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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $769 per month in Nairobi vs $584 in Naivasha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,278 per month in Nairobi vs $996 in Naivasha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,787 per month in Nairobi vs $1,408 in Naivasha, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 32% more than Naivasha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Nairobi and Naivasha are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 42% lower, Naivasha 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 KES 683

$5.49 KES 711

-4.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.65 KES 5,007

$39.35 KES 5,098

-1.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 KES 886

$6.70 KES 868

2.09%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 309

$2.48 KES 322

-4.03%

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

$0.71 KES 91.5

$0.70 KES 90.3

1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.4

$0.50 KES 64.6

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 293

$2.36 KES 306

-4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 366

$2.82 KES 365

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$0.92 KES 119

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.4

$0.53 KES 68.0

7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KES 214

$1.59 KES 205

3.77%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 219

$1.63 KES 211

3.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 KES 1,493

$11.60 KES 1,502

-0.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 KES 855

$6.83 KES 884

-3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.71 KES 740

$5.76 KES 746

-0.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 KES 410

$3.15 KES 408

0.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$1.09 KES 141

-5.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 KES 279

$2.08 KES 270

3.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$1.06 KES 137

-5.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.08 KES 140

-0.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$1.12 KES 145

-0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$0.65 KES 83.8

4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.7

$0.76 KES 99.0

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KES 389

$3.18 KES 412

-5.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 KES 1,511

$11.58 KES 1,500

0.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$2.25 KES 292

-1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 350

$2.68 KES 347

0.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.07 KES 4,025

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 199

$1.52 KES 197

0.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$1.58 KES 205

-5.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 KES 365

$2.96 KES 383

-4.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.53 KES 199

2.61%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

-0.45%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-0.21%

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

$34.79 KES 4,507

$33.91 KES 4,394

2.60%

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

$17.11 KES 2,217

$16.93 KES 2,193

1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.66 KES 5,138

$39.45 KES 5,111

0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 KES 5,451

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.47 KES 2,652

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 KES 799

$6.13 KES 794

0.65%

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

$206 KES 26.7K

$204 KES 26.4K

1.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,139 KES 1.1M

$7,965 KES 1.0M

2.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.90 KES 2,319

$17.91 KES 2,320

-0.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.61 KES 3,058

$23.84 KES 3,089

-0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 KES 8,401

$66.5 KES 8,609

-2.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 KES 7,468

$57.0 KES 7,389

1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 KES 57.9K

$114 KES 14.8K

291.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KES 23.7K

$77.2 KES 10.0K

136.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 KES 145.1K

$231 KES 29.9K

385.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 KES 54.6K

$183 KES 23.7K

130.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 KES 201.9K

$758 KES 98.2K

105.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 KES 115.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 KES 54.8K

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Naivasha: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $447 in Nairobi versus $114 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 $39.00 in Nairobi versus $39.00 in Naivasha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 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 32% 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 $1,154 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 $39.00 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 1% 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 $584, than in Nairobi at $769. 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 $584 versus $769 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.