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: $256 in Bungoma versus $769 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $372 in Bungoma versus $1,278 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $488 in Bungoma versus $1,787 in Nairobi.

Living in Bungoma costs roughly 67% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bungoma 81% lower, Nairobi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 KES 682

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.65 KES 5,001

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 KES 885

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 308

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

$0.71 KES 91.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 KES 204

$2.26 KES 292

-30.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 KES 225

$2.82 KES 366

-38.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 KES 128

$0.88 KES 114

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 62.5

$0.57 KES 74.3

-15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 KES 175

$1.65 KES 213

-18.18%

Eggs

$1.29 KES 166

$1.69 KES 219

-23.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 KES 1,491

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 KES 854

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.76 KES 486

$5.71 KES 739

-34.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 393

$3.16 KES 409

-4.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 KES 279

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 KES 146

$0.76 KES 98.6

48.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KES 388

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 KES 1,509

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 KES 196

$2.22 KES 287

-31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 KES 226

$2.70 KES 349

-35.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.07 KES 4,020

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.50 KES 195

4.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 KES 95.5

$2.82 KES 365

-73.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 178

$1.57 KES 203

-12.74%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

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

$34.79 KES 4,502

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

$17.11 KES 2,214

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 KES 3,799

$39.66 KES 5,132

-25.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 KES 5,445

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.09 KES 2,470

$20.47 KES 2,649

-6.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 KES 503

$6.17 KES 798

-36.95%

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

$62.4 KES 8,077

$206 KES 26.7K

-69.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,139 KES 1.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.81 KES 1,529

$17.90 KES 2,317

-34.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.61 KES 3,054

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.26 KES 4,950

$64.9 KES 8,391

-41.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.64 KES 2,542

$57.6 KES 7,459

-65.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 KES 15.0K

$447 KES 57.8K

-74.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.8 KES 11.9K

$183 KES 23.6K

-49.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

$1,120 KES 144.9K

-76.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 KES 19.1K

$421 KES 54.5K

-65.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 KES 201.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 KES 115.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 KES 54.8K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $116 in Bungoma and $447 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 201% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $383 in Bungoma and $1,154 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 $447 in Nairobi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 169% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $62.4 in Bungoma versus $206 in Nairobi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $256 in Bungoma versus $769 in Nairobi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bungoma but tight or insufficient in Nairobi. The gap between the two cities makes Bungoma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 201% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.