Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Bungoma

For one person, living is cheaper in Bungoma: $144 a month against $885 in Nairobi, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nairobi
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Nairobi Living Index

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Nairobi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$885

/mo nomad

Bungoma

🇰🇪 Kenya

$144

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nairobi and in Bungoma

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nairobi and in Bungoma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $885 in Nairobi versus $144 in Bungoma.

Nairobi $885
Bungoma $144

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,436 in Nairobi versus $290 in Bungoma.

Nairobi $1,436
Bungoma $290

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,987 in Nairobi versus $436 in Bungoma.

Nairobi $1,987
Bungoma $436

Living in Nairobi is roughly 514% more expensive than in Bungoma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 35% lower, Bungoma 89% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 KES 835

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.51 KES 4,480

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 KES 813

Cappuccino

$2.60 KES 337

$5.49 KES 712

-52.64%

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

$0.64 KES 82.8

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 KES 86.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 KES 298

$1.57 KES 204

46.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

$1.68 KES 218

63.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 KES 123

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 KES 260

Eggs

$1.69 KES 220

$1.24 KES 161

36.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 KES 1,430

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 KES 832

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.41 KES 832

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 KES 444

$3.17 KES 411

7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$0.97 KES 125

9.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 263

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 KES 147

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KES 96.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 99.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 KES 438

Wine (Bottle)

$11.65 KES 1,512

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 293

$1.57 KES 204

43.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 356

$1.68 KES 218

63.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 KES 108

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.81 KES 6,076

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 198

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 KES 364

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 201

$1.40 KES 182

10.71%

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

$19.4K KES 2.5M

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

$22.2K KES 2.9M

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

$56.7 KES 7,356

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

$15.25 KES 1,980

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.78 KES 4,514

$29.15 KES 3,783

19.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 KES 6,702

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 KES 2,031

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 KES 987

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

$277 KES 36.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K KES 1.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 KES 3,600

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.36 KES 3,811

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 KES 8,996

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.1 KES 7,667

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 KES 57.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 KES 30.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 KES 146.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 KES 67.8K

$169 KES 21.9K

209.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,234 KES 160.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 KES 104.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 KES 62.8K

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 Nairobi: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Nairobi

$235 26.6%

Bungoma

–

Groceries & Markets

Nairobi

$209 23.7%

Bungoma

–

Eating Out

Nairobi

$124 14%

Bungoma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nairobi

$107 12.1%

Bungoma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nairobi

$83 9.4%

Bungoma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nairobi

$67 7.6%

Bungoma

–

Getting Around

Nairobi

$59 6.7%

Bungoma

–

Good to know

🇰🇪 Nairobi

🇰🇪 Bungoma

🕒 Local time

18:56 6:56 PM

Same time as Nairobi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,138,295 Capital

60,000

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 about 84% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,327 in Nairobi and $216 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 454% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $885 per month in Nairobi versus $144 in Bungoma – Bungoma is about 84% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bungoma gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.