Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Kenya

Name: Kenya
Address: KE

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $395 a month against $710 in Kenya, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

19

Cost of Living Index in India
Learn more

India Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Kenya
Learn more

Kenya Living Index

Jump to prices

🇮🇳 India

$395

/mo nomad

🇰🇪 Kenya

$710

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India and in Kenya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in India and in Kenya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $395 in India versus $710 in Kenya.

India $395
Kenya $710

Estimated couple costs with rent: $628 in India versus $1,170 in Kenya.

India $628
Kenya $1,170

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $861 in India versus $1,629 in Kenya.

India $861
Kenya $1,629

Living in India costs about 44% less than in Kenya on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: India 71% lower, Kenya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₹203

$3.92 KES 508

-45.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.57 ₹1,004

$30.22 KES 3,918

-65.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.77 ₹358

$6.84 KES 886

-44.88%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ₹167

$2.42 KES 313

-27.27%

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

$0.42 ₹39.67

$0.67 KES 86.5

-37.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.45

$0.58 KES 75.8

-75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ₹186

$2.33 KES 302

-16.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 ₹295

$2.64 KES 342

17.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ₹59.6

$0.74 KES 95.5

-14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ₹43.45

$0.54 KES 70.5

-14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹64.3

$1.50 KES 194

-54.67%

Eggs

$0.93 ₹88.4

$1.61 KES 208

-42.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.83 ₹458

$9.45 KES 1,226

-48.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 ₹276

$5.94 KES 770

-51.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.33 KES 691

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₹190

$2.85 KES 370

-29.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ₹59.6

$1.03 KES 133

-38.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 ₹92.8

$1.76 KES 228

-44.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.04

$0.79 KES 103

-35.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.28

$0.85 KES 110

-57.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ₹36.72

$0.96 KES 125

-59.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.31

$0.71 KES 91.5

-39.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.53

$0.63 KES 81.1

-53.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 ₹488

$3.41 KES 442

50.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₹696

$11.52 KES 1,494

-36.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₹157

$2.13 KES 276

-22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₹259

$2.68 KES 347

1.87%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.08 ₹483

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₹23.70

$0.80 KES 103

-68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.49 ₹806

$46.91 KES 6,082

-81.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹97.9

$1.57 KES 204

-34.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₹23.69

$1.53 KES 198

-83.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₹153

$3.41 KES 442

-52.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₹101

$1.54 KES 200

-30.52%

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

$11.3K ₹1.1M

$19.4K KES 2.5M

-41.67%

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

$20.1K ₹1.9M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-0.52%

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

$37.73 ₹3,583

$52.3 KES 6,780

-27.84%

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

$3.58 ₹340

$12.87 KES 1,668

-72.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.89 ₹655

$37.26 KES 4,830

-81.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.63 ₹1,390

$38.32 KES 4,968

-61.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.25 ₹688

$15.29 KES 1,982

-52.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.17 ₹301

$7.78 KES 1,008

-59.25%

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

$56.5 ₹5,369

$175 KES 22.7K

-67.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,646 ₹156.3K

$9,541 KES 1.2M

-82.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.73 ₹2,158

$18.36 KES 2,380

23.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.04 ₹2,283

$21.85 KES 2,833

10.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.04 ₹3,898

$43.45 KES 5,634

-5.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.60 ₹2,906

$40.40 KES 5,237

-24.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$144 ₹13.6K

$294 KES 38.1K

-51.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.5 ₹8,691

$152 KES 19.7K

-39.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 ₹30.8K

$757 KES 98.1K

-57.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ₹20.3K

$386 KES 50.0K

-44.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,200 ₹114.0K

$1,263 KES 163.8K

-4.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$619 ₹58.8K

$914 KES 118.5K

-32.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$440 ₹41.8K

$349 KES 45.2K

26.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.92

13.64

-34.60%

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

Last update for India: October 19, 2026

Last update for Kenya: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

India

$102 25.8%

Kenya

$185 26% 80.9% $83

Accommodation & Living

India

$92 23.1%

Kenya

$152 21.4% 65.7% $60

Eating Out

India

$68 17.1%

Kenya

$103 14.5% 51.8% $35

Clothing & Footwear

India

$53 13.5%

Kenya

$56 7.9% 4.8% $2.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

India

$48 12.2%

Kenya

$102 14.4% 112% $54

Sport & Entertainment

India

$21 5.3%

Kenya

$54 7.6% 157% $33

Getting Around

India

$12 3%

Kenya

$59 8.4% 404% $48

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $119 in India, $96.0 in Kenya. Capital cities: $271 in Delhi vs $447 in Nairobi.

National salary averages: $413 in India, $330 in Kenya. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 24% higher in India.

Dining out costs 190% more in Kenya.

Salaries are 25% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know

🇮🇳 India

🇰🇪 Kenya

🕒 Local time

17:59 5:59 PM

15:29 3:29 PM

2 h 30 min behind India

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,326,093,247

48,468,138

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

India Kenya 5,440 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

India
Kenya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

India vs Kenya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $395 per month in India and $710 in Kenya, there's a 80% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Overall, India is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.

In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Kenya it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

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