Cost of Living Comparison Between Isiolo and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Isiolo and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $490 in Isiolo versus $782 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $806 in Isiolo versus $1,273 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,122 in Isiolo versus $1,764 in Nairobi.

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 37% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isiolo 63% lower, Nairobi 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 KES 694

$5.30 KES 685

1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.99 KES 3,874

$39.40 KES 5,091

-23.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.85 KES 498

$6.67 KES 861

-42.28%

Cappuccino

$2.47 KES 319

$2.48 KES 321

-0.40%

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

$0.26 KES 33.41

$0.70 KES 90.9

-62.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.34

$0.50 KES 64.9

-56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 293

$2.29 KES 296

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 KES 377

$2.94 KES 380

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 107

$0.93 KES 120

-10.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 KES 53.1

$0.56 KES 73.0

-26.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.66 KES 214

-4.22%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 175

$1.71 KES 221

-20.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 KES 1,488

$11.70 KES 1,512

-1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 KES 855

$6.58 KES 850

0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.59 KES 722

$5.70 KES 736

-1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 396

$3.04 KES 393

0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.04 KES 135

2.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 268

$2.11 KES 272

-1.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

$1.01 KES 131

-0.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

$1.12 KES 145

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.0

$0.69 KES 89.6

-1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 KES 99.0

$0.82 KES 106

-6.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 KES 407

$3.02 KES 390

4.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 KES 1,526

$11.40 KES 1,473

3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 KES 283

$2.26 KES 292

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KES 352

$2.81 KES 363

-3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.28 KES 4,042

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.59 KES 205

-3.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.55 KES 201

1.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 KES 366

$2.98 KES 385

-4.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 KES 188

$1.57 KES 203

-7.64%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

0.93%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

-1.43%

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

$34.77 KES 4,492

$33.83 KES 4,370

2.78%

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

$16.82 KES 2,173

$16.84 KES 2,176

-0.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 KES 5,175

$38.76 KES 5,008

3.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.78 KES 5,528

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.20 KES 2,610

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 KES 809

$6.37 KES 822

-1.73%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$199 KES 25.7K

1.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,189 KES 1.1M

$8,148 KES 1.1M

0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.58 KES 2,401

$18.09 KES 2,338

2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.88 KES 3,085

$23.91 KES 3,089

-0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 KES 8,389

$65.1 KES 8,404

-0.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 KES 7,333

$56.9 KES 7,352

-0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 KES 57.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 KES 23.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 KES 147.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 KES 53.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,547 KES 199.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$894 KES 115.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$777 KES 100.4K

$425 KES 54.9K

82.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

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

Last update for Isiolo: July 20, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 83% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Isiolo vs $39.00 in Nairobi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $206 per month, with Isiolo 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

Isiolo vs Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 60% lower than in Nairobi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 83% higher in Isiolo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $490 per month in Isiolo versus $782 in Nairobi – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $490 in Isiolo versus $782 in Nairobi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isiolo but tight or insufficient in Nairobi. The gap between the two cities makes Isiolo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Isiolo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $490 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isiolo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.