Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Naivasha Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Naivasha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Nairobi vs $583 in Naivasha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,287 per month in Nairobi vs $973 in Naivasha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,810 per month in Nairobi vs $1,364 in Naivasha, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 31% more than Naivasha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Nairobi and Naivasha are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 43% lower, Naivasha 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 KES 714

$5.37 KES 695

2.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.37 KES 4,960

$39.34 KES 5,084

-2.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 858

$6.95 KES 898

-4.46%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 307

$2.44 KES 315

-2.46%

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

$0.72 KES 93.0

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.9

$0.53 KES 68.5

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 KES 298

$2.33 KES 302

-0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 371

$2.94 KES 380

-2.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KES 113

$0.92 KES 118

-5.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$0.56 KES 72.6

1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.65 KES 213

-3.64%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 220

$1.62 KES 210

4.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 KES 1,509

$11.55 KES 1,493

1.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 KES 862

$6.77 KES 875

-1.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.73 KES 740

$5.45 KES 705

5.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 395

$3.04 KES 393

0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.04 KES 135

4.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 KES 277

$2.17 KES 280

-1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$1.04 KES 135

-2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.04 KES 134

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

$1.12 KES 145

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$0.65 KES 83.5

6.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.80 KES 103

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 393

$3.11 KES 402

-2.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 KES 1,470

$11.70 KES 1,512

-2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 KES 288

$2.26 KES 292

-1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 KES 347

$2.70 KES 349

-0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.47 KES 3,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.58 KES 204

-0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$2.97 KES 383

0.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.53 KES 198

2.61%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$21.4K KES 2.8M

1.37%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$19.7K KES 2.6M

1.18%

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

$34.46 KES 4,454

$34.40 KES 4,446

0.17%

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

$17.09 KES 2,208

$16.70 KES 2,158

2.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.70 KES 5,132

$40.06 KES 5,178

-0.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 KES 5,439

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 KES 2,646

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 KES 787

$6.24 KES 807

-2.40%

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

$203 KES 26.3K

$205 KES 26.5K

-0.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,007 KES 1.0M

$7,904 KES 1.0M

1.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.51 KES 2,393

$18.03 KES 2,331

2.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.13 KES 3,119

$23.62 KES 3,052

2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 KES 8,377

$64.8 KES 8,370

0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 KES 7,363

$56.9 KES 7,355

0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 KES 58.8K

$116 KES 15.0K

292.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.7K

$77.8 KES 10.1K

135.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 KES 143.4K

$230 KES 29.8K

381.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 KES 55.2K

$189 KES 24.4K

125.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,535 KES 198.4K

$785 KES 101.4K

95.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$898 KES 116.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$440 KES 56.8K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Naivasha: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Nairobi versus $116 in Naivasha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Nairobi versus $39.00 in Naivasha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $206 – making Nairobi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Naivasha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nairobi costs about 31% more than Naivasha, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,148 per month in Nairobi and $875 in Naivasha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Naivasha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Nairobi and $39.00 in Naivasha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Nairobi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Naivasha, where all-in costs run around $583, than in Nairobi at $765. In Naivasha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nairobi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Naivasha costs $583 versus $765 in Nairobi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Naivasha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nairobi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.