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

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

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

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

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.86 KES 499
$17.44 €15.13
-77.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.60 KES 4,474
$79.5 €68.9
-56.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.94 KES 897
$11.76 €10.20
-40.99%
Cappuccino
$2.29 KES 296
$2.00 €1.73
14.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 KES 91.4
$3.00 €2.61
-76.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 KES 69.4
$1.35 €1.17
-60.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 KES 294
$5.94 €5.15
-61.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 KES 356
$5.36 €4.65
-48.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.76 KES 98.0
$1.64 €1.42
-53.66%
White Bread (500g)
$0.50 KES 64.6
$2.41 €2.09
-79.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 KES 180
$2.99 €2.60
-53.51%
Eggs
$1.55 KES 201
$3.96 €3.44
-60.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.41 KES 1,346
$16.84 €14.61
-38.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.28 KES 812
$12.43 €10.78
-49.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.12 KES 662
$20.29 €17.60
-74.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.82 KES 365
$2.47 €2.15
14.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 KES 133
$2.15 €1.87
-52.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.82 KES 235
$2.65 €2.30
-31.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.82 KES 107
$3.40 €2.95
-75.88%
Potato (1kg)
$0.81 KES 104
$1.92 €1.67
-57.81%
Onion (1kg)
$0.96 KES 125
$1.81 €1.57
-46.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.63 KES 81.4
$1.55 €1.34
-59.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 KES 90.4
$0.54 €0.47
29.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.15 KES 407
$6.79 €5.89
-53.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.05 KES 1,171
$7.18 €6.23
26.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07 KES 267
$1.80 €1.56
15.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 KES 337
$2.42 €2.10
7.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Kenya
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 KES 102
$2.00 €1.73
-60.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.95 KES 3,874
$42.35 €36.73
-29.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.58 KES 204
$5.94 €5.16
-73.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 KES 198
$1.51 €1.31
1.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.05 KES 395
$34.04 €29.53
-91.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 KES 199
$2.05 €1.78
-24.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.0K KES 2.5M
$32.8K €28.5K
-42.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.0K KES 2.3M
$33.7K €29.2K
-46.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$32.85 KES 4,248
$225 €196
-85.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.09 KES 1,952
$13.25 €11.49
13.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.04 KES 4,920
$30.95 €26.85
22.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.28 KES 4,820
$55.7 €48.36
-33.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 KES 2,554
$25.15 €21.82
-21.47%
Cinema Ticket
$6.36 KES 822
$10.25 €8.89
-37.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$166 KES 21.5K
$576 €500
-71.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,439 KES 962.0K
$10.5K €9,074
-28.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.03 KES 1,814
$91.8 €79.7
-84.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.33 KES 2,759
$40.72 €35.32
-47.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$48.61 KES 6,287
$98.0 €85.0
-50.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.00 KES 6,078
$131 €113
-64.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kenya
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$305 KES 39.4K
$860 €746
-64.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$150 KES 19.4K
$667 €578
-77.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$855 KES 110.6K
$1,475 €1,280
-42.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$354 KES 45.8K
$1,087 €943
-67.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,411 KES 182.5K
$3,850 €3,340
-63.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$911 KES 117.8K
$2,359 €2,046
-61.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kenya
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$342 KES 44.3K
$1,933 €1,677
-82.29%
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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

National salary averages: $327 in Kenya, $1,949 in Italy. 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
Kenya vs Italy: 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.

Kenya vs other spots: cost of living compared

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