Cost of Living in Nairobi

Expats weighing up the cost of living in Nairobi will likely earn a good salary, and expat employers will often cover the major expenses. These can include housing allowances, company cars, health insurance contributions, education benefits, and help with visa and permit charges.

Don’t be fooled into thinking the cost of living here is cheap, though. Nairobi is among East Africa’s pricier cities for foreign professionals, but it’s still affordable next to global hubs like London or Singapore. You can live on a budget, but many expats prefer imported goods and services, which come at a price. Your chief expenses in Nairobi will be accommodation, school fees, transport, food, clothes, and utilities.

Cost of accommodation in Nairobi

The cost of accommodation in Nairobi is highest in the sought-after suburbs, where returning Kenyans and foreign professionals have pushed up rents. Good quality housing is expensive, and rents in these areas can be volatile. Expat employers typically offer to cover this expense. That offer can also include the security deposit, which is usually one to two months’ rent, although it can be three in a tight market. Utilities such as electricity, water, internet, and refuse collection are likely to be your responsibility.

An accommodation-related expense you might not anticipate is security. In a gated community, this is usually part of the rent, but that’s rarely the case in standalone homes.

Renting Accommodation in Nairobi 
Working in Nairobi

Cost of transport in Nairobi

Many expats weighing the cost of transport in Nairobi prefer to own a car for the added freedom. Cars can be expensive to buy, especially newer or well-kept models. Once you’ve bought one, you might also hire a driver. Chauffeurs are relatively affordable and worth considering, as Nairobi’s traffic can be stressful to drive in.

Renting a car can be more convenient if you’ll only be in the country for a limited time. Senior executives are sometimes given a company car and driver as part of the package.

The main form of public transport in Kenya is the matatu, a van or minibus on a fixed or semi-fixed route. Fares are cheap, but the vehicles are often overcrowded and poorly maintained. Regulators keep trying to clean up the sector through cashless fares, licensed terminals, published fare schedules, and limits on the number of vehicles per route, but overcrowding is still a problem.

Street taxis are still common. They rarely use meters or a set fare, so it’s best to agree a price with the driver before you set off. For most expats though, app-based ride-hailing is now the default. Uber and Bolt are the main players, but there are homegrown apps like Little too.

If you drive, you can pay the toll to use the Nairobi Expressway and skip a long crawl through the city centre.

Getting Around in Nairobi

Cost of groceries in Nairobi

The cost of groceries in Nairobi is manageable if you buy local, but imported items soon add up. Supermarkets stock both local and imported products. Local produce is relatively affordable, but imported goods like cheese, meat, wine, and packaged foods are surprisingly expensive. Import duties on many foods are steep, and shipping costs add to the bill.

Cost of entertainment and eating out in Nairobi

The cost of entertainment and eating out in Nairobi needn’t be high, whether you fancy the outdoors or a night at a local bar. Nairobi National Park is just south of the city and is popular with locals and visitors alike. The Kenya Wildlife Service charges non-residents considerably more than residents to get in. It also sells a bundled Nairobi Package that includes the park, the Safari Walk, and the Animal Orphanage. Shopping and dining in the city are relatively affordable, although it’s easy to overspend.

If you cook at home, you can save a lot, but expats here like to eat out. Nairobi has a busy food scene, and you’ll find Kenyan, Indian, continental, and international dishes across the city. As with groceries, expect to pay more at high-end restaurants that use imported ingredients than at smaller spots with local menus.

Lifestyle, Shopping, Eating Out and Attractions in Nairobi

Cost of education in Nairobi

The cost of education in Nairobi is a major expense for expat families, most of whom send their children to fee-paying international schools. On top of fees, expect extra costs for registration, transport, food, and field trips. Expat employers often fold some kind of education allowance into the package. If it’s not in the initial offer, negotiate for it.

International Schools in Nairobi

Cost of healthcare in Nairobi

The cost of healthcare in Nairobi is reasonable for routine treatment, and the top private hospitals are excellent. Serious illness or an emergency is another matter, though, and bills at the leading hospitals can be steep. Health insurance is strongly recommended, especially coverage that includes emergencies and medical evacuation.

Aga Khan University Hospital and Nairobi Hospital are among the best private hospitals, but treatment there is expensive without proper cover. There are plenty of health insurance providers in Nairobi, and most expats have cover included in their salary package.

Healthcare and Hospitals in Nairobi

Cost of living in Nairobi chart

Prices are listed in Kenyan shillings (KES) and may vary depending on the product and service provider. The list below shows average prices for Nairobi in September 2026.