Cost of Living Comparison Between Bungoma and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bungoma and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $260 in Bungoma versus $754 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $375 in Bungoma versus $1,271 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $490 in Bungoma versus $1,788 in Nairobi.

Living in Bungoma costs roughly 66% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bungoma 81% lower, Nairobi 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 KES 706

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.55 KES 4,976

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 KES 853

Cappuccino

$2.43 KES 314

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

$0.76 KES 98.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 KES 63.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 KES 203

$2.25 KES 291

-30.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 216

$2.86 KES 369

-41.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KES 134

$0.86 KES 111

20.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 62.6

$0.54 KES 69.4

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 KES 172

$1.65 KES 213

-19.39%

Eggs

$1.30 KES 167

$1.70 KES 219

-23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 KES 1,524

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 KES 885

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.66 KES 473

$5.52 KES 712

-33.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 KES 402

$3.01 KES 389

3.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 268

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 KES 148

$0.81 KES 104

41.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 KES 390

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 KES 1,493

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 KES 204

$2.21 KES 285

-28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 KES 218

$2.69 KES 348

-37.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 KES 4,030

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$2.98 KES 385

-74.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.52 KES 196

-6.58%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

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

$34.67 KES 4,475

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

$16.49 KES 2,128

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.68 KES 3,831

$38.76 KES 5,003

-23.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.53 KES 5,619

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 KES 2,486

$20.33 KES 2,623

-5.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.82 KES 493

$6.33 KES 817

-39.65%

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

$61.7 KES 7,957

$204 KES 26.4K

-69.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 KES 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.84 KES 1,528

$18.53 KES 2,392

-36.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.86 KES 3,079

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.59 KES 4,980

$65.3 KES 8,427

-40.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.00 KES 2,452

$56.8 KES 7,329

-66.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 KES 15.0K

$452 KES 58.3K

-74.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.7 KES 12.0K

$183 KES 23.6K

-49.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 KES 34.8K

$1,120 KES 144.5K

-75.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 KES 19.0K

$433 KES 55.9K

-66.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,525 KES 196.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$902 KES 116.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$406 KES 52.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

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

Last update for Bungoma: April 27, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $116 in Bungoma and $452 in Nairobi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Bungoma vs Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bungoma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 190% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $390 in Bungoma and $1,131 in Nairobi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $116 in Bungoma versus $452 in Nairobi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 166% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $61.7 in Bungoma versus $204 in Nairobi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bungoma gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Bungoma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nairobi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bungoma and Nairobi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bungoma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 190% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.