Nairobi can be cheap or very expensive, and the difference is mostly three things: which neighbourhood you rent in, whether you buy imported brands, and whether you get around by matatu or by car.
The figures below are rough 2026 ranges, not quotes. Prices move with inflation, fuel prices and the shilling, so build your own budget from real prices once you arrive.
Two rough monthly budgets
For a single person, in KES:
| Modest | Comfortable | |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | 15,000 - 30,000 | 50,000 - 90,000 |
| Food and household shopping | 12,000 - 20,000 | 30,000 - 50,000 |
| Eating out | 2,000 - 5,000 | 15,000 - 30,000 |
| Transport | 4,000 - 8,000 (matatu) | 15,000 - 30,000 (ride-hailing or car) |
| Electricity, water, gas | 2,500 - 5,000 | 6,000 - 12,000 |
| Internet and phone | 2,000 - 4,000 | 5,000 - 8,000 |
| Service charge, rubbish, security | 0 - 2,000 | 3,000 - 10,000 |
Add health insurance, school fees, household staff and travel home if they apply to you.
Plan your own with the budget planner.
Rent
The biggest line, by far. See Finding housing for rents by area, and Nairobi’s neighbourhoods for the trade-offs.
Food
- Local produce is cheap, especially from a mama mboga or a market: sukuma wiki, tomatoes, onions, bananas, avocados and mangoes in season.
- Supermarkets such as Naivas, Quickmart, Carrefour and Chandarana are convenient. Imported brands cost much more than local ones.
- Eating out ranges from a plate of githeri or chapati and beans at a kibanda for a couple of hundred shillings to restaurant prices that match Europe’s.
Transport
A matatu ride within the city usually costs under KES 100, more in the rain and at rush hour. Ride-hailing is several times that per trip. Running a car means fuel, insurance, parking and servicing; the roads are hard on suspension. See Getting around Nairobi.
Costs people forget
- Deposits - usually one or two months’ rent, plus utility deposits.
- Furniture and appliances - most rentals are unfurnished, often without a fridge or cooker.
- Water when the supply fails and you have to buy a bowser.
- Family and community contributions - weddings, funerals, harambees and helping relatives are a real, regular expense for many Nairobians.
- Deductions from salary - see the PAYE guide for what comes off before you are paid.