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: $1,717 in Italy versus $443 in Kenya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,624 in Italy versus $736 in Kenya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,530 in Italy versus $1,028 in Kenya.

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

Italy (28% above) and Kenya (67% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.44 €15.13
$3.86 KES 499
351.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €68.9
$34.60 KES 4,474
129.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 €10.20
$6.94 KES 897
69.45%
Cappuccino
$2.00 €1.73
$2.29 KES 296
-12.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.61
$0.71 KES 91.4
322.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.17
$0.54 KES 69.4
150.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 €5.15
$2.27 KES 294
161.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.65
$2.75 KES 356
94.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.42
$0.76 KES 98.0
115.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.09
$0.50 KES 64.6
382.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.60
$1.39 KES 180
115.11%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.44
$1.55 KES 201
155.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.84 €14.61
$10.41 KES 1,346
61.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.43 €10.78
$6.28 KES 812
97.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.29 €17.60
$5.12 KES 662
296.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 €2.15
$2.82 KES 365
-12.41%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.87
$1.03 KES 133
108.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.30
$1.82 KES 235
45.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.40 €2.95
$0.82 KES 107
314.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.67
$0.81 KES 104
137.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.57
$0.96 KES 125
88.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.34
$0.63 KES 81.4
146.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$0.70 KES 90.4
-22.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €5.89
$3.15 KES 407
115.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 €6.23
$9.05 KES 1,171
-20.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.56
$2.07 KES 267
-13.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.10
$2.61 KES 337
-7.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Kenya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.73
$0.79 KES 102
153.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.35 €36.73
$29.95 KES 3,874
41.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 €5.16
$1.58 KES 204
275.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.31
$1.53 KES 198
-1.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.04 €29.53
$3.05 KES 395
1016.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.78
$1.54 KES 199
33.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.5K
$19.0K KES 2.5M
72.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K €29.2K
$18.0K KES 2.3M
86.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €196
$32.85 KES 4,248
586.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25 €11.49
$15.09 KES 1,952
-12.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95 €26.85
$38.04 KES 4,920
-18.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 €48.36
$37.28 KES 4,820
49.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15 €21.82
$19.75 KES 2,554
27.34%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €8.89
$6.36 KES 822
61.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €500
$166 KES 21.5K
246.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €9,074
$7,439 KES 962.0K
40.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €79.7
$14.03 KES 1,814
554.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72 €35.32
$21.33 KES 2,759
90.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 €85.0
$48.61 KES 6,287
101.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €113
$47.00 KES 6,078
178.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Kenya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$860 €746
$305 KES 39.4K
182.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €578
$150 KES 19.4K
343.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 €1,280
$855 KES 110.6K
72.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 €943
$354 KES 45.8K
207.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,850 €3,340
$1,411 KES 182.5K
172.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,359 €2,046
$911 KES 117.8K
159.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Kenya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,677
$342 KES 44.3K
464.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
13.57
-67.50%

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

Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kenya: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $743 in Italy, $83.0 in Kenya. Capital cities: $1,325 in Rome vs $450 in Nairobi.

National salary averages: $1,949 in Italy, $327 in Kenya. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 795% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 164% more in Italy.

Public transport is 529% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 496% higher in Italy, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.

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 $1,839 per month in Italy and $391 in Kenya, there's a 370% 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?
Kenya is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 Kenya?
In Kenya, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or 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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