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: $769 in Nairobi versus $256 in Bungoma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,278 in Nairobi versus $372 in Bungoma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Nairobi versus $488 in Bungoma.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 201% more expensive than Bungoma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 42% lower, Bungoma 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 KES 682

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.65 KES 5,001

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 KES 885

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 308

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

$0.71 KES 91.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$1.58 KES 204

43.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 366

$1.74 KES 225

62.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.99 KES 128

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.3

$0.48 KES 62.5

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.35 KES 175

22.22%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 219

$1.29 KES 166

31.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 KES 1,491

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 KES 854

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.71 KES 739

$3.76 KES 486

51.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 KES 409

$3.03 KES 393

4.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 KES 279

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.6

$1.13 KES 146

-32.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KES 388

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 KES 1,509

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.51 KES 196

47.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 349

$1.74 KES 226

55.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.07 KES 4,020

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$1.57 KES 203

-4.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 KES 365

$0.74 KES 95.5

281.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.37 KES 178

14.60%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

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

$34.79 KES 4,502

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

$17.11 KES 2,214

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.66 KES 5,132

$29.36 KES 3,799

35.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 KES 5,445

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 KES 2,649

$19.09 KES 2,470

7.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 KES 798

$3.89 KES 503

58.61%

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

$206 KES 26.7K

$62.4 KES 8,077

230.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,139 KES 1.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.90 KES 2,317

$11.81 KES 1,529

51.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.61 KES 3,054

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 KES 8,391

$38.26 KES 4,950

69.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 KES 7,459

$19.64 KES 2,542

193.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 KES 57.8K

$116 KES 15.0K

284.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.6K

$91.8 KES 11.9K

99.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 144.9K

$266 KES 34.4K

320.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 KES 54.5K

$147 KES 19.1K

185.77%

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)

$423 KES 54.8K

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Nairobi and $116 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 201% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,154 in Nairobi and $383 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: $447 in Nairobi versus $116 in Bungoma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 169% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $206 in Nairobi versus $62.4 in Bungoma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $256 in Bungoma versus $769 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 201% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.