Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Kenya Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Kenya

Name: Kenya
Address: KE

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in China versus $443 in Kenya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $736 in Kenya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $1,029 in Kenya.

Living in China is roughly 60% more expensive than Kenya on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Kenya 67% lower.

China ($523–$1,194) and Kenya ($0–$763) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.51

$3.97 KES 513

-27.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.89 ¥163

$35.26 KES 4,551

-32.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ¥32.61

$6.79 KES 876

-29.75%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥21.02

$2.28 KES 294

35.09%

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

$0.44 ¥2.99

$0.72 KES 92.8

-38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.51 KES 65.6

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ¥6.36

$2.26 KES 292

-58.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.96

$2.63 KES 340

-22.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.16

$0.75 KES 97.0

137.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥10.94

$0.50 KES 64.5

220.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.70

$1.35 KES 174

-27.41%

Eggs

$1.55 ¥10.60

$1.53 KES 198

1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 ¥90.3

$10.56 KES 1,363

25.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥23.13

$6.62 KES 854

-48.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.52 ¥71.9

$5.24 KES 676

100.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.59

$2.84 KES 367

-35.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.89

$1.03 KES 133

26.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ¥10.03

$1.88 KES 242

-21.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.83

$0.90 KES 116

27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.94

$0.87 KES 113

-17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.40

$0.95 KES 123

-1.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.16

$0.68 KES 87.3

-10.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.61

$0.70 KES 90.7

-24.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 ¥24.15

$3.07 KES 397

15.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$9.91 KES 1,280

19.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.39

$2.04 KES 264

-61.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.51

$2.66 KES 343

-36.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.79 KES 103

-44.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.98 ¥143

$29.86 KES 3,854

-29.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.39

$1.51 KES 195

-8.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.40

$1.51 KES 195

-76.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥46.13

$3.02 KES 390

123.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.93

$1.48 KES 191

-21.62%

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

$19.7K ¥134.8K

$19.2K KES 2.5M

2.95%

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

$16.9K ¥115.8K

$18.0K KES 2.3M

-5.59%

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

$50.3 ¥344

$33.01 KES 4,260

52.38%

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

$10.04 ¥68.5

$14.90 KES 1,923

-32.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.39 ¥77.8

$38.55 KES 4,976

-70.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.16 ¥274

$37.86 KES 4,886

6.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.68 ¥100

$20.16 KES 2,602

-27.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 ¥42.39

$6.30 KES 813

-1.43%

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

$402 ¥2,746

$161 KES 20.7K

150.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ¥119.1K

$7,594 KES 980.2K

129.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.39 ¥317

$14.05 KES 1,814

230.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.60 ¥223

$21.20 KES 2,737

53.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ¥487

$49.42 KES 6,379

44.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 ¥511

$47.02 KES 6,069

59.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ¥2,931

$307 KES 39.6K

39.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ¥1,783

$148 KES 19.1K

76.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ¥6,253

$845 KES 109.1K

8.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ¥3,725

$352 KES 45.4K

55.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,127 ¥35.0K

$1,402 KES 180.9K

265.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,614 ¥17.9K

$922 KES 119.0K

183.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,061 ¥7,244

$342 KES 44.1K

210.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

13.57

-70.08%

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

Last update for China: April 12, 2026

Last update for Kenya: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $83 in Kenya. Capital cities: $914 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $449 in Nairobi.

National salary averages: $833 in China, $325 in Kenya. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 246% higher in China.

Dining out costs 33% more in Kenya.

Public transport is 157% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 156% higher in China, giving China 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

China vs Kenya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $859 per month in China and $382 in Kenya, there's a 125% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Kenya is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in China beats Kenya across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Kenya, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In China, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Kenya wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.