Cost of Living in Kilifi, Kilifi
Kilifi, Kilifi, Kenya: CPI 17.9, rent index 5.9, purchasing power 14.4. 1BR centre rent ~KSh 26,639 KES. Net salary ~KSh 115,171 KES. Data: Regional.
Author: CityCost Global · Methodology · Data Sources · Last updated: 2026-08-21
Key metrics
- Country: Kenya
- Currency: KES
- Avg 1BR rent (centre): KSh 26,639
- Avg net salary: KSh 115,171
- Cost of living index (CPI): 17.9
- Rent index: 5.9
- Purchasing power index: 14.4
- Groceries sample (milk 1L): KSh 46
- Transport ticket: KSh 39
- Utilities (85m²): KSh 1,522
- Restaurant meal: KSh 503
Kilifi overview
Use this Kilifi, Kilifi, Kenya knowledge page to inspect verified living-cost signals. Figures are composed from CityCost reference data (Regional, ★★★☆☆ Regional estimation) and eligibility metadata; optional domains without verified sources are listed as unavailable instead of invented. Primary timezone reference on record: Africa/Nairobi. Local currency for published prices: KES (KSh). Coordinates on record: -3.63, 39.85. Internal tier signal on record: 5. Readers should treat city-centre references as anchors, then validate neighbourhood leases, taxes, and visas independently before relocating. Verified information is currently unavailable for: nearby airports, climate, major industries, education, healthcare, safety. Those topics are omitted rather than estimated.
Metro definitions vary across Kenya; treat city-wide averages as planning anchors and validate neighbourhood rents independently.
Average monthly net salary (after tax) on record is about KSh 115,171 KES. Purchasing power index 14.4 describes how far a typical local salary stretches against local prices. Stress-test affordability by comparing the KSh 26,639 KES 1BR centre reference against KSh 115,171 KES net pay, then adjusting for your actual housing target. Offers denominated in foreign currency should be converted carefully; published figures on this page stay in KES. Industry wage premiums are not asserted without verified payroll datasets. Students and new graduates may earn below the average net salary figure — treat KSh 115,171 KES as a market midpoint signal, not a personal guarantee.
These values are estimated using state/regional baselines and city-tier adjustments.
Housing costs
A reference 1-bedroom apartment in the city centre averages about KSh 26,639 KES per month in the published basket. The rent index (5.9) situates that housing pressure relative to the global baseline used by CityCost. On published figures, the centre 1BR reference is about 23% of the average net monthly salary — a stress-test ratio, not a household budget. Neighbourhood choice, building age, and furnishings can move actual leases well above or below the city-centre reference. Outer districts often price differently from the CBD sample. When comparing Kilifi to peers, prefer paired rent indices on comparison pages rather than converting foreign rents with informal FX guesses.
Suburban or older stock can undercut CBD averages substantially. Families should model 2–3BR premiums and deposits; students should price shared flats near transit. Cross-check Kilifi against nearby peers on this site before locking a budget.
Food & groceries
Kilifi's day-to-day living mix depends on district density, dining habits, and transport mode — use the published indices as anchors rather than anecdote. With CPI at 17.9, everyday services and goods sit below the NYC baseline on this methodology. Fixed monthly anchors on record include transport tickets (~KSh 39 KES one-way) and utilities (~KSh 1,522 KES for the 85m² sample). Lifestyle fit also depends on education, healthcare, and safety — verified overviews for those domains are unavailable on this page and are therefore omitted.
Tourist corridors often inflate dining samples. Build a personal basket (home cooking vs eating out) and compare with similar-cost cities linked below. Groceries usually move with CPI more tightly than luxury dining.
Transport
A one-way local transport ticket averages about KSh 39 KES in the reference basket for Kilifi. That single-ticket proxy does not equal a monthly commute budget: passes, ride-hail, fuel, parking, and last-mile costs can dominate for some households. Remote-first workers may underweight transport relative to rent; on-site workers should model peak-hour routes before treating KSh 39 KES as representative.
Commuters should price monthly passes and last-mile gaps; car ownership adds insurance, parking, and fuel outside this basket. Pair transport with housing: a cheaper suburb can erase savings if every commute is long.
