Cost of Living Comparison Between Eldoret and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Eldoret and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $539 in Eldoret versus $754 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $940 in Eldoret versus $1,271 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,340 in Eldoret versus $1,788 in Nairobi.

Living in Eldoret costs roughly 28% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Eldoret 60% lower, Nairobi 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 KES 715

$5.47 KES 706

1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.10 KES 4,917

$38.55 KES 4,976

-1.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 KES 898

$6.61 KES 853

5.14%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 315

$2.43 KES 314

0.41%

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

$0.74 KES 95.7

$0.76 KES 98.4

-2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.5

$0.49 KES 63.8

10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 293

$2.25 KES 291

0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 KES 368

$2.86 KES 369

-0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 KES 90.4

$0.86 KES 111

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.8

$0.54 KES 69.4

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 KES 160

$1.65 KES 213

-24.85%

Eggs

$1.64 KES 212

$1.70 KES 219

-3.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.97 KES 512

$11.81 KES 1,524

-66.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 KES 470

$6.86 KES 885

-46.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.17 KES 538

$5.52 KES 712

-24.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 407

$3.01 KES 389

4.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 KES 114

$1.09 KES 141

-18.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 KES 211

$2.08 KES 268

-21.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.01 KES 130

2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 KES 72.4

$1.03 KES 133

-45.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 KES 115

$1.17 KES 151

-23.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.2

$0.64 KES 82.4

1.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 KES 82.3

$0.81 KES 104

-20.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 KES 409

$3.02 KES 390

4.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 KES 766

$11.56 KES 1,493

-48.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 KES 218

$2.21 KES 285

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 KES 203

$2.69 KES 348

-41.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 KES 177

$0.73 KES 94.5

87.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 KES 4,030

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 203

$1.58 KES 205

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.57 KES 203

-3.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 381

$2.98 KES 385

-1.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.52 KES 196

0.66%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

-0.32%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

-0.46%

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

$33.93 KES 4,380

$34.67 KES 4,475

-2.13%

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

$16.66 KES 2,150

$16.49 KES 2,128

1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.81 KES 5,009

$38.76 KES 5,003

0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.19 KES 4,929

$43.53 KES 5,619

-12.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 KES 2,623

Cinema Ticket

$5.15 KES 664

$6.33 KES 817

-18.64%

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

$65.5 KES 8,450

$204 KES 26.4K

-67.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,025 KES 1.0M

$8,024 KES 1.0M

0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.66 KES 1,504

$18.53 KES 2,392

-37.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.97 KES 3,094

$23.86 KES 3,079

0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.57 KES 2,526

$65.3 KES 8,427

-70.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.63 KES 4,469

$56.8 KES 7,329

-39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.6 KES 11.8K

$452 KES 58.3K

-79.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.6 KES 11.7K

$183 KES 23.6K

-50.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 144.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 KES 34.6K

$433 KES 55.9K

-38.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$627 KES 80.9K

$1,525 KES 196.9K

-58.89%

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

-19.14%

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

Last update for Eldoret: April 27, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $91.6 in Eldoret and $452 in Nairobi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Eldoret vs $39.00 in Nairobi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $136 vs $206 per month, with Eldoret cheaper across the board.

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

Eldoret vs Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eldoret wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Nairobi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Eldoret the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $809 in Eldoret 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: $91.6 in Eldoret versus $452 in Nairobi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $539 per month in Eldoret versus $754 in Nairobi – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Eldoret gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Eldoret delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $539 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Eldoret hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Eldoret gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.