Moving to Kenya from France

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from France to Kenya — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from France to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 57.7% cheaper than France overall. A €65,577 salary in France would need to be roughly KES3,825,412 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Nairobi averages 74°F vs 60°F in Paris, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from France to Kenya.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 KES3,825,412

To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 71.9% less

Groceries

pay 58.6% less

Transportation

pay 40.9% less

Housing

pay 56.4% less

Childcare

pay 53.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 53.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 147.82 KES (July 2026)

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

How France and Kenya stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

FR
1.6
KE
4.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FR
4.7
KE
28.2

France performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

FR
$6,868
KE
$274
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

FR
33.4
KE
1.0

Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

FR
10.0
KE
33.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FR
4.0t
KE
0.4t

France generally does better on environment, though Kenya leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FR
49.4
KE
1.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FR
21.6%
KE
33.2%

France performs better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

FR
7.3%
KE
5.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FR
$55,200
KE
$5,700

France generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

FR
82.6 yrs
KE
69.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FR
3.1
KE
27.9

France performs better than Kenya across all family life metrics.

Data: Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Paris Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
60° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Nairobi Rain: 40.3 in/yr (1024 mm)
74° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Paris Nairobi
Jan–Mar 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) 77°/54°F (25°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 73°/55°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) 72°/50°F (22°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
View all months
Month Paris Nairobi
Jan 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C)
Mar 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C)
Apr 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C)
May 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C)
Jun 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C)
Jul 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C)
Aug 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C)
Sep 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C)
Oct 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C)
Nov 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C)
Dec 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C)

Data: Météo-France Météo-France, Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between France 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.

France passport

France passport holder visiting Kenya

Electronic Travel Authorisation
France passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Kenya.
Kenya passport

Kenya passport holder visiting France

Visa Required
Kenya passport holders need a visa to enter France.

Data: 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 France?

Generally yes: Kenya runs about 61% cheaper than France on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Kenya?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,577 comparable salary, that's around KES956,353 in Kenya for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Kenya?

With 1.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Kenya can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in France and Kenya.

Is Kenya safe for expats?

France performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in France.

How is healthcare in Kenya compared to France?

Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 33.4 in France. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (France: 85).

What's the weather like in Kenya compared to France?

The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Kenya?

The official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili. In France, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

FR KE
Population 68,305,148 55,864,655
Currency Euro (€) Kenyan Shilling (KES)
Languages French English, Swahili
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +33 +254
Time zones 14 1
Emergency number 112 999