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: $514 in Isiolo versus $844 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $840 in Isiolo versus $1,376 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,166 in Isiolo versus $1,908 in Nairobi.

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 39% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isiolo 63% lower, Nairobi 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 KES 510

$3.75 KES 485

5.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.21 KES 4,555

$35.04 KES 4,533

0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.29 KES 814

$6.31 KES 816

-0.32%

Cappuccino

$2.73 KES 354

$2.70 KES 350

1.11%

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

$0.56 KES 72.1

$0.60 KES 77.5

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 KES 71.4

$0.52 KES 67.2

5.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 KES 298

$2.34 KES 302

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 KES 357

$2.75 KES 356

0.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 KES 110

$0.89 KES 116

-4.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 72.9

$0.57 KES 73.3

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 KES 239

$1.85 KES 240

Eggs

$1.72 KES 222

$1.70 KES 220

1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 KES 1,323

$10.55 KES 1,365

-3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 KES 799

$6.30 KES 815

-1.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 KES 819

$6.09 KES 788

3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 KES 423

$3.38 KES 438

-3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$1.00 KES 130

1.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 KES 264

$1.95 KES 253

4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 KES 145

$1.06 KES 138

5.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.06 KES 137

2.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$1.04 KES 135

0.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 KES 93.4

$0.69 KES 89.1

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 KES 99.6

$0.73 KES 94.3

5.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 KES 461

$3.39 KES 439

5.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 KES 1,482

$11.53 KES 1,492

-0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 KES 299

$2.22 KES 287

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 355

$2.72 KES 352

0.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.72 KES 6,044

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 KES 201

$1.50 KES 194

4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.58 KES 204

-0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 380

$2.95 KES 381

-0.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.52 KES 196

-9.87%

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

$20.6K KES 2.7M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

2.57%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$19.6K KES 2.5M

0.91%

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

$61.9 KES 8,002

$62.0 KES 8,020

-0.23%

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

$15.31 KES 1,981

$15.43 KES 1,996

-0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.94 KES 4,520

$34.66 KES 4,484

0.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 KES 6,592

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.56 KES 1,884

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 KES 982

$7.92 KES 1,025

-4.17%

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

$236 KES 30.6K

$234 KES 30.3K

0.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K KES 1.5M

-0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.78 KES 3,464

$26.93 KES 3,484

-0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.71 KES 3,327

$25.62 KES 3,315

0.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 KES 8,239

$64.2 KES 8,305

-0.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 KES 7,663

$59.8 KES 7,730

-0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 KES 59.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 KES 27.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 KES 149.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 KES 65.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,344 KES 173.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$912 KES 117.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 KES 98.6K

$473 KES 61.2K

61.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

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

Last update for Isiolo: September 1, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Isiolo vs $35.00 in Nairobi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $203 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 64% 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 61% 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 0% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $514 per month in Isiolo versus $844 in Nairobi – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $514 in Isiolo versus $844 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 $514 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 64% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.