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: $781 in Nairobi versus $495 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,274 in Nairobi versus $814 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,766 in Nairobi versus $1,134 in Isiolo.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 58% more expensive than Isiolo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 42% lower, Isiolo 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 KES 706

$5.57 KES 722

-2.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.93 KES 4,918

$29.83 KES 3,867

27.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 KES 890

$3.88 KES 503

76.80%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 316

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

$0.69 KES 90.1

$0.26 KES 33.49

165.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.4

$0.24 KES 31.28

108.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 303

$2.26 KES 293

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 372

$2.86 KES 371

0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

$0.82 KES 107

10.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 73.2

$0.41 KES 53.2

36.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.59 KES 206

-1.26%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 219

$1.43 KES 185

18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 KES 1,487

$11.48 KES 1,489

-0.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 KES 871

$6.80 KES 881

-1.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.72 KES 741

$5.54 KES 718

3.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 393

$3.14 KES 407

-3.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.07 KES 139

-2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 KES 279

$2.13 KES 277

0.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.02 KES 132

3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$1.03 KES 133

2.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$1.17 KES 152

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 99.1

$0.75 KES 97.6

1.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 KES 395

$3.06 KES 397

-0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 KES 1,524

$11.39 KES 1,477

3.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 294

$2.21 KES 287

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

$2.83 KES 366

-3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.00 KES 4,019

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.52 KES 197

4.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 KES 202

$1.58 KES 205

-1.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 KES 375

$2.86 KES 371

1.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.45 KES 188

8.97%

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

$21.2K KES 2.8M

$21.6K KES 2.8M

-1.67%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

-2.16%

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

$33.91 KES 4,397

$34.71 KES 4,500

-2.30%

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

$17.06 KES 2,212

$16.86 KES 2,186

1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.79 KES 5,160

$38.74 KES 5,023

2.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.28 KES 5,611

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.33 KES 2,636

Cinema Ticket

$6.12 KES 794

$6.03 KES 781

1.49%

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

$207 KES 26.8K

$202 KES 26.2K

2.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,165 KES 1.1M

$8,080 KES 1.0M

1.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.89 KES 2,319

$18.30 KES 2,372

-2.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.26 KES 3,146

$23.77 KES 3,082

2.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 KES 8,322

$65.5 KES 8,491

-1.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 KES 7,308

$57.5 KES 7,458

-2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 KES 57.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 KES 24.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 KES 144.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 KES 56.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,520 KES 197.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$887 KES 115.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 KES 54.9K

$776 KES 100.6K

-45.46%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 83% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Nairobi vs $30.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $202 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 58% 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 83% 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 2% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $781 per month in Nairobi versus $495 in Isiolo – a 58% 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 $495 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 58% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.