Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Kenya Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Kenya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,796 in Italy versus $463 in Kenya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,739 in Italy versus $761 in Kenya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Italy versus $1,058 in Kenya.

Living in Italy is roughly 288% more expensive than in Kenya on average.

Italy (30% above) and Kenya (66% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.24 €18.26
$3.21 KES 415
561.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.8 €69.5
$30.98 KES 4,008
160.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.41 €9.81
$6.51 KES 842
75.27%
Cappuccino
$2.08 €1.79
$2.40 KES 311
-13.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 €2.62
$0.57 KES 74.0
435.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 €1.19
$0.54 KES 70.4
155.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.79 €4.98
$2.27 KES 294
155.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 €4.95
$2.73 KES 354
110.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.46
$0.78 KES 101
117.95%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.07
$0.50 KES 64.5
382.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.01 €2.59
$1.50 KES 194
100.67%
Eggs
$4.32 €3.71
$1.59 KES 206
171.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.93 €15.42
$8.96 KES 1,159
100.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.67 €10.89
$6.06 KES 784
109.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.57 €17.69
$5.25 KES 679
291.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.62 €2.25
$2.77 KES 358
-5.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.84
$0.95 KES 123
126.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.80 €2.41
$1.72 KES 223
62.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.32 €2.86
$0.83 KES 107
300.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.80
$0.86 KES 111
144.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 €1.62
$0.88 KES 114
114.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$0.74 KES 96.0
109.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 €0.48
$0.57 KES 74.2
-1.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.16 €6.16
$3.25 KES 420
120.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.35 €6.32
$10.54 KES 1,364
-30.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
$2.06 KES 267
-12.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 €2.07
$2.65 KES 343
-9.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Kenya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.93 €1.66
$0.79 KES 103
144.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.24 €38.90
$38.94 KES 5,038
16.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.74 €4.93
$1.54 KES 199
272.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 €1.46
$1.53 KES 198
11.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.25 €30.30
$2.95 KES 382
1094.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 €1.75
$1.51 KES 196
35.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K €32.3K
$19.0K KES 2.5M
97.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1K €31.9K
$18.5K KES 2.4M
99.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$231 €199
$53.7 KES 6,949
330.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.34 €10.61
$13.70 KES 1,772
-9.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.17 €26.80
$36.41 KES 4,710
-14.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.2 €47.50
$39.63 KES 5,127
39.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.91 €21.42
$15.10 KES 1,953
64.97%
Cinema Ticket
$11.13 €9.57
$7.91 KES 1,023
40.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €489
$171 KES 22.1K
232.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K €10.8K
$9,260 KES 1.2M
35.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.0 €79.9
$17.80 KES 2,303
422.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.82 €34.23
$19.97 KES 2,584
99.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €89.6
$38.39 KES 4,966
171.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 €116
$43.09 KES 5,575
213.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Kenya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$852 €732
$299 KES 38.7K
184.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$645 €554
$152 KES 19.7K
323.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,449 €1,246
$798 KES 103.3K
81.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,084 €932
$386 KES 50.0K
180.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,813 €3,278
$1,259 KES 162.8K
202.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,357 €2,027
$935 KES 120.9K
152.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,662
$349 KES 45.1K
453.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.57
13.64
-73.83%

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

Last update for Italy: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kenya: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $755 in Italy, $97.0 in Kenya. Capital cities: $1,247 in Rome vs $452 in Nairobi.

National salary averages: $1,964 in Italy, $334 in Kenya. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 678% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 162% more in Italy.

Public transport is 514% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 488% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

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
Italy vs Kenya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Kenya?
At $1,889 per month in Italy and $418 in Kenya, there's a 352% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Kenya: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in Kenya across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in Italy or in Kenya?
In Kenya, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to Kenya?
It depends on what you're after: Kenya wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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