Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Kenya Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Kenya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,186 per month in Australia vs $444 in Kenya, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Australia vs $737 in Kenya, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,252 per month in Australia vs $1,029 in Kenya, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 392% higher than in Kenya on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 64% above the global median, while Kenya is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.37 A$23.38
$3.94 KES 509
315.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.7 A$111
$34.90 KES 4,509
122.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.59 A$13.70
$7.14 KES 922
34.31%
Cappuccino
$3.45 A$4.93
$2.30 KES 297
50.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 A$3.76
$0.70 KES 90.9
275.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 A$3.06
$0.53 KES 68.9
303.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.34 A$9.06
$2.35 KES 304
169.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.03 A$10.04
$2.63 KES 340
167.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 A$2.18
$0.82 KES 106
85.37%
White Bread (500g)
$2.50 A$3.57
$0.51 KES 65.7
390.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.06 A$2.95
$1.40 KES 181
47.14%
Eggs
$4.22 A$6.03
$1.57 KES 202
168.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.96 A$12.80
$10.27 KES 1,327
-12.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 A$11.93
$6.48 KES 837
28.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.74 A$19.62
$5.15 KES 666
166.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 A$4.48
$2.85 KES 368
10.18%
Banana (1kg)
$2.73 A$3.90
$0.98 KES 126
178.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.93 A$4.19
$1.87 KES 241
56.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.43 A$6.33
$0.89 KES 115
397.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.56 A$3.66
$0.82 KES 105
212.20%
Onion (1kg)
$2.12 A$3.03
$0.95 KES 123
123.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 A$3.11
$0.68 KES 88.0
220.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.57 A$2.24
$0.70 KES 90.3
124.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$30.82 A$44.02
$3.06 KES 396
907.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.17 A$20.24
$9.41 KES 1,216
50.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.60 A$6.57
$2.04 KES 263
125.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 A$6.96
$2.69 KES 347
81.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Kenya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.99 A$4.27
$0.76 KES 98.1
293.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.7 A$138
$29.64 KES 3,830
226.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.53 A$5.04
$1.54 KES 198
129.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.81 A$2.59
$1.58 KES 204
14.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.32 A$53.3
$3.06 KES 395
1119.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 A$1.66
$1.55 KES 200
-25.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K A$42.1K
$19.3K KES 2.5M
52.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6K A$32.2K
$17.6K KES 2.3M
27.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 A$251
$32.80 KES 4,238
436.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.75 A$38.20
$15.12 KES 1,954
76.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.9 A$76.9
$38.73 KES 5,003
39.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.11 A$67.3
$36.97 KES 4,776
27.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.57 A$23.66
$19.61 KES 2,534
-15.50%
Cinema Ticket
$13.42 A$19.17
$6.21 KES 802
116.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,572 A$2,245
$165 KES 21.3K
851.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$18.2K
$7,582 KES 979.6K
67.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.8 A$101
$14.42 KES 1,863
391.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.0 A$71.4
$21.06 KES 2,721
137.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 A$144
$49.21 KES 6,358
105.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 A$159
$45.77 KES 5,914
143.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Kenya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,372 A$1,960
$303 KES 39.2K
352.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,077 A$1,537
$148 KES 19.1K
626.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,353 A$3,361
$859 KES 111.0K
174.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,747 A$2,496
$357 KES 46.1K
389.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,882 A$11.3K
$1,424 KES 184.0K
453.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,906 A$8,435
$937 KES 121.1K
529.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,960 A$5,656
$348 KES 45.0K
1036.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.35
13.57
-53.21%

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

Last update for Australia: July 22, 2026

Last update for Kenya: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,230 in Australia vs $82.0 in Kenya. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,556 in Canberra and $446 in Nairobi.

Average salary: $3,824 in Australia vs $328 in Kenya. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1400% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 175% more in Australia.

Public transport is 857% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1066% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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
Australia vs Kenya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Kenya?
Kenya is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 461% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Kenya, contributing to the overall 461% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in Australia or in Kenya?
$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Kenya, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to Kenya?
Kenya is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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