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: $533 in Eldoret versus $769 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $927 in Eldoret versus $1,278 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,320 in Eldoret versus $1,787 in Nairobi.

Living in Eldoret costs roughly 31% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Eldoret 60% lower, Nairobi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 KES 712

$5.27 KES 683

4.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.81 KES 5,028

$38.65 KES 5,007

0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 KES 894

$6.84 KES 886

0.88%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 308

$2.38 KES 309

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

$0.72 KES 93.0

$0.71 KES 91.5

1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 69.2

$0.51 KES 65.4

3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$2.26 KES 293

1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

$2.82 KES 366

3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 KES 89.9

$0.88 KES 114

-21.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 KES 58.2

$0.57 KES 74.4

-21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 KES 155

$1.65 KES 214

-27.88%

Eggs

$1.59 KES 206

$1.69 KES 219

-5.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.97 KES 514

$11.52 KES 1,493

-65.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 KES 474

$6.60 KES 855

-44.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.16 KES 539

$5.71 KES 740

-27.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 KES 404

$3.16 KES 410

-1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KES 121

$1.03 KES 134

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 KES 210

$2.15 KES 279

-24.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.00 KES 130

6.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 KES 67.6

$1.07 KES 139

-51.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.11 KES 144

-20.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.1

$0.68 KES 88.2

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 KES 82.3

$0.76 KES 98.7

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 KES 407

$3.00 KES 389

4.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 KES 761

$11.66 KES 1,511

-49.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 KES 230

$2.22 KES 287

-19.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 KES 207

$2.70 KES 350

-41.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 KES 178

$0.81 KES 104

69.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.07 KES 4,025

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 KES 199

$1.53 KES 199

0.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.50 KES 195

4.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 371

$2.82 KES 365

1.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 KES 200

$1.57 KES 203

-1.91%

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

$21.3K KES 2.8M

$21.6K KES 2.8M

-1.38%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

1.03%

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

$34.97 KES 4,530

$34.79 KES 4,507

0.52%

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

$16.86 KES 2,184

$17.11 KES 2,217

-1.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.80 KES 5,156

$39.66 KES 5,138

0.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.34 KES 4,967

$42.08 KES 5,451

-8.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 KES 2,652

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 KES 648

$6.17 KES 799

-18.80%

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

$64.2 KES 8,319

$206 KES 26.7K

-68.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,886 KES 1.0M

$8,139 KES 1.1M

-3.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.47 KES 1,487

$17.90 KES 2,319

-35.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.12 KES 3,125

$23.61 KES 3,058

2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.64 KES 2,545

$64.9 KES 8,401

-69.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.42 KES 4,459

$57.6 KES 7,468

-40.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 KES 12.0K

$447 KES 57.9K

-79.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.0 KES 11.7K

$183 KES 23.7K

-50.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 145.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 KES 35.0K

$421 KES 54.6K

-35.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$618 KES 80.0K

$1,558 KES 201.9K

-60.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 KES 115.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 KES 54.8K

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.4 in Eldoret and $447 in Nairobi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Eldoret vs $39.00 in Nairobi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $136 vs $205 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 44% 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 $800 in Eldoret 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: $92.4 in Eldoret versus $447 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 $533 per month in Eldoret versus $769 in Nairobi – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $533 in Eldoret versus $769 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 $533 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 44% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.