Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Bungoma Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Bungoma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $765 in Nairobi versus $253 in Bungoma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,287 in Nairobi versus $373 in Bungoma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,810 in Nairobi versus $493 in Bungoma.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 202% more expensive than in Bungoma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 43% lower, Bungoma 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 KES 714

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.37 KES 4,960

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 858

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 307

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 KES 298

$1.58 KES 204

46.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 371

$1.75 KES 226

64.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.04 KES 134

-16.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$0.51 KES 66.3

11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.29 KES 166

23.26%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 220

$1.31 KES 169

29.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 KES 1,509

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 KES 862

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.73 KES 740

$3.80 KES 491

50.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 395

$3.00 KES 388

2.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 KES 277

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.13 KES 146

-29.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 393

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 KES 1,470

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 KES 288

$1.59 KES 205

40.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 KES 347

$1.66 KES 215

62.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.47 KES 3,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.53 KES 197

2.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$0.79 KES 103

277.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.36 KES 176

15.44%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

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

$34.46 KES 4,454

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

$17.09 KES 2,208

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.70 KES 5,132

$28.98 KES 3,746

36.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 KES 5,439

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 KES 2,646

$19.59 KES 2,532

4.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 KES 787

$3.89 KES 502

56.56%

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

$203 KES 26.3K

$61.3 KES 7,925

231.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,007 KES 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.51 KES 2,393

$11.53 KES 1,490

60.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.13 KES 3,119

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 KES 8,377

$38.77 KES 5,010

67.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 KES 7,363

$19.44 KES 2,512

193.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 KES 58.8K

$117 KES 15.1K

290.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.7K

$94.5 KES 12.2K

93.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 KES 143.4K

$275 KES 35.6K

303.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 KES 55.2K

$148 KES 19.1K

189.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,535 KES 198.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$898 KES 116.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$440 KES 56.8K

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 Nairobi: July 28, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Nairobi and $117 in Bungoma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Nairobi vs Bungoma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bungoma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 202% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,148 in Nairobi and $380 in Bungoma 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $455 in Nairobi versus $117 in Bungoma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 167% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $203 in Nairobi versus $61.3 in Bungoma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $253 in Bungoma versus $765 in Nairobi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bungoma but tight or insufficient in Nairobi. The gap between the two cities makes Bungoma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bungoma 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.

Safety-wise, Nairobi and Bungoma are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bungoma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 202% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.