Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Isiolo Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Isiolo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $858 in Nairobi versus $527 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,394 in Nairobi versus $876 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,931 in Nairobi versus $1,226 in Isiolo.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 63% more expensive than in Isiolo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 37% lower, Isiolo 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 KES 690

$5.55 KES 718

-3.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.72 KES 4,493

$34.56 KES 4,472

0.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 KES 776

$6.30 KES 816

-4.76%

Cappuccino

$2.83 KES 366

$2.80 KES 363

1.07%

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

$0.63 KES 80.9

$0.63 KES 81.8

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 66.6

$0.53 KES 67.9

-3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 293

$2.29 KES 296

-0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 KES 341

$2.68 KES 347

-1.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.85 KES 110

3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.1

$0.56 KES 73.0

-5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 KES 249

$1.84 KES 239

4.89%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 220

$1.65 KES 213

3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 KES 1,415

$10.66 KES 1,380

2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 KES 850

$6.62 KES 857

-0.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.14 KES 794

$6.33 KES 819

-3.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 KES 420

$3.16 KES 409

2.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 KES 133

$0.99 KES 128

3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 262

$1.97 KES 255

3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.02 KES 131

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.00 KES 130

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

$0.95 KES 123

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.6

$0.66 KES 84.9

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$0.72 KES 93.3

1.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 KES 460

$3.43 KES 444

3.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 KES 1,487

$11.57 KES 1,498

-0.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 286

$2.29 KES 297

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

$2.81 KES 364

1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.12 KES 6,098

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.53 KES 198

3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.58 KES 204

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 KES 378

$2.88 KES 373

1.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 KES 200

$1.39 KES 180

10.79%

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

$18.8K KES 2.4M

$18.7K KES 2.4M

0.83%

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

$19.2K KES 2.5M

$19.3K KES 2.5M

-0.52%

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

$56.3 KES 7,289

$55.7 KES 7,213

1.06%

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

$15.72 KES 2,034

$15.51 KES 2,007

1.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.43 KES 4,456

$34.29 KES 4,437

0.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.10 KES 6,354

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.47 KES 1,872

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 KES 993

$7.87 KES 1,018

-2.54%

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

$240 KES 31.1K

-0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K KES 1.4M

0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.08 KES 3,504

$26.64 KES 3,447

1.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.20 KES 3,260

$25.38 KES 3,285

-0.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 KES 8,168

$63.1 KES 8,167

0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 KES 7,719

$59.8 KES 7,736

-0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 KES 55.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 KES 27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 KES 146.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 KES 66.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,409 KES 182.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$892 KES 115.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 KES 60.5K

$760 KES 98.3K

-38.48%

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Nairobi vs $35.00 in Isiolo. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $203, with Isiolo 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 Isiolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Nairobi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Isiolo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $858 per month in Nairobi versus $527 in Isiolo – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $527 in Isiolo versus $858 in Nairobi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isiolo but tight or insufficient in Nairobi. The gap between the two cities makes Isiolo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Isiolo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $527 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isiolo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.