Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Eldoret Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Eldoret

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $769 in Nairobi versus $533 in Eldoret.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,278 in Nairobi versus $927 in Eldoret.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Nairobi versus $1,320 in Eldoret.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 44% more expensive than in Eldoret, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 42% lower, Eldoret 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 KES 683

$5.49 KES 712

-4.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.65 KES 5,007

$38.81 KES 5,028

-0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 KES 886

$6.90 KES 894

-0.87%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 309

$2.38 KES 308

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

$0.71 KES 91.5

$0.72 KES 93.0

-1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.4

$0.53 KES 69.2

-3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 293

$2.29 KES 297

-1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 366

$2.93 KES 380

-3.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.69 KES 89.9

27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.4

$0.45 KES 58.2

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 214

$1.19 KES 155

38.66%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 219

$1.59 KES 206

6.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 KES 1,493

$3.97 KES 514

190.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 KES 855

$3.66 KES 474

80.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.71 KES 740

$4.16 KES 539

37.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 KES 410

$3.12 KES 404

1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$0.93 KES 121

10.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 KES 279

$1.62 KES 210

32.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$1.06 KES 137

-5.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.52 KES 67.6

105.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$0.88 KES 114

26.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$0.68 KES 88.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.7

$0.64 KES 82.3

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KES 389

$3.14 KES 407

-4.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 KES 1,511

$5.87 KES 761

98.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.78 KES 230

24.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 350

$1.59 KES 207

69.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.37 KES 178

-40.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.07 KES 4,025

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 199

$1.54 KES 199

-0.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$1.57 KES 204

-4.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 KES 365

$2.86 KES 371

-1.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.54 KES 200

1.95%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$21.3K KES 2.8M

1.40%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

-1.02%

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

$34.79 KES 4,507

$34.97 KES 4,530

-0.51%

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

$17.11 KES 2,217

$16.86 KES 2,184

1.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.66 KES 5,138

$39.80 KES 5,156

-0.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 KES 5,451

$38.34 KES 4,967

9.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 KES 2,652

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 KES 799

$5.01 KES 648

23.15%

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

$206 KES 26.7K

$64.2 KES 8,319

220.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,139 KES 1.1M

$7,886 KES 1.0M

3.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.90 KES 2,319

$11.47 KES 1,487

56.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.61 KES 3,058

$24.12 KES 3,125

-2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 KES 8,401

$19.64 KES 2,545

230.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 KES 7,468

$34.42 KES 4,459

67.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 KES 57.9K

$92.4 KES 12.0K

383.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.7K

$90.0 KES 11.7K

103.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 145.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 KES 54.6K

$270 KES 35.0K

55.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 KES 201.9K

$618 KES 80.0K

152.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 KES 115.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 KES 54.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

23.67%

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

Last update for Nairobi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Eldoret: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Nairobi and $92.4 in Eldoret. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Nairobi vs $39.00 in Eldoret. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $136, with Eldoret 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

Nairobi vs Eldoret: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eldoret wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Nairobi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Eldoret the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,154 in Nairobi and $800 in Eldoret 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 $92.4 in Eldoret. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $769 per month in Nairobi versus $533 in Eldoret – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $533 in Eldoret versus $769 in Nairobi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Eldoret but tight or insufficient in Nairobi. The gap between the two cities makes Eldoret the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Eldoret delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $533 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Eldoret hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Eldoret gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.