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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $587 per month in Nakuru vs $430 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $995 per month in Nakuru vs $770 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,403 per month in Nakuru vs $1,110 in Kilifi, rent included.

Nakuru costs about 37% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nakuru and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Nakuru 56% lower, Kilifi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 KES 443

$2.27 KES 294

50.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.95 KES 4,916

$50.9 KES 6,593

-25.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 KES 896

$2.37 KES 307

191.98%

Cappuccino

$1.70 KES 220

$1.91 KES 248

-10.99%

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

$0.38 KES 48.75

$0.80 KES 103

-52.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KES 41.55

$0.76 KES 98.2

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 KES 178

$1.89 KES 245

-27.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 KES 199

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.3

$0.88 KES 114

-40.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 62.0

$0.75 KES 97.2

-36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$1.96 KES 254

-40.82%

Eggs

$1.32 KES 170

$1.88 KES 243

-29.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 KES 1,028

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 KES 834

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.19 KES 543

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 KES 221

$2.28 KES 295

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.4

$0.90 KES 117

-51.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 KES 230

$1.79 KES 232

-0.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 KES 71.7

$0.70 KES 90.2

-21.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$0.64 KES 82.5

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 KES 73.3

$0.60 KES 77.6

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 KES 78.6

$0.24 KES 31.25

154.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 KES 256

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 KES 1,488

$12.57 KES 1,628

-8.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.97 KES 255

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 KES 232

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.75 KES 97.6

5.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.55 KES 3,440

$26.74 KES 3,464

-0.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 KES 97.0

$0.76 KES 98.1

-1.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 KES 364

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 KES 163

$1.31 KES 170

-3.82%

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)

$14.9K KES 1.9M

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

$31.44 KES 4,072

$15.25 KES 1,976

106.16%

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

$16.75 KES 2,170

$10.26 KES 1,329

63.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.81 KES 5,157

$24.87 KES 3,222

60.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.56 KES 5,903

$27.59 KES 3,574

65.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 KES 698

$7.57 KES 981

-28.80%

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

$200 KES 25.9K

$163 KES 21.1K

23.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,810 KES 493.6K

$4,961 KES 642.6K

-23.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 KES 2,368

$9.76 KES 1,265

87.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.64 KES 3,062

$9.06 KES 1,174

160.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.95 KES 4,917

$15.31 KES 1,984

147.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.6 KES 7,077

$17.27 KES 2,238

216.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.7K

$177 KES 22.9K

29.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$114 KES 14.7K

1.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 KES 49.7K

$266 KES 34.5K

44.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 KES 35.0K

$269 KES 34.8K

0.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.5K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: May 31, 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 $38.00 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: $587 in Nakuru, $430 in Kilifi – roughly 37% apart. Nakuru costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $881 per month in Nakuru and $645 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 $200 per month in Nakuru and $163 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 $587 in Nakuru and $430 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.