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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,183 per month in Australia vs $443 in Kenya, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Australia vs $736 in Kenya, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,254 per month in Australia vs $1,029 in Kenya, rent included.

Australia costs about 393% more than Kenya on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 62% above the global median, while Kenya is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,609$2,768) than Kenya ($0$763), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.48 A$23.08
$3.97 KES 513
315.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.8 A$108
$35.26 KES 4,551
117.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 A$13.29
$6.79 KES 876
39.91%
Cappuccino
$3.41 A$4.77
$2.28 KES 294
49.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 A$3.62
$0.72 KES 92.8
259.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 A$3.08
$0.51 KES 65.6
331.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.35 A$8.89
$2.26 KES 292
180.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.00 A$9.80
$2.63 KES 340
166.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 A$2.09
$0.75 KES 97.0
98.67%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 A$3.41
$0.50 KES 64.5
388.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.09 A$2.92
$1.35 KES 174
54.81%
Eggs
$4.31 A$6.04
$1.53 KES 198
181.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.99 A$12.58
$10.56 KES 1,363
-14.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.47 A$11.85
$6.62 KES 854
27.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.71 A$19.19
$5.24 KES 676
161.64%
Apples (1kg)
$3.15 A$4.41
$2.84 KES 367
10.92%
Banana (1kg)
$2.70 A$3.78
$1.03 KES 133
162.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 A$4.05
$1.88 KES 242
53.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.42 A$6.19
$0.90 KES 116
391.11%
Potato (1kg)
$2.51 A$3.51
$0.87 KES 113
188.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 A$2.93
$0.95 KES 123
120.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 A$3.19
$0.68 KES 87.3
235.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 A$2.12
$0.70 KES 90.7
117.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$31.27 A$43.77
$3.07 KES 397
918.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.43 A$20.20
$9.91 KES 1,280
45.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.44 A$6.21
$2.04 KES 264
117.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.03 A$7.05
$2.66 KES 343
89.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Kenya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.86 A$4.00
$0.79 KES 103
262.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.7 A$135
$29.86 KES 3,854
223.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.67 A$5.14
$1.51 KES 195
143.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 A$2.45
$1.51 KES 195
15.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.40 A$52.4
$3.02 KES 390
1138.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 A$1.63
$1.48 KES 191
-21.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2K A$40.9K
$19.2K KES 2.5M
52.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K A$31.6K
$18.0K KES 2.3M
25.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$175 A$245
$33.01 KES 4,260
429.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.88 A$36.23
$14.90 KES 1,923
73.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.3 A$73.3
$38.55 KES 4,976
35.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.98 A$65.8
$37.86 KES 4,886
24.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.32 A$22.85
$20.16 KES 2,602
-19.05%
Cinema Ticket
$13.87 A$19.41
$6.30 KES 813
120.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,587 A$2,221
$161 KES 20.7K
887.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$17.8K
$7,594 KES 980.2K
66.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.3 A$98.4
$14.05 KES 1,814
400.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.95 A$69.9
$21.20 KES 2,737
135.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 A$141
$49.42 KES 6,379
103.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 A$156
$47.02 KES 6,069
137.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Kenya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 A$1,968
$307 KES 39.6K
357.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,109 A$1,552
$148 KES 19.1K
649.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,269 A$3,176
$845 KES 109.1K
168.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,772 A$2,480
$352 KES 45.4K
403.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,610 A$10.7K
$1,402 KES 180.9K
442.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,713 A$7,999
$922 KES 119.0K
519.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Kenya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,890 A$5,447
$342 KES 44.1K
1037.96%
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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Kenya: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $83 in Kenya. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,580 in Canberra and $449 in Nairobi.

Average salary: $3,821 in Australia vs $325 in Kenya. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1384% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 175% more in Australia.

Public transport is 857% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1076% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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 474% 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 474% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in Australia or 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 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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