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Kenya Cost of Living 2026
๐ฐ๐ช 2 cities in Kenya, sorted by daily travel budget. Not the exchange rate โ how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price becomes a rip-off. Updated October 2026
Cities in Kenya compared
| City | Per day | Per month | Local meal | Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฐ๐ช MombasaResort ยท mid-size | $97.8 | $988 | KSh400 | KSh300 |
| ๐ฐ๐ช NairobiBig city | $121 | $1,613 | KSh600 | KSh400 |
Per day = one mid-range night + three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides. Open a city for item-by-item prices, rip-off thresholds and live traveler reports.
Everyday prices in Kenya
| City | Beer | 5 km taxi | Hotel night | Massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฐ๐ช Mombasa | KSh300 | KSh400 | KSh8,000 | KSh2,500 |
| ๐ฐ๐ช Nairobi | KSh300 | KSh500 | KSh9,000 | KSh3,500 |
Kenya vs nearby countries
| Country | Per day | Per month | vs Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ท๐ผ Rwanda | $94.2 | $1,307 | -14% |
| ๐น๐ฟ Tanzania | $99.2 | $1,191 | -9% |
| ๐ช๐น Ethiopia | $99.3 | $1,042 | -9% |
| ๐น๐ณ Tunisia | $100 | $1,330 | -8% |
| ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | $109 | $1,300 | this country |
| ๐ฒ๐ฆ Morocco | $116 | $1,654 | +6% |
| ๐ฏ๐ด Jordan | $121 | $1,815 | +11% |
| ๐ฌ๐ญ Ghana | $126 | $1,647 | +16% |
Countries in the same region with a similar daily travel budget. Tap a country for its city-by-city prices.
Nairobi vs New York: item by item
| Item | Nairobi | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local meal | KSh600โ $4.65 | $20 | -77% |
| Coffee | KSh400โ $3.1 | $6 | -48% |
| Beer | KSh300โ $2.33 | $9 | -74% |
| 5 km taxi | KSh500โ $3.88 | $23 | -83% |
| Hotel night | KSh9,000โ $69.8 | $270 | -74% |
| 1-bed rent | KSh50,000โ $388 | $3,300 | -88% |
Same purchase in both cities, converted to US dollars. Daily travel budget: Nairobi $121 vs New York $467 โ about 74% cheaper.
Compare Kenya with other cities
Money tips for Kenya
Paying
Mobile money such as M-Pesa is everywhere; hotels and malls take cards.
Tipping
About 10% at restaurants.
Menu prices
VAT is usually included in listed prices.
Getting around
Uber and Bolt are convenient and safer.
Haggling
Haggle at markets and souvenir stalls.
Water
Don't drink tap water.
Common rip-offs
For safaris, check exactly what is included (park fees, vehicle, lodging).
Kenya travel difficulty
Rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, 1โ5 (closer to 1 is easier). Tap a city for reasons and tips. Full difficulty ranking โบ
City guides
FAQ
How much is a daily travel budget in Kenya?
With a mid-range room, between $97.8 and $121 a day depending on the city โ about $109 on average. Hostels and local eateries cut that by 30% or more.
How much does a month in Kenya cost?
Short-term rental plus living costs runs $988โ$1,613 by city, about $1,300 on average.
Which city in Kenya is cheapest?
By daily budget, Mombasa ($97.8/day) is the cheapest and Nairobi ($121/day) the most expensive.
Which nearby country is cheaper than Kenya?
Among countries in the same region with similar budgets, Rwanda runs about $94.2 a day โ 14% less than Kenya (about $109).
Is Kenya cheaper than New York?
In Nairobi, a traveler's day runs about $121 versus $467 in New York โ roughly 74% cheaper. The gap differs by item, so meals, coffee, taxis and hotels are listed separately above.