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: $253 in Bungoma versus $765 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $373 in Bungoma versus $1,287 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $493 in Bungoma versus $1,810 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 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 KES 714

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.37 KES 4,960

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 858

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 307

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 KES 204

$2.31 KES 298

-31.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 KES 226

$2.87 KES 371

-39.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KES 134

$0.87 KES 113

19.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 KES 66.3

$0.57 KES 74.0

-10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 KES 166

$1.59 KES 206

-18.87%

Eggs

$1.31 KES 169

$1.70 KES 220

-22.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 KES 1,509

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 KES 862

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 KES 491

$5.73 KES 740

-33.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 KES 388

$3.06 KES 395

-1.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 KES 277

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 KES 146

$0.80 KES 104

41.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 393

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 KES 1,470

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 KES 205

$2.23 KES 288

-28.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 KES 215

$2.69 KES 347

-38.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.47 KES 3,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.57 KES 203

-2.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 KES 103

$2.98 KES 385

-73.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$1.57 KES 203

-13.38%

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)

$34.46 KES 4,454

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

$17.09 KES 2,208

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.98 KES 3,746

$39.70 KES 5,132

-27.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 KES 5,439

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.59 KES 2,532

$20.47 KES 2,646

-4.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 KES 502

$6.09 KES 787

-36.12%

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

$61.3 KES 7,925

$203 KES 26.3K

-69.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,007 KES 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.53 KES 1,490

$18.51 KES 2,393

-37.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.13 KES 3,119

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.77 KES 5,010

$64.8 KES 8,377

-40.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.44 KES 2,512

$57.0 KES 7,363

-65.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.1K

$455 KES 58.8K

-74.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.5 KES 12.2K

$183 KES 23.7K

-48.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.6K

$1,109 KES 143.4K

-75.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 KES 19.1K

$427 KES 55.2K

-65.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,535 KES 198.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$898 KES 116.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$440 KES 56.8K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Bungoma and $455 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 202% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $380 in Bungoma and $1,148 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: $117 in Bungoma versus $455 in Nairobi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 167% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $61.3 in Bungoma versus $203 in Nairobi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $253 in Bungoma versus $765 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 202% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.