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: $754 in Nairobi versus $539 in Eldoret.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,271 in Nairobi versus $940 in Eldoret.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,788 in Nairobi versus $1,340 in Eldoret.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 40% more expensive than Eldoret, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 44% lower, Eldoret 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 KES 706

$5.54 KES 715

-1.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.55 KES 4,976

$38.10 KES 4,917

1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 KES 853

$6.95 KES 898

-4.89%

Cappuccino

$2.43 KES 314

$2.44 KES 315

-0.41%

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

$0.76 KES 98.4

$0.74 KES 95.7

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.54 KES 69.5

-9.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 KES 291

$2.27 KES 293

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 369

$2.85 KES 368

0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$0.70 KES 90.4

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.4

$0.48 KES 61.8

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.24 KES 160

33.06%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$1.64 KES 212

3.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 KES 1,524

$3.97 KES 512

197.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 KES 885

$3.64 KES 470

88.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 KES 712

$4.17 KES 538

32.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 KES 389

$3.15 KES 407

-4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.89 KES 114

22.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 268

$1.64 KES 211

26.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$1.04 KES 135

-2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$0.56 KES 72.4

83.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

$0.89 KES 115

31.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$0.65 KES 84.2

-1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.64 KES 82.3

26.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 KES 390

$3.17 KES 409

-4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 KES 1,493

$5.94 KES 766

94.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 285

$1.69 KES 218

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 KES 348

$1.57 KES 203

71.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.5

$1.37 KES 177

-46.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 KES 4,030

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.58 KES 203

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.52 KES 196

3.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$2.95 KES 381

1.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.53 KES 198

-0.65%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$21.6K KES 2.8M

0.32%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

0.47%

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

$34.67 KES 4,475

$33.93 KES 4,380

2.18%

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

$16.49 KES 2,128

$16.66 KES 2,150

-1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.76 KES 5,003

$38.81 KES 5,009

-0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.53 KES 5,619

$38.19 KES 4,929

13.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 KES 2,623

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 KES 817

$5.15 KES 664

22.91%

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

$204 KES 26.4K

$65.5 KES 8,450

212.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 KES 1.0M

$8,025 KES 1.0M

-0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.53 KES 2,392

$11.66 KES 1,504

58.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.86 KES 3,079

$23.97 KES 3,094

-0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 KES 8,427

$19.57 KES 2,526

233.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 KES 7,329

$34.63 KES 4,469

63.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 KES 58.3K

$91.6 KES 11.8K

393.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.6K

$90.6 KES 11.7K

101.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 144.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 KES 55.9K

$268 KES 34.6K

61.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,525 KES 196.9K

$627 KES 80.9K

143.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$902 KES 116.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$406 KES 52.4K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Eldoret: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Nairobi and $91.6 in Eldoret. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Nairobi vs $38.00 in Eldoret for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $136 per month, with Eldoret cheaper across the board.

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 40% 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 $1,131 in Nairobi and $809 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: $452 in Nairobi versus $91.6 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 $754 per month in Nairobi versus $539 in Eldoret – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Eldoret gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Eldoret delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $539 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 40% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.