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: $856 in Nairobi versus $500 in Eldoret.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,396 in Nairobi versus $866 in Eldoret.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,937 in Nairobi versus $1,232 in Eldoret.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 71% more expensive than in Eldoret, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 37% lower, Eldoret 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 KES 585

$1.59 KES 205

184.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.08 KES 4,411

$34.83 KES 4,509

-2.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 KES 804

$6.24 KES 807

-0.48%

Cappuccino

$2.75 KES 356

$2.81 KES 363

-2.14%

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

$0.60 KES 77.4

$0.30 KES 38.27

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 80.7

$0.38 KES 49.06

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 KES 307

$2.29 KES 296

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 KES 340

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 112

$0.67 KES 87.3

28.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.0

$0.46 KES 60.0

28.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.53 KES 199

27.45%

Eggs

$1.71 KES 221

$1.57 KES 204

8.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 KES 1,408

$3.95 KES 512

175.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 KES 838

$4.18 KES 541

54.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 KES 809

$4.28 KES 554

46.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 KES 434

$2.35 KES 304

42.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.04 KES 134

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 KES 253

$0.66 KES 85.9

195.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.88 KES 113

23.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.56 KES 73.0

92.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$0.45 KES 58.2

131.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.5

$0.70 KES 90.5

4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.61 KES 78.8

29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 KES 441

$3.52 KES 456

-3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.77 KES 1,523

$5.95 KES 770

97.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$2.02 KES 262

9.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 359

$1.56 KES 202

78.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.43 KES 185

-44.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.15 KES 6,103

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.56 KES 203

0.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.55 KES 201

-1.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 367

$2.97 KES 384

-4.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.47 KES 190

8.16%

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

$21.2K KES 2.7M

$21.8K KES 2.8M

-2.75%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$20.6K KES 2.7M

-0.65%

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

$61.9 KES 8,009

$39.60 KES 5,126

56.24%

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

$15.82 KES 2,048

$15.71 KES 2,034

0.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.23 KES 4,690

$35.72 KES 4,624

1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 KES 6,567

$38.22 KES 4,948

32.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.40 KES 1,993

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 KES 994

$4.94 KES 640

55.47%

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

$245 KES 31.7K

$65.6 KES 8,489

273.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$11.5K KES 1.5M

0.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.45 KES 3,683

$11.68 KES 1,512

143.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.24 KES 3,655

$27.55 KES 3,566

2.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 KES 9,026

$19.63 KES 2,541

255.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 KES 7,705

$35.18 KES 4,554

69.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 KES 56.6K

$94.2 KES 12.2K

364.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 KES 27.7K

$88.2 KES 11.4K

142.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 KES 143.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 KES 64.8K

$274 KES 35.5K

82.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,298 KES 168.1K

$625 KES 81.0K

107.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$898 KES 116.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 KES 62.7K

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Eldoret: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Nairobi and $94.2 in Eldoret. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Nairobi vs $35.00 in Eldoret. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $132, 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 71% 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 $1,283 in Nairobi and $750 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: $437 in Nairobi versus $94.2 in Eldoret. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $856 per month in Nairobi versus $500 in Eldoret – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $500 in Eldoret versus $856 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 $500 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 71% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.