Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Kisii

For one person, living is cheaper in Kisii: $304 a month against $881 in Nairobi, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nairobi
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Nairobi Living Index

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Nairobi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$881

/mo nomad

Kisii

🇰🇪 Kenya

$304

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nairobi and in Kisii

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nairobi and in Kisii actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $881 in Nairobi versus $304 in Kisii.

Nairobi $881
Kisii $304

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Nairobi versus $444 in Kisii.

Nairobi $1,446
Kisii $444

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,010 in Nairobi versus $585 in Kisii.

Nairobi $2,010
Kisii $585

Living in Nairobi is roughly 190% more expensive than in Kisii, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nairobi 35% lower, Kisii 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 KES 870

$2.75 KES 358

143.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.91 KES 4,533

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 KES 813

Cappuccino

$2.60 KES 337

$1.37 KES 178

89.78%

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

$0.64 KES 83.4

$0.87 KES 113

-26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 KES 86.9

$0.22 KES 28.46

204.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 KES 293

$1.83 KES 237

22.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KES 353

$2.25 KES 293

20.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 KES 121

$0.94 KES 122

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 KES 75.3

$0.48 KES 62.0

20.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 KES 265

$2.26 KES 294

-9.73%

Eggs

$1.74 KES 226

$1.81 KES 236

-3.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 KES 1,401

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 KES 839

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 KES 817

$4.67 KES 606

34.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 KES 457

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 271

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 145

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 KES 96.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 97.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 KES 468

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 KES 1,521

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 293

$1.97 KES 256

14.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 KES 364

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 KES 107

$0.37 KES 47.40

124.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.80 KES 5,947

$15.58 KES 2,023

193.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 199

$0.76 KES 98.6

101.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 196

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 374

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 KES 200

$1.47 KES 190

4.76%

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

$19.3K KES 2.5M

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$11.7K KES 1.5M

87.67%

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

$56.8 KES 7,375

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

$15.49 KES 2,011

$16.21 KES 2,105

-4.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.75 KES 4,513

$47.51 KES 6,170

-26.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 KES 6,615

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.40 KES 2,000

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 KES 989

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

$280 KES 36.4K

$37.99 KES 4,933

637.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K KES 1.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.39 KES 3,687

$11.44 KES 1,486

148.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.86 KES 3,878

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 KES 8,909

$38.57 KES 5,008

77.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 KES 7,568

$30.24 KES 3,927

92.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 KES 58.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 KES 30.1K

$75.5 KES 9,802

206.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 KES 144.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 KES 70.5K

$155 KES 20.1K

250.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,200 KES 155.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 KES 101.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$470 KES 61.0K

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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Kisii: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Nairobi

$232 26.3%

Kisii

–

Groceries & Markets

Nairobi

$209 23.8%

Kisii

–

Eating Out

Nairobi

$126 14.3%

Kisii

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nairobi

$107 12.2%

Kisii

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nairobi

$83 9.5%

Kisii

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nairobi

$66 7.5%

Kisii

–

Getting Around

Nairobi

$58 6.6%

Kisii

–

Good to know

🇰🇪 Nairobi

🇰🇪 Kisii

🕒 Local time

05:54 5:54 AM

Same time as Nairobi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,138,295 Capital

200,000

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 65% 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 $1,321 in Nairobi and $456 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 285% higher in Nairobi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $881 per month in Nairobi versus $304 in Kisii – Kisii is about 65% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $304 in Kisii versus $881 in Nairobi, a $800 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 cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.