Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Homa Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Homa Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $754 per month in Nairobi vs $57.9 in Homa Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,271 per month in Nairobi vs $171 in Homa Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,788 per month in Nairobi vs $284 in Homa Bay, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 1202% more than Homa Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nairobi and Homa Bay are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 44% lower, Homa Bay 96% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 KES 706

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.55 KES 4,976

$37.78 KES 4,876

2.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 KES 853

$10.60 KES 1,368

-37.64%

Cappuccino

$2.43 KES 314

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

$0.76 KES 98.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.97 KES 125

-49.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 KES 291

$2.53 KES 327

-11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 369

$5.12 KES 661

-44.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.4

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 213

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 KES 1,524

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 KES 885

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 KES 712

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 KES 389

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 268

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 KES 390

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 KES 1,493

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 285

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 KES 348

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 KES 4,030

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

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

$34.67 KES 4,475

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

$16.49 KES 2,128

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.76 KES 5,003

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.53 KES 5,619

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 KES 2,623

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 KES 817

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

$204 KES 26.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 KES 1.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.53 KES 2,392

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.86 KES 3,079

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 KES 8,427

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 KES 7,329

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 KES 58.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 144.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 KES 55.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,525 KES 196.9K

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

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

Last update for Nairobi: April 25, 2026

Last update for Homa Bay: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Nairobi versus $38.00 in Homa Bay. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the 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 Homa Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nairobi is pricier by about 1202%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,131 per month in Nairobi and $86.9 in Homa Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $754 in Nairobi and $57.9 in Homa Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Nairobi and $38.00 in Homa Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $754 in Nairobi and $57.9 in Homa Bay, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Homa Bay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Homa Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nairobi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.