Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Nakuru Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Nakuru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Nairobi vs $639 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Nairobi vs $978 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,900 per month in Nairobi vs $1,318 in Nakuru, rent included.

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

Both Nairobi and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 39% lower, Nakuru 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 KES 509

$3.92 KES 506

0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 KES 4,410

$34.07 KES 4,405

0.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 KES 803

$6.25 KES 808

-0.64%

Cappuccino

$2.71 KES 351

$1.97 KES 255

37.56%

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

$0.60 KES 78.2

$0.38 KES 48.59

57.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 73.0

$0.22 KES 28.36

154.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KES 309

$2.34 KES 302

2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.77 KES 359

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 KES 109

$0.52 KES 67.6

61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.8

$0.47 KES 61.0

10.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

$1.53 KES 197

22.88%

Eggs

$1.63 KES 211

$1.61 KES 209

1.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 KES 1,366

$10.52 KES 1,360

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 KES 810

$6.37 KES 823

-1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.13 KES 792

$6.35 KES 821

-3.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 KES 428

$3.38 KES 437

-2.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.99 KES 129

5.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$2.03 KES 263

1.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.11 KES 144

-3.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 143

$1.06 KES 137

4.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 KES 93.6

$0.67 KES 86.7

7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 KES 94.3

$0.74 KES 95.4

-1.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 KES 452

$3.56 KES 461

-1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 KES 1,492

$11.57 KES 1,496

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 KES 288

$2.24 KES 290

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 371

$2.82 KES 364

1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 102

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.54 KES 5,889

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.50 KES 194

6.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.58 KES 205

-4.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 380

$2.98 KES 385

-1.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.50 KES 194

1.33%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$20.5K KES 2.6M

-1.12%

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

$19.4K KES 2.5M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

-2.79%

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

$60.5 KES 7,816

$60.9 KES 7,872

-0.71%

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

$15.08 KES 1,950

$15.19 KES 1,964

-0.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.24 KES 4,557

$35.73 KES 4,620

-1.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 KES 6,598

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.83 KES 1,918

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 KES 990

$7.68 KES 994

-0.26%

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

$242 KES 31.3K

$241 KES 31.1K

0.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K KES 1.5M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

-1.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.74 KES 3,458

$27.54 KES 3,561

-2.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.62 KES 3,313

$26.28 KES 3,398

-2.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 KES 8,051

$64.0 KES 8,268

-2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.1 KES 7,905

$60.0 KES 7,762

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 KES 58.5K

$224 KES 29.0K

101.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 KES 27.8K

$137 KES 17.7K

57.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 KES 146.8K

$537 KES 69.4K

111.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 KES 65.7K

$197 KES 25.4K

158.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,302 KES 168.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$917 KES 118.5K

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 Nakuru: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $452 in Nairobi versus $224 in Nakuru. 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 $34.00 in Nairobi versus $34.00 in Nakuru. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Nairobi vs $198 in Nakuru – so Nakuru wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nakuru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nairobi costs about 31% more than Nakuru, 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 $1,253 per month in Nairobi and $958 in Nakuru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakuru, 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 $34.00 in Nairobi and $34.00 in Nakuru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Nairobi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakuru, where all-in costs run around $639, than in Nairobi at $836. In Nakuru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nairobi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nakuru costs $639 versus $836 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 Nakuru. 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.