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 $430 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $786 per month in Thika vs $770 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,109 per month in Thika vs $1,110 in Kilifi, rent included.

Thika costs about 8% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Thika and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Thika 65% lower, Kilifi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 KES 699

$2.27 KES 294

137.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.52 KES 4,982

$50.9 KES 6,581

-24.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 KES 903

$2.37 KES 307

194.94%

Cappuccino

$2.47 KES 319

$1.91 KES 247

29.32%

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

$0.74 KES 95.7

$0.80 KES 103

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.7

$0.76 KES 98.0

-34.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KES 216

$1.89 KES 244

-11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 254

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$0.88 KES 114

6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 57.3

$0.75 KES 97.0

-41.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 KES 171

$1.96 KES 254

-32.65%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$1.88 KES 243

-27.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 KES 1,523

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 KES 877

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.89 KES 244

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 KES 399

$2.28 KES 295

35.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.90 KES 117

18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 KES 280

$1.79 KES 232

20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.70 KES 90.1

48.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.64 KES 82.4

68.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$0.60 KES 77.4

93.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 103

$0.24 KES 31.20

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 KES 293

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 KES 769

$12.57 KES 1,625

-52.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 KES 226

$1.97 KES 255

-11.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 KES 3,458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 KES 199

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

$0.76 KES 97.9

107.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 KES 376

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.31 KES 170

-22.14%

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

$21.8K 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)

$35.00 KES 4,527

$15.25 KES 1,972

129.51%

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

$16.95 KES 2,192

$10.26 KES 1,326

65.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.53 KES 5,112

$24.87 KES 3,217

58.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.59 KES 3,568

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 KES 812

$7.57 KES 979

-17.04%

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

$203 KES 26.2K

$163 KES 21.0K

24.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,055 KES 1.0M

$4,961 KES 641.5K

62.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.17 KES 2,350

$9.76 KES 1,263

86.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.40 KES 3,155

$9.06 KES 1,172

169.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 KES 8,489

$15.31 KES 1,980

328.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.3 KES 7,407

$17.27 KES 2,234

231.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 KES 34.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$619 KES 80.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.5K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Thika versus $51.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $177 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, $430 in Kilifi – roughly 8% 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 $645 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 $39.00 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 77% 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 $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, Thika makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.