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: $540 in Eldoret versus $765 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $935 in Eldoret versus $1,287 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,329 in Eldoret versus $1,810 in Nairobi.

Living in Eldoret costs roughly 29% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Eldoret 59% lower, Nairobi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 KES 689

$5.52 KES 714

-3.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.65 KES 4,995

$38.37 KES 4,960

0.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 KES 862

$6.64 KES 858

0.45%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 315

$2.38 KES 307

2.52%

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

$0.75 KES 97.3

$0.74 KES 95.8

1.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 KES 304

$2.31 KES 298

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 372

$2.87 KES 371

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 KES 97.7

$0.87 KES 113

-12.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.3

$0.57 KES 74.0

-17.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 KES 159

$1.59 KES 206

-22.64%

Eggs

$1.58 KES 204

$1.70 KES 220

-7.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.92 KES 507

$11.67 KES 1,509

-66.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 KES 474

$6.67 KES 862

-44.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.30 KES 556

$5.73 KES 740

-24.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 KES 390

$3.06 KES 395

-1.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 112

$1.09 KES 141

-20.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 KES 213

$2.14 KES 277

-22.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$1.01 KES 130

3.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 KES 72.3

$1.02 KES 132

-45.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 KES 115

$1.13 KES 146

-21.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$0.69 KES 89.4

-7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 KES 83.6

$0.80 KES 104

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 KES 409

$3.04 KES 393

3.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 KES 731

$11.38 KES 1,470

-50.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 KES 228

$2.23 KES 288

-21.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 KES 205

$2.69 KES 347

-40.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 KES 176

$0.80 KES 103

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.47 KES 3,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.59 KES 206

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 382

$2.98 KES 385

-1.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 201

$1.57 KES 203

-1.27%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

1.80%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

1.19%

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

$33.69 KES 4,354

$34.46 KES 4,454

-2.23%

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

$17.12 KES 2,213

$17.09 KES 2,208

0.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 KES 5,110

$39.70 KES 5,132

-0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.33 KES 4,954

$42.08 KES 5,439

-8.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 KES 2,646

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 KES 640

$6.09 KES 787

-18.72%

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

$63.4 KES 8,191

$203 KES 26.3K

-68.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,183 KES 1.1M

$8,007 KES 1.0M

2.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.47 KES 1,482

$18.51 KES 2,393

-38.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.98 KES 3,099

$24.13 KES 3,119

-0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.64 KES 2,539

$64.8 KES 8,377

-69.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.13 KES 4,411

$57.0 KES 7,363

-40.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.5 KES 12.2K

$455 KES 58.8K

-79.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.6 KES 11.7K

$183 KES 23.7K

-50.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 KES 143.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

$427 KES 55.2K

-37.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$610 KES 78.9K

$1,535 KES 198.4K

-60.24%

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

-19.14%

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

Last update for Eldoret: July 26, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $94.5 in Eldoret and $455 in Nairobi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Eldoret vs $38.00 in Nairobi. Groceries flip the comparison at $136 vs $206, with Eldoret cheaper for home cooking.

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 42% 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 $810 in Eldoret 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: $94.5 in Eldoret versus $455 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 $540 per month in Eldoret versus $765 in Nairobi – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $540 in Eldoret versus $765 in Nairobi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Eldoret but tight or insufficient in Nairobi. The gap between the two cities makes Eldoret the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Eldoret delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $540 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 42% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.