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: $856 in Nairobi versus $539 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,407 in Nairobi versus $876 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,959 in Nairobi versus $1,214 in Isiolo.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 59% more expensive than in Isiolo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 37% lower, Isiolo 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 KES 610

$4.73 KES 613

-0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.21 KES 4,436

$34.12 KES 4,424

0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 KES 795

$6.07 KES 787

0.99%

Cappuccino

$2.82 KES 366

$2.72 KES 352

3.68%

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

$0.63 KES 81.6

$0.59 KES 76.5

6.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 77.3

$0.63 KES 81.8

-4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 294

$2.35 KES 305

-3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 346

$2.62 KES 340

1.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.86 KES 112

2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.5

$0.57 KES 74.2

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 KES 241

$1.93 KES 250

-3.63%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 219

$1.67 KES 216

1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 KES 1,402

$10.77 KES 1,396

0.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 KES 819

$6.47 KES 839

-2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.16 KES 799

$6.40 KES 829

-3.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 KES 414

$3.18 KES 412

0.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.03 KES 134

2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 KES 258

$1.97 KES 256

1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.13 KES 147

-4.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 KES 146

$1.10 KES 143

1.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.03 KES 133

3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.1

$0.68 KES 87.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 KES 100

$0.74 KES 95.4

4.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 KES 448

$3.52 KES 457

-1.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 KES 1,472

$11.42 KES 1,480

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 KES 289

$2.29 KES 297

-2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KES 353

$2.80 KES 363

-2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.49 KES 6,028

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.57 KES 203

0.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 KES 201

$1.53 KES 198

1.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 384

$2.94 KES 381

0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.43 KES 185

9.09%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

0.04%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

0.53%

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

$62.0 KES 8,037

$61.9 KES 8,020

0.23%

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

$15.36 KES 1,991

$15.49 KES 2,008

-0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.09 KES 4,679

$35.16 KES 4,559

2.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 KES 6,591

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 KES 1,963

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 KES 985

$7.93 KES 1,028

-4.29%

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

$253 KES 32.8K

$252 KES 32.6K

0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K KES 1.5M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

-0.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.49 KES 3,695

$28.60 KES 3,708

-0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.33 KES 3,673

$28.49 KES 3,695

-0.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 KES 8,929

$68.9 KES 8,926

0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 KES 7,568

$59.3 KES 7,689

-1.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 KES 56.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 KES 28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 KES 148.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 KES 65.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,334 KES 172.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$904 KES 117.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$480 KES 62.3K

$761 KES 98.6K

-36.88%

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: September 28, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Nairobi vs $34.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $205 per month, with Nairobi 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 59% 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 58% 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.

Shoppers in Nairobi pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $856 per month in Nairobi versus $539 in Isiolo – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $539 in Isiolo versus $856 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 $539 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 59% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.