Typical monthly budget
Illustrative single-adult monthly sketch for Kilifi using on-page samples (not a quote): rent ~KSh 26,639, utilities ~KSh 1,522, transit scaled from ticket samples, and a mixed grocery/dining allowance. Core essentials land near KSh 35,097 KES; a modest lifestyle buffer ~KSh 40,362; a more comfortable buffer ~KSh 50,891.
Compare essentials with net salary KSh 115,171. If rent alone exceeds ~35–40% of net pay, look at outer districts or similar-cost cities linked below. Utilities notes: Basic utilities for an 85m² apartment average about KSh 1,522 KES in the reference basket (electricity, heating/cooling, water, garbage — before internet and mobile). Seasonal heating or cooling can change monthly totals. Verified climate time series are not attached on this page, so weather-driven utility swings are not estimated here. Add broadband and mobile plans separately when building a relocation spreadsheet for Kilifi, Kilifi, Kenya..
- CPI 17.9 · Rent index 5.9 · PP 14.4
- Currency: KES
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆ Regional estimation
FAQ
How reliable is cost data for Kilifi?
This page uses Regional with confidence label "★★★☆☆ Regional estimation". These values are estimated using state/regional baselines and city-tier adjustments. Optional domains without sources are omitted rather than invented.
Is Kilifi cheaper than Nairobi?
Open the side-by-side comparison for Kilifi and Nairobi for CPI, rent, and purchasing power. A single city page cannot settle pairwise rankings without the paired indices.
Which cities near Kilifi should I compare?
Indexed nearby options include Nairobi, Baringo, Bungoma. Open each city page or a compare URL to inspect CPI and rent together.
Is Kilifi expensive?
Kilifi, Kilifi, Kenya has a CPI of 17.9 (NYC=100). Whether that feels expensive depends on your income (reference net salary ~KSh 115,171 KES) and whether housing tracks the rent index or a premium micro-market.
How much rent should I expect in Kilifi?
A reference 1-bedroom city-centre apartment averages about KSh 26,639 KES per month. Outer districts and shared flats can price lower; tourist cores can price higher.
What salary is needed to live in Kilifi?
Reference net salary is about KSh 115,171 KES. Stress-test against the KSh 26,639 KES 1BR centre benchmark plus utilities and transport before treating the average as “enough.”
Is Kilifi good for students?
Students should prioritize housing: the 1BR centre reference is KSh 26,639 KES. Shared housing and campus location can change budgets substantially versus that headline.
Is Kilifi good for families?
Families should model 2–3BR rents, schooling, and healthcare separately — those verified datasets are not attached on this page. Use CPI 17.9 and salary/rent as starting anchors only.
What is a realistic monthly budget in Kilifi?
Start with centre 1BR rent (KSh 26,639), add utilities (KSh 1,522), transit, and groceries/dining. Compare the total with net salary KSh 115,171 and purchasing power 14.4.
How does Kilifi compare on groceries and dining?
Groceries index 25.3, restaurant index 15.6. Sample milk KSh 46; inexpensive meal KSh 503 KES.
Where can I compare Kilifi with other cities?
Try Nairobi vs Kilifi; Baringo vs Kilifi; Bungoma vs Kilifi, or use the homepage calculator with any pair.
Planning a move to Kilifi
Kilifi, Kilifi is best evaluated as rent-to-wage fit first, CPI second. With CPI 17.9, rent index 5.9, and purchasing power 14.4, decide which constraint binds your household—shelter, everyday prices, or local wages.
Next steps: open Nairobi, Baringo, Bungoma for nearby alternatives, run a side-by-side in the calculator, and read Methodology if confidence is ★★★☆☆ Regional estimation. Country context: cost of living in Kenya.
Kilifi, Kilifi, Kenya: CPI 17.9, rent index 5.9, purchasing power 14.4. 1BR centre rent ~KSh 26,639 KES. Net salary ~KSh 115,171 KES. Data: Regional.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- ★★★☆☆ Regional estimation
On-page labels for this view: Regional · ★★★☆☆ Regional estimation.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.