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: $754 in Nairobi versus $487 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,271 in Nairobi versus $813 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,788 in Nairobi versus $1,140 in Isiolo.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 55% more expensive than Isiolo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 44% lower, Isiolo 64% 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

$30.53 KES 3,940

26.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 KES 853

$3.89 KES 503

69.92%

Cappuccino

$2.43 KES 314

$2.39 KES 309

1.67%

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

$0.76 KES 98.4

$0.28 KES 36.23

171.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$0.22 KES 28.28

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 KES 291

$2.38 KES 307

-5.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 369

$2.98 KES 384

-4.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$0.88 KES 114

-2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.4

$0.42 KES 53.8

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.59 KES 205

3.77%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$1.42 KES 183

19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 KES 1,524

$11.77 KES 1,520

0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 KES 885

$6.80 KES 877

0.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 KES 712

$5.45 KES 703

1.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 KES 389

$3.19 KES 411

-5.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.08 KES 139

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 268

$2.10 KES 271

-0.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$1.02 KES 131

-0.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.08 KES 139

-4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

$1.13 KES 145

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$0.69 KES 88.4

-7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.80 KES 104

1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 KES 390

$3.12 KES 403

-3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.56 KES 1,493

$11.54 KES 1,489

0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 285

$2.18 KES 282

1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 KES 348

$2.72 KES 351

-1.10%

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

$1.54 KES 199

2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.53 KES 197

2.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$2.81 KES 363

6.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.40 KES 180

8.57%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-1.57%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-0.67%

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

$34.67 KES 4,475

$34.61 KES 4,467

0.17%

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

$16.49 KES 2,128

$17.03 KES 2,199

-3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.76 KES 5,003

$38.85 KES 5,014

-0.23%

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

$6.17 KES 797

2.59%

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

$204 KES 26.4K

$201 KES 26.0K

1.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 KES 1.0M

$8,040 KES 1.0M

-0.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.53 KES 2,392

$18.30 KES 2,363

1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.86 KES 3,079

$23.64 KES 3,051

0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 KES 8,427

$65.1 KES 8,405

0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 KES 7,329

$56.6 KES 7,300

0.41%

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

$782 KES 100.9K

-48.11%

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 Isiolo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 93% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Nairobi vs $31.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $204 per month, with Isiolo 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 Isiolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 55% 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, Isiolo earns 93% less. 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 $754 per month in Nairobi versus $487 in Isiolo – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Isiolo 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 Isiolo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $487 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 55% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.