9 KES 6,574

-23.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 KES 891

$2.30 KES 297

200.00%

Cappuccino

$1.72 KES 223

$1.90 KES 246

-9.47%

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

$0.37 KES 48.23

$0.74 KES 95.9

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KES 41.63

$0.78 KES 101

-58.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.98 KES 256

-28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 KES 196

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 KES 66.0

$0.88 KES 114

-42.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 KES 65.7

$0.81 KES 104

-37.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$1.90 KES 246

-39.47%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$1.80 KES 233

-24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 KES 985

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 KES 827

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.30 KES 556

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 KES 220

$2.31 KES 298

-26.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.45 KES 57.7

$0.85 KES 109

-47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 KES 221

$1.83 KES 236

-6.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.8

$0.66 KES 84.7

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 KES 51.9

$0.64 KES 83.0

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 KES 72.4

$0.64 KES 82.4

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.1

$0.24 KES 31.15

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 KES 264

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 KES 1,518

$12.82 KES 1,656

-8.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 KES 208

$1.95 KES 253

-17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 KES 233

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 97.7

$0.78 KES 101

-2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.48 KES 3,422

$27.55 KES 3,559

-3.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 204

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 KES 95.4

$0.80 KES 103

-7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 381

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 KES 164

$1.37 KES 177

-7.30%

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

$12.5K KES 1.6M

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

$14.7K KES 1.9M

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

$30.33 KES 3,920

$15.61 KES 2,018

94.30%

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

$17.05 KES 2,204

$10.28 KES 1,329

65.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.44 KES 5,096

$25.26 KES 3,264

56.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.30 KES 6,112

$28.03 KES 3,622

68.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 KES 703

$7.62 KES 985

-28.61%

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

$204 KES 26.4K

$162 KES 20.9K

26.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,922 KES 506.9K

$5,072 KES 655.4K

-22.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.52 KES 2,394

$9.52 KES 1,230

94.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.31 KES 3,141

$8.67 KES 1,121

180.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.95 KES 4,904

$15.59 KES 2,014

143.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 KES 7,099

$17.13 KES 2,214

220.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

$177 KES 22.9K

29.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$113 KES 14.6K

2.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 KES 50.8K

$275 KES 35.5K

43.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 KES 35.0K

$266 KES 34.4K

1.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 KES 30.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

56.25%

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

Last update for Nakuru: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Nakuru versus $177 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 $39.00 in Nakuru versus $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Nakuru vs $100 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: $606 in Nakuru, $436 in Kilifi – roughly 39% apart. Nakuru costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $908 per month in Nakuru and $655 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.

Kindergarten costs $204 per month in Nakuru and $162 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $606 in Nakuru and $436 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.