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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Kenya costs about 74% less than in Italy on average.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.21 KES 415
$21.24 €18.26
-84.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.98 KES 4,008
$80.8 €69.5
-61.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.51 KES 842
$11.41 €9.81
-42.94%
Cappuccino
$2.40 KES 311
$2.08 €1.79
15.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 KES 74.0
$3.05 €2.62
-81.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 KES 70.4
$1.38 €1.19
-60.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 KES 294
$5.79 €4.98
-60.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 KES 354
$5.75 €4.95
-52.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.78 KES 101
$1.70 €1.46
-54.12%
White Bread (500g)
$0.50 KES 64.5
$2.41 €2.07
-79.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 KES 194
$3.01 €2.59
-50.17%
Eggs
$1.59 KES 206
$4.32 €3.71
-63.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.96 KES 1,159
$17.93 €15.42
-50.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.06 KES 784
$12.67 €10.89
-52.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.25 KES 679
$20.57 €17.69
-74.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.77 KES 358
$2.62 €2.25
5.73%
Banana (1kg)
$0.95 KES 123
$2.15 €1.84
-55.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.72 KES 223
$2.80 €2.41
-38.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.83 KES 107
$3.32 €2.86
-75.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.86 KES 111
$2.10 €1.80
-59.05%
Onion (1kg)
$0.88 KES 114
$1.89 €1.62
-53.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 KES 96.0
$1.55 €1.33
-52.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 KES 74.2
$0.56 €0.48
1.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.25 KES 420
$7.16 €6.16
-54.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.54 KES 1,364
$7.35 €6.32
43.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06 KES 267
$1.80 €1.55
14.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 KES 343
$2.41 €2.07
9.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Kenya
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 KES 103
$1.93 €1.66
-59.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.94 KES 5,038
$45.24 €38.90
-13.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 KES 199
$5.74 €4.93
-73.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 KES 198
$1.70 €1.46
-10.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.95 KES 382
$35.25 €30.30
-91.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 KES 196
$2.04 €1.75
-25.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.0K KES 2.5M
$37.5K €32.3K
-49.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.5K KES 2.4M
$37.1K €31.9K
-49.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$53.7 KES 6,949
$231 €199
-76.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.70 KES 1,772
$12.34 €10.61
11.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.41 KES 4,710
$31.17 €26.80
16.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.63 KES 5,127
$55.2 €47.50
-28.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.10 KES 1,953
$24.91 €21.42
-39.38%
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 KES 1,023
$11.13 €9.57
-28.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$171 KES 22.1K
$568 €489
-69.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,260 KES 1.2M
$12.5K €10.8K
-26.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.80 KES 2,303
$93.0 €79.9
-80.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.97 KES 2,584
$39.82 €34.23
-49.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$38.39 KES 4,966
$104 €89.6
-63.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$43.09 KES 5,575
$135 €116
-68.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kenya
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$299 KES 38.7K
$852 €732
-64.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$152 KES 19.7K
$645 €554
-76.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$798 KES 103.3K
$1,449 €1,246
-44.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$386 KES 50.0K
$1,084 €932
-64.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,259 KES 162.8K
$3,813 €3,278
-66.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$935 KES 120.9K
$2,357 €2,027
-60.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$349 KES 45.1K
$1,933 €1,662
-81.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.64
3.57
282.07%

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

Last update for Kenya: September 5, 2026

Last update for Italy: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

National salary averages: $334 in Kenya, $1,964 in Italy. 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
Kenya vs Italy: 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.

Kenya vs other spots: cost of living compared

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