Moving to Kenya from Indonesia

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Indonesia to Kenya — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Indonesia to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 6.4% more expensive than Indonesia overall. A IDR1,400,000,000 salary in Indonesia would need to be roughly KES10,700,000 in Kenya to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Swahili. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Nairobi averages 74°F vs 89°F in Jakarta, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Kenya cheaper than Indonesia?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 2.1 times more

Groceries

pay 23.8% less

Transportation

pay 75.8% more

Housing

pay 13.8% less

Childcare

pay 51.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 55.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IDR = 0.0072 KES (October 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.

What salary do you need in Kenya?

What does your salary buy?

IDR1,400,000,000 → KES10,700,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya

Calculate with your salary →

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Indonesia to Kenya.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ID
0.3
KE
4.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ID
11.3
KE
28.2

Indonesia performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ID
$417
KE
$274
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

ID
5.2
KE
2.9

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ID
58.0
KE
33.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ID
2.9t
KE
0.4t

Kenya performs significantly better than Indonesia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ID
4.9
KE
3.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ID
29.7%
KE
33.2%

Indonesia performs better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ID
3.2%
KE
5.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

ID
$5,060
KE
$2,363

Indonