Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Kisii Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Kisii

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $836 in Nairobi versus $309 in Kisii.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Nairobi versus $442 in Kisii.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,900 in Nairobi versus $576 in Kisii.

Living in Nairobi is roughly 170% more expensive than in Kisii, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 39% lower, Kisii 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 KES 509

$2.67 KES 345

47.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 KES 4,412

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 KES 803

Cappuccino

$2.71 KES 351

$1.40 KES 181

93.57%

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

$0.60 KES 78.2

$0.82 KES 105

-26.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 73.1

$0.22 KES 28.43

154.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KES 309

$1.83 KES 236

30.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.34 KES 302

18.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 KES 109

$0.88 KES 114

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.9

$0.48 KES 62.1

8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.34 KES 302

-19.66%

Eggs

$1.63 KES 211

$1.83 KES 236

-10.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 KES 1,367

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 KES 811

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.13 KES 793

$4.56 KES 590

34.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 KES 429

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 143

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 KES 93.6

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 KES 94.3

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 KES 452

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 KES 1,493

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 KES 288

$1.96 KES 253

13.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 371

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 103

$0.41 KES 52.8

92.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.54 KES 5,891

$15.66 KES 2,026

190.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$0.75 KES 96.4

112.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 380

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.55 KES 201

-1.94%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

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

$19.4K KES 2.5M

$11.4K KES 1.5M

70.55%

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

$60.5 KES 7,819

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

$15.08 KES 1,951

$16.47 KES 2,131

-8.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.24 KES 4,558

$49.35 KES 6,383

-28.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 KES 6,601

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.83 KES 1,919

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 KES 990

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

$242 KES 31.3K

$38.45 KES 4,973

530.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K KES 1.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.74 KES 3,459

$11.39 KES 1,473

134.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.62 KES 3,314

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 KES 8,054

$39.25 KES 5,076

58.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.1 KES 7,908

$30.78 KES 3,981

98.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 KES 58.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 KES 27.8K

$78.2 KES 10.1K

174.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 KES 146.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 KES 65.7K

$157 KES 20.3K

224.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,302 KES 168.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$917 KES 118.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 KES 62.6K

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 8, 2026

Last update for Kisii: September 5, 2026

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 Kisii: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisii wins on cost – living expenses run 170% lower than in Nairobi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kisii the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,253 in Nairobi and $464 in Kisii to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 277% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $836 per month in Nairobi versus $309 in Kisii – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $309 in Kisii versus $836 in Nairobi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kisii but tight or insufficient in Nairobi. The gap between the two cities makes Kisii the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kisii delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $309 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kisii hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kisii gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Nairobi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.