Cost of Living Comparison Between Thika and Kilifi Cost of Living Comparison Between Thika and Kilifi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $463 per month in Thika vs $436 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $792 per month in Thika vs $782 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,120 per month in Thika vs $1,128 in Kilifi, rent included.

Thika costs about 6% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Thika and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Thika 65% lower, Kilifi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 KES 690

$2.25 KES 291

137.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.05 KES 4,917

$50.9 KES 6,573

-25.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 KES 863

$2.30 KES 297

190.43%

Cappuccino

$2.36 KES 305

$1.90 KES 246

24.21%

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

$0.75 KES 96.4

$0.74 KES 95.8

1.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.9

$0.78 KES 101

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 KES 215

$1.98 KES 256

-16.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 119

$0.88 KES 114

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$0.81 KES 104

-40.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 KES 178

$1.90 KES 246

-27.37%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$1.80 KES 233

-23.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 KES 1,484

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 KES 850

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 KES 402

$2.31 KES 298

34.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$0.85 KES 109

27.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 269

$1.83 KES 236

13.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.66 KES 84.7

57.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$0.64 KES 83.0

60.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$0.64 KES 82.4

81.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.24 KES 31.15

241.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 KES 292

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 KES 760

$12.82 KES 1,656

-54.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 KES 218

$1.95 KES 253

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 KES 3,559

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$0.80 KES 103

88.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 372

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.37 KES 177

-21.90%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

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

$34.70 KES 4,484

$15.61 KES 2,017

122.29%

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

$16.92 KES 2,186

$10.28 KES 1,329

64.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.27 KES 5,073

$25.26 KES 3,263

55.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.03 KES 3,622

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 KES 822

$7.62 KES 985

-16.40%

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

$206 KES 26.6K

$162 KES 20.9K

27.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,982 KES 1.0M

$5,072 KES 655.3K

57.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.00 KES 2,326

$9.52 KES 1,229

89.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.70 KES 3,063

$8.67 KES 1,121

173.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 KES 8,297

$15.59 KES 2,014

311.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 KES 7,236

$17.13 KES 2,213

226.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$609 KES 78.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 KES 30.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

43.75%

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

Last update for Thika: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Thika versus $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $176 in Thika 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

Thika vs Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $463 in Thika, $436 in Kilifi – roughly 6% apart. Thika costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $694 per month in Thika and $655 in Kilifi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Thika 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 75% more in Thika, 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 $463 in Thika 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, Thika makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.