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: $444 in Kenya versus $1,718 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $737 in Kenya versus $2,623 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,029 in Kenya versus $3,528 in Italy.

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

Kenya (67% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.94 KES 509
$17.21 €15.09
-77.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.90 KES 4,509
$80.1 €70.2
-56.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.14 KES 922
$11.79 €10.34
-39.44%
Cappuccino
$2.30 KES 297
$1.98 €1.74
16.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 KES 90.9
$2.88 €2.53
-75.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 KES 68.9
$1.37 €1.20
-61.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.35 KES 304
$5.83 €5.11
-59.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 KES 340
$5.13 €4.50
-48.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.82 KES 106
$1.68 €1.47
-51.19%
White Bread (500g)
$0.51 KES 65.7
$2.32 €2.03
-78.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 KES 181
$2.91 €2.55
-51.89%
Eggs
$1.57 KES 202
$4.06 €3.56
-61.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.27 KES 1,327
$16.45 €14.42
-37.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.48 KES 837
$12.56 €11.01
-48.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.15 KES 666
$20.18 €17.69
-74.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 KES 368
$2.49 €2.18
14.46%
Banana (1kg)
$0.98 KES 126
$2.15 €1.89
-54.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 KES 241
$2.63 €2.31
-28.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.89 KES 115
$3.23 €2.83
-72.45%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 KES 105
$2.04 €1.79
-59.80%
Onion (1kg)
$0.95 KES 123
$1.81 €1.58
-47.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 KES 88.0
$1.52 €1.33
-55.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 KES 90.3
$0.53 €0.47
32.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.06 KES 396
$6.97 €6.11
-56.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.41 KES 1,216
$7.27 €6.37
29.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 KES 263
$1.81 €1.59
12.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 KES 347
$2.52 €2.21
6.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Kenya
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 KES 98.1
$1.93 €1.69
-60.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.64 KES 3,830
$42.56 €37.32
-30.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 KES 198
$5.75 €5.04
-73.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 KES 204
$1.58 €1.39
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 KES 395
$35.03 €30.71
-91.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 KES 200
$2.02 €1.77
-23.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K KES 2.5M
$32.3K €28.4K
-40.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.6K KES 2.3M
$33.3K €29.2K
-47.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$32.80 KES 4,238
$219 €192
-85.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.12 KES 1,954
$13.33 €11.69
13.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.73 KES 5,003
$31.02 €27.20
24.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.97 KES 4,776
$57.0 €50.0
-35.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.61 KES 2,534
$25.78 €22.60
-23.93%
Cinema Ticket
$6.21 KES 802
$10.25 €8.99
-39.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$165 KES 21.3K
$566 €496
-70.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,582 KES 979.6K
$10.3K €9,071
-26.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.42 KES 1,863
$91.8 €80.5
-84.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.06 KES 2,721
$40.92 €35.87
-48.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$49.21 KES 6,358
$99.5 €87.2
-50.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$45.77 KES 5,914
$132 €115
-65.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kenya
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$303 KES 39.2K
$857 €751
-64.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$148 KES 19.1K
$671 €588
-77.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$859 KES 111.0K
$1,474 €1,293
-41.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$357 KES 46.1K
$1,089 €955
-67.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,424 KES 184.0K
$3,667 €3,215
-61.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$937 KES 121.1K
$2,348 €2,059
-60.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$348 KES 45.0K
$1,961 €1,719
-82.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.57
4.41
207.71%

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

Last update for Kenya: July 19, 2026

Last update for Italy: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $82.0 in Kenya, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $446 in Nairobi vs $1,354 in Rome.

National salary averages: $328 in Kenya, $1,917 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 805% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 164% more in Italy.

Public transport is 529% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 484% 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 $1,837 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?
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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