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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Nairobi vs $606 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,299 per month in Nairobi vs $996 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,832 per month in Nairobi vs $1,386 in Nakuru, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 26% more than Nakuru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nairobi and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 43% lower, Nakuru 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 KES 717

$3.51 KES 454

58.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.48 KES 4,973

$38.94 KES 5,032

-1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 858

$6.90 KES 891

-3.77%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KES 322

$1.72 KES 223

44.77%

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

$0.70 KES 91.1

$0.37 KES 48.23

89.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.32 KES 41.63

56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 KES 306

$1.42 KES 184

66.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$1.51 KES 196

87.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$0.51 KES 66.0

68.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 72.6

$0.51 KES 65.7

9.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 KES 207

$1.15 KES 148

39.13%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 216

$1.36 KES 176

23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KES 1,513

$7.62 KES 985

53.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 KES 894

$6.40 KES 827

7.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.64 KES 729

$4.30 KES 556

31.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 KES 398

$1.70 KES 220

81.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.45 KES 57.7

137.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$1.71 KES 221

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.60 KES 77.8

73.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.40 KES 51.9

167.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$0.56 KES 72.4

105.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.5

$0.65 KES 83.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.60 KES 78.1

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 KES 409

$2.04 KES 264

54.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 KES 1,524

$11.75 KES 1,518

0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 285

$1.61 KES 208

37.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 365

$1.80 KES 233

57.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$0.76 KES 97.7

-1.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.90 KES 3,993

$26.48 KES 3,422

16.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.58 KES 204

-3.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 193

$0.74 KES 95.4

102.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 382

$2.95 KES 381

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.27 KES 164

20.47%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$12.5K KES 1.6M

76.37%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$14.7K KES 1.9M

34.69%

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

$33.74 KES 4,360

$30.33 KES 3,920

11.24%

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

$16.72 KES 2,160

$17.05 KES 2,204

-1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.94 KES 5,032

$39.44 KES 5,096

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.13 KES 5,574

$47.30 KES 6,112

-8.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 KES 2,665

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 KES 822

$5.44 KES 703

16.91%

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

$205 KES 26.5K

$204 KES 26.4K

0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,113 KES 1.0M

$3,922 KES 506.9K

106.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.49 KES 2,389

$18.52 KES 2,394

-0.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.69 KES 3,062

$24.31 KES 3,141

-2.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 KES 8,310

$37.95 KES 4,904

69.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,185

$54.9 KES 7,099

1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 KES 56.7K

$229 KES 29.6K

91.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 KES 24.1K

$115 KES 14.9K

61.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 KES 147.5K

$393 KES 50.8K

190.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 KES 55.8K

$271 KES 35.0K

59.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 KES 197.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$909 KES 117.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 KES 55.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

12.5

18.72%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nairobi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Nairobi versus $229 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 $38.00 in Nairobi versus $39.00 in Nakuru. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Nairobi vs $156 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 26% more than Nakuru, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,147 per month in Nairobi and $908 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.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Nakuru. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $205 per month in Nairobi and $204 in Nakuru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $765 in Nairobi and $606 in Nakuru, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nakuru costs $606 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 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.