Cost of Living Comparison Between Molo and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Molo and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $505 in Molo versus $769 in Nairobi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $847 in Molo versus $1,278 in Nairobi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,189 in Molo versus $1,787 in Nairobi.

Living in Molo costs roughly 34% less than in Nairobi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Molo 62% lower, Nairobi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 KES 683

$5.27 KES 682

0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.84 KES 5,026

$38.65 KES 5,001

0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 KES 887

$6.84 KES 885

0.29%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 308

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

$0.75 KES 97.4

$0.71 KES 91.4

5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.1

$0.51 KES 65.4

-1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 303

$2.26 KES 292

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 386

$2.82 KES 366

5.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$0.88 KES 114

-2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.9

$0.57 KES 74.3

-7.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KES 214

$1.65 KES 213

0.61%

Eggs

$1.62 KES 209

$1.69 KES 219

-4.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KES 1,515

$11.52 KES 1,491

1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 KES 878

$6.60 KES 854

2.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.70 KES 738

$5.71 KES 739

-0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 KES 407

$3.16 KES 409

-0.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.03 KES 134

1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 KES 282

$2.15 KES 279

1.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 131

$1.00 KES 129

1.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.07 KES 138

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$1.11 KES 144

4.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.3

$0.68 KES 88.1

1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.76 KES 98.6

6.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 KES 393

$3.00 KES 388

1.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.83 KES 1,531

$11.66 KES 1,509

1.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 KES 284

$2.22 KES 287

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 360

$2.70 KES 349

2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.07 KES 4,020

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.53 KES 198

3.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.50 KES 195

2.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 KES 367

$2.82 KES 365

0.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.57 KES 203

-3.82%

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

$21.3K KES 2.8M

$21.6K KES 2.8M

-1.11%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

-0.25%

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

$33.87 KES 4,383

$34.79 KES 4,502

-2.64%

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

$16.78 KES 2,172

$17.11 KES 2,214

-1.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.45 KES 5,105

$39.66 KES 5,132

-0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 KES 5,445

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 KES 2,649

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 KES 816

$6.17 KES 798

2.27%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$206 KES 26.7K

-2.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,085 KES 1.0M

$8,139 KES 1.1M

-0.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.35 KES 2,374

$17.90 KES 2,317

2.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.47 KES 3,167

$23.61 KES 3,054

3.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 KES 8,566

$64.9 KES 8,391

2.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 KES 7,320

$57.6 KES 7,459

-1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 KES 57.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 144.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 KES 54.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 KES 201.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 KES 115.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$389 KES 50.3K

$423 KES 54.8K

-8.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

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

Last update for Molo: June 16, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Nairobi pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Molo vs $39.00 in Nairobi. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $205, with Nairobi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Molo vs Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molo is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Nairobi earns 9% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Nairobi pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $505 per month in Molo versus $769 in Nairobi – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $505 in Molo versus $769 in Nairobi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Molo but tight or insufficient in Nairobi. The gap between the two cities makes Molo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Molo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nairobi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Molo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.