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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $782 per month in Nairobi vs $587 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,305 per month in Nairobi vs $995 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,828 per month in Nairobi vs $1,403 in Nakuru, rent included.

Nairobi costs about 33% more than Nakuru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 KES 692

$3.42 KES 442

56.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 KES 4,922

$37.95 KES 4,912

0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 KES 895

$6.92 KES 895

-0.14%

Cappuccino

$2.39 KES 309

$1.70 KES 220

40.59%

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

$0.71 KES 91.9

$0.38 KES 48.72

86.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.6

$0.32 KES 41.52

59.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 KES 299

$1.37 KES 177

68.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 385

$1.54 KES 199

92.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$0.52 KES 67.2

80.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.2

$0.48 KES 61.9

10.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 KES 212

$1.16 KES 150

41.38%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 218

$1.32 KES 170

28.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 KES 1,520

$7.94 KES 1,027

47.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 KES 885

$6.44 KES 834

6.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.44 KES 705

$4.19 KES 543

29.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 392

$1.71 KES 221

77.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.44 KES 57.4

145.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 269

$1.78 KES 230

16.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$0.55 KES 71.7

89.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$0.40 KES 52.3

165.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$0.57 KES 73.2

101.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.9

$0.64 KES 82.7

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.61 KES 78.5

29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 394

$1.98 KES 256

53.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 KES 1,510

$11.49 KES 1,487

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.58 KES 205

40.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 365

$1.79 KES 232

57.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.7

$0.79 KES 102

-5.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.59 KES 3,960

$26.55 KES 3,437

15.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.53 KES 198

3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 194

$0.75 KES 96.9

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 373

$2.81 KES 364

2.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.26 KES 163

23.81%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$12.5K KES 1.6M

75.67%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$14.9K KES 1.9M

37.22%

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

$34.70 KES 4,492

$31.44 KES 4,069

10.37%

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

$16.60 KES 2,149

$16.75 KES 2,169

-0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 KES 5,118

$39.81 KES 5,153

-0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.29 KES 5,604

$45.56 KES 5,898

-4.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.63 KES 2,670

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 KES 786

$5.39 KES 698

12.62%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$200 KES 25.9K

0.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,140 KES 1.1M

$3,810 KES 493.2K

113.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 KES 2,366

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.56 KES 3,050

$23.64 KES 3,060

-0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,599

$37.95 KES 4,913

75.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.7 KES 7,334

$54.6 KES 7,071

3.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 KES 58.3K

$229 KES 29.6K

96.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 KES 23.9K

$115 KES 14.9K

60.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 KES 146.7K

$384 KES 49.7K

195.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 KES 54.0K

$271 KES 35.0K

54.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 KES 201.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 KES 114.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$416 KES 53.9K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $450 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 $38.00 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 33% 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 $1,174 per month in Nairobi and $881 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 15% less in Nakuru. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Nairobi and $200 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 $782 in Nairobi and $587 in Nakuru, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nakuru costs $587 versus $782 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.