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Nairobi vs Singapore cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฐ๐ช Nairobi
๐ธ๐ฌ Singapore
At a glance
- Where Singapore is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (34%โ)
- Where Nairobi is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (85%โ), Beer (77%โ), Haircut (75%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Singapore is easier to travel (1.0 vs 2.8). Biggest gap: safety โ Nairobi 4 vs Singapore 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Nairobi | Singapore | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | KSh 600$4.65 | S$ 8$6.15 | Nairobi โ24% |
| Street food1 item | KSh 150$1.16 | S$ 5$3.85 | Nairobi โ70% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | KSh 2,300$17.8 | S$ 45$34.6 | Nairobi โ48% |
| Coffeeone cup | KSh 400$3.1 | S$ 6.5$5 | Nairobi โ38% |
| Beerone bottle | KSh 300$2.33 | S$ 13$10 | Nairobi โ77% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | KSh 800$6.2 | S$ 25$19.2 | Nairobi โ68% |
| Bottled water | KSh 50$0.39 | S$ 1.6$1.23 | Nairobi โ69% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | KSh 80$0.62 | S$ 2.2$1.69 | Nairobi โ63% |
| Taxi5 km in town | KSh 500$3.88 | S$ 12$9.23 | Nairobi โ58% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | KSh 335$2.6 | S$ 9$6.92 | Nairobi โ62% |
| Transitone ride | KSh 70$0.54 | S$ 1.5$1.15 | Nairobi โ53% |
| Scooter rentalper day | KSh 3,000$23.3 | S$ 20$15.4 | Singapore โ34% |
| Hotel night3-star | KSh 9,000$69.8 | S$ 200$154 | Nairobi โ55% |
| Studio rent (month) | KSh 50,000$388 | S$ 3,300$2,538 | Nairobi โ85% |
| Laundry | KSh 200$1.55 | S$ 5$3.85 | Nairobi โ60% |
| SIM card1 week data | KSh 800$6.2 | S$ 15$11.5 | Nairobi โ46% |
| Haircutcut | KSh 500$3.88 | S$ 20$15.4 | Nairobi โ75% |
| Massage1 hour | KSh 3,500$27.1 | S$ 60$46.2 | Nairobi โ41% |
| Half-day tourper person | KSh 8,000$62 | S$ 70$53.8 | Singapore โ13% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | KSh 1,500$11.6 | S$ 40$30.8 | Nairobi โ62% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Nairobi or Singapore?
Nairobi is 69% cheaper than Singapore. Daily budget $121 vs $249; a month $1,613 vs $7,084.
Which is easier to travel, Nairobi or Singapore?
Singapore is easier: Singapore 1.0/5 vs Nairobi 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Nairobi and Singapore?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Nairobi is about $1,613 and Singapore about $7,084 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.