Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Busia Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Busia

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 KES 706

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.93 KES 4,918

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 KES 890

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 316

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

$0.69 KES 90.1

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 303

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 372

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 73.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

Eggs

$1.69 KES 219

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 KES 1,487

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 KES 871

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.72 KES 741

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 393

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 KES 279

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 99.1

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 KES 395

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 KES 1,524

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 294

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.00 KES 4,019

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 KES 202

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 KES 375

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.32 KES 172

19.70%

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

$21.2K KES 2.8M

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

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

$33.91 KES 4,397

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

$17.06 KES 2,212

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.79 KES 5,160

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.28 KES 5,611

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 KES 2,636

Cinema Ticket

$6.12 KES 794

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

$207 KES 26.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,165 KES 1.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.89 KES 2,319

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.26 KES 3,146

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 KES 8,322

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 KES 7,308

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 KES 57.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 KES 24.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 KES 144.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 KES 56.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,520 KES 197.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$887 KES 115.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 KES 54.9K

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 8, 2026

Last update for Busia: June 7, 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

Nairobi vs Busia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Busia 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.

It comes down to priorities – Busia wins on affordability, Nairobi on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.