Cost of Living Comparison Between Kisii and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Kisii and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $309 in Kisii versus $836 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $442 in Kisii versus $1,368 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $576 in Kisii versus $1,900 in Nairobi.

Living in Kisii costs roughly 63% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kisii 78% lower, Nairobi 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.67 KES 345

$3.94 KES 509

-32.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 KES 4,412

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 KES 803

Cappuccino

$1.40 KES 181

$2.71 KES 351

-48.34%

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

$0.82 KES 105

$0.60 KES 78.2

36.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.43

$0.56 KES 73.1

-60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 KES 236

$2.39 KES 309

-23.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 302

$2.77 KES 358

-15.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.84 KES 109

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$0.52 KES 67.9

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 KES 302

$1.88 KES 243

24.47%

Eggs

$1.83 KES 236

$1.63 KES 211

12.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 KES 1,367

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 KES 811

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.56 KES 590

$6.13 KES 793

-25.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 KES 429

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 143

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 KES 93.6

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 KES 94.3

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 KES 452

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 KES 1,493

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.23 KES 288

-12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 371

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$0.79 KES 103

-48.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.66 KES 2,026

$45.54 KES 5,891

-65.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 KES 96.4

$1.59 KES 206

-52.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 380

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 201

$1.52 KES 197

1.97%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

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

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$19.4K KES 2.5M

-41.37%

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

$60.5 KES 7,819

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

$16.47 KES 2,131

$15.08 KES 1,951

9.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.35 KES 6,383

$35.24 KES 4,558

40.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 KES 6,601

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.83 KES 1,919

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 KES 990

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

$38.45 KES 4,973

$242 KES 31.3K

-84.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K KES 1.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.39 KES 1,473

$26.74 KES 3,459

-57.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.62 KES 3,314

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.25 KES 5,076

$62.3 KES 8,054

-36.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.78 KES 3,981

$61.1 KES 7,908

-49.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 KES 58.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.2 KES 10.1K

$215 KES 27.8K

-63.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 KES 146.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 KES 20.3K

$508 KES 65.7K

-69.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,302 KES 168.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$917 KES 118.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 KES 62.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

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

Last update for Kisii: September 5, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: September 8, 2026

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

Kisii vs Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisii wins on cost – living expenses run 170% lower than in Nairobi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kisii the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $464 in Kisii and $1,253 in Nairobi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 277% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $309 per month in Kisii versus $836 in Nairobi – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $309 in Kisii versus $836 in Nairobi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kisii but tight or insufficient in Nairobi. The gap between the two cities makes Kisii the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kisii delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $309 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kisii hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kisii gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.