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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $516 per month in Thika vs $630 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $873 per month in Thika vs $1,038 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,229 per month in Thika vs $1,446 in Kilifi, rent included.

Thika is about 18% cheaper than Kilifi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thika and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Thika 62% lower, Kilifi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 KES 456

$1.96 KES 254

79.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.14 KES 4,546

$49.48 KES 6,401

-28.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 KES 818

$2.37 KES 307

166.67%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 247

$1.96 KES 254

-2.55%

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

$0.29 KES 38.12

$0.81 KES 104

-64.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 72.0

$0.75 KES 96.7

-25.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.56 KES 202

26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 282

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$1.09 KES 141

-36.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.4

$0.83 KES 108

-43.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$2.06 KES 267

-43.69%

Eggs

$1.41 KES 182

$1.93 KES 250

-26.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 KES 1,343

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 KES 798

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.01 KES 518

$7.95 KES 1,028

-49.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$2.34 KES 303

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 KES 78.6

$0.72 KES 93.2

-15.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.72 KES 223

-54.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.48 KES 61.7

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.55

$0.80 KES 104

-52.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 KES 57.7

$0.78 KES 101

-42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 KES 92.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.90

$0.24 KES 31.05

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 KES 348

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 KES 757

$12.50 KES 1,617

-53.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 KES 228

$1.72 KES 223

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 KES 243

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.93 KES 3,485

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 196

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 KES 122

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 KES 365

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 KES 185

$1.38 KES 178

3.62%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

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

$19.5K KES 2.5M

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

$35.13 KES 4,545

$15.34 KES 1,985

129.01%

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

$15.08 KES 1,951

$10.23 KES 1,323

47.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.87 KES 4,511

$25.09 KES 3,246

38.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.65 KES 5,906

$28.14 KES 3,640

62.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 KES 1,006

$7.51 KES 971

3.60%

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

$54.5 KES 7,046

$161 KES 20.8K

-66.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,434 KES 444.2K

$4,960 KES 641.7K

-30.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.79 KES 3,466

$9.61 KES 1,243

178.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 KES 3,409

$9.06 KES 1,172

190.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.0 KES 8,146

$15.33 KES 1,983

310.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.58 KES 2,533

$17.41 KES 2,252

12.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$100 KES 13.0K

$328 KES 42.5K

-69.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.8 KES 7,471

$307 KES 39.8K

-81.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 KES 35.0K

$273 KES 35.4K

-1.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 KES 23.2K

$564 KES 72.9K

-68.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$625 KES 80.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.4K

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 Thika: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $100 in Thika versus $328 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 $35.00 in Thika versus $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $150 in Thika 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

Thika vs Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $516 in Thika, $630 in Kilifi – roughly 22% apart. Kilifi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $774 per month in Thika 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 Thika, 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 $35.00 in Thika and $49.00 in Kilifi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Kilifi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $516 in Thika and $630 in Kilifi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Thika – 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 Thika. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kilifi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.