Cost of Living Comparison Between Kenya and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Kenya and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $443 per month in Kenya vs $1,019 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $736 per month in Kenya vs $1,594 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,029 per month in Kenya vs $2,168 in South Africa, rent included.

Kenya is roughly 57% cheaper than South Africa on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Kenya and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Kenya 67% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Kenya has a wider regional cost range ($0–$763) than South Africa ($817–$1,336), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Kenya.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 KES 513

$8.71 R 143

-54.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.26 KES 4,551

$39.43 R 647

-10.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 KES 876

$5.16 R 84.6

31.59%

Cappuccino

$2.28 KES 294

$2.03 R 33.30

12.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 KES 92.8

$1.03 R 16.93

-30.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.6

$0.79 R 12.91

-35.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$2.30 R 37.76

-1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 KES 340

$2.55 R 41.84

3.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 KES 97.0

$1.11 R 18.27

-32.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.5

$1.04 R 17.03

-51.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 KES 174

$1.54 R 25.33

-12.34%

Eggs

$1.53 KES 198

$2.24 R 36.79

-31.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 KES 1,363

$7.86 R 129

34.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 KES 854

$4.73 R 77.7

39.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 676

$6.65 R 109

-21.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 KES 367

$1.51 R 24.82

88.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.41 R 23.07

-26.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 KES 242

$1.49 R 24.46

26.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 KES 116

$1.56 R 25.63

-42.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.19 R 19.59

-26.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 KES 123

$1.30 R 21.26

-26.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 87.3

$1.04 R 17.10

-34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 KES 90.7

$0.96 R 15.78

-27.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 KES 397

$2.92 R 47.96

5.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 KES 1,280

$4.80 R 78.8

106.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 KES 264

$1.33 R 21.89

53.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 KES 343

$1.72 R 28.25

54.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 103

$1.70 R 27.89

-53.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.86 KES 3,854

$45.20 R 741

-33.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.09 R 17.92

38.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.05 R 17.23

43.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 390

$4.73 R 77.6

-36.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 KES 191

$1.29 R 21.23

14.73%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.2K KES 2.5M

$21.1K R 345.3K

-8.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.0K KES 2.3M

$23.6K R 386.6K

-23.83%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$33.01 KES 4,260

$112 R 1,830

-70.41%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.90 KES 1,923

$31.97 R 524

-53.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.55 KES 4,976

$40.41 R 663

-4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.86 KES 4,886

$31.85 R 522

18.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.16 KES 2,602

$9.68 R 159

108.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 KES 813

$6.64 R 109

-5.12%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$161 KES 20.7K

$190 R 3,119

-15.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,594 KES 980.2K

$4,317 R 70.8K

75.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.05 KES 1,814

$48.50 R 795

-71.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.20 KES 2,737

$30.47 R 500

-30.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.42 KES 6,379

$94.3 R 1,546

-47.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.02 KES 6,069

$81.4 R 1,335

-42.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 KES 39.6K

$453 R 7,425

-32.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 KES 19.1K

$371 R 6,084

-60.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 KES 109.1K

$881 R 14.5K

-4.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 KES 45.4K

$705 R 11.6K

-50.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,402 KES 180.9K

$1,147 R 18.8K

22.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$922 KES 119.0K

$818 R 13.4K

12.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$342 KES 44.1K

$1,476 R 24.2K

-76.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.57

11.55

17.49%

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

Last update for Kenya: April 12, 2026

Last update for South Africa: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $83 in Kenya vs $368 in South Africa. For reference, capital cities sit at $449 in Nairobi and $397 in Pretoria.

Average salary: $325 in Kenya vs $1,459 in South Africa. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 343% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 25% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 129% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 349% higher in South Africa, giving South Africa 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 South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kenya is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 182% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in South Africa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but South Africa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Kenya, contributing to the overall 182% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Kenya, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Kenya is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.