Moving to Kenya from Canada
What to Expect
Considering a move from Canada to Kenya? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Canada to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 65.1% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$110,000 salary in Canada would need to be roughly KES3,500,000 in Kenya to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Nairobi averages 74°F vs 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Canada and Kenya.
What does your salary buy?
CA$110,000 → KES3,500,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 65.0% less
Groceries
pay 59.3% less
Transportation
pay 19.9% less
Housing
pay 81.0% less
Childcare
pay 58.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 41.3% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Kenya compared to Canada.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Canada performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada generally does better on environment, though Kenya leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Canada performs better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Canada performs better than Kenya across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2008). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ottawa | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Kenya Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada and Kenya. To live, work, or study long-term in Kenya, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Kenya's immigration authority.
Canada passport holder visiting Kenya
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Kenya passport holder visiting Canada
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Kenya than Canada?
On average Kenya is about 65% less expensive than Canada, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Kenya?
Budget about KES875,000 for 3 months in Kenya (based on a CA$110,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Kenya?
Connectivity is usually fine (Kenya: 3.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Kenya offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Kenya safe for expats?
Canada performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.0 in Canada.
How is healthcare in Kenya compared to Canada?
Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 28.2 in Canada. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Kenya compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Kenya?
The official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
