Moving to Kenya from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Kenya — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 49.8% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,904,791 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly KES4,391,528 in Kenya to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Swahili. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Costa Rica to Kenya.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,904,791 → KES4,391,528
To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 60.5% less
Groceries
pay 52.2% less
Transportation
pay 28.1% less
Housing
pay 59.5% less
Childcare
pay 44.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 37.1% 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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Kenya.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Kenya leads in homicide rate.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica performs better than Kenya across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Kenya Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Kenya
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Kenya passport holder visiting Costa Rica
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 Costa Rica?
Yes — Kenya is on average about 55% cheaper than Costa Rica. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Kenya?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly KES1,097,882 in Kenya on a CRC33,904,791 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Kenya?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Kenya has 1.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Kenya safe for expats?
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Kenya leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Kenya compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Kenya compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Kenya?
The official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
