Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and Kenya

Name: Kenya
Address: KE

For one person, living is cheaper in Kenya: $710 a month against $2,727 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $24,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Kenya
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Kenya Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,727

/mo nomad

🇰🇪 Kenya

$710

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States and in Kenya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the United States and in Kenya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,727 per month in the United States vs $710 in Kenya, rent included.

United States $2,727
Kenya $710

A couple spends around $4,009 per month in the United States vs $1,170 in Kenya, rent included.

United States $4,009
Kenya $1,170

A family of three spends $5,291 per month in the United States vs $1,629 in Kenya, rent included.

United States $5,291
Kenya $1,629

The cost of living in the United States is about 284% higher than in Kenya on average.

The United States sits 101% above the global median, while Kenya is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.73 $19.73

$3.92 KES 508

403.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$30.22 KES 3,918

167.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$6.84 KES 886

75.15%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$2.42 KES 313

130.99%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$0.67 KES 86.5

314.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.58 KES 75.8

262.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.33 KES 302

156.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$2.64 KES 342

200.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.74 KES 95.5

39.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$0.54 KES 70.5

594.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.50 KES 194

197.33%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$1.61 KES 208

169.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$9.45 KES 1,226

34.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$5.94 KES 770

106.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$5.33 KES 691

224.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$2.85 KES 370

86.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.03 KES 133

62.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.76 KES 228

145.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$0.79 KES 103

536.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$0.85 KES 110

230.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.96 KES 125

217.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.71 KES 91.5

212.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.63 KES 81.1

273.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.92 $10.92

$3.41 KES 442

220.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$11.52 KES 1,494

29.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.13 KES 276

-1.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.68 KES 347

35.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.80 KES 103

207.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 $65.7

$46.91 KES 6,082

40.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.57 KES 204

128.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.53 KES 198

24.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.51 $29.51

$3.41 KES 442

765.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.54 KES 200

-33.77%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$19.4K KES 2.5M

45.68%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

28.31%

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

$221 $221

$52.3 KES 6,780

322.28%

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

$61.3 $61.3

$12.87 KES 1,668

376.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$37.26 KES 4,830

96.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 $44.89

$38.32 KES 4,968

17.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.65 $22.65

$15.29 KES 1,982

48.14%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$7.78 KES 1,008

94.86%

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

$1,471 $1,471

$175 KES 22.7K

741.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$9,541 KES 1.2M

162.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$18.36 KES 2,380

191.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.76 $43.76

$21.85 KES 2,833

100.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 $92.0

$43.45 KES 5,634

111.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$40.40 KES 5,237

182.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 $1,654

$294 KES 38.1K

463.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 $1,332

$152 KES 19.7K

778.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,669 $2,669

$757 KES 98.1K

252.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 $2,207

$386 KES 50.0K

471.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,054 $3,054

$1,263 KES 163.8K

141.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,522 $2,522

$914 KES 118.5K

176.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,391 $4,391

$349 KES 45.2K

1158.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

13.64

-51.98%

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

Last update for the United States: October 18, 2026

Last update for Kenya: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 48.9%

Kenya

$152 21.4% 88.6% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

United States

$413 15.1%

Kenya

$185 26% 55.3% $228

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

Kenya

$102 14.4% 71.2% $253

Eating Out

United States

$326 12%

Kenya

$103 14.5% 68.5% $223

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

Kenya

$56 7.9% 59.1% $81

Getting Around

United States

$89 3.3%

Kenya

$59 8.4% 33.1% $29

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$75 2.8%

Kenya

$54 7.6% 28.4% $21

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,612 in the United States vs $96.0 in Kenya. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,743 in Washington, DC and $447 in Nairobi.

Average salary: $4,548 in the United States vs $330 in Kenya. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1579% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 159% more in the United States.

Public transport is 286% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are 1278% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇰🇪 Kenya

🕒 Local time

21:59 9:59 PM

04:59 4:59 AM

7 h ahead of the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

48,468,138

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇰🇪 Kenyan Shilling (Sh)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

KES to USD in detail →

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Between locations

United States Kenya 13,090 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

United States
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

United States vs Kenya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kenya is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 284% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,612 versus $96.0 in Kenya.

Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Kenya, adding to the overall 284% price gap.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Kenya, but in the United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Kenya is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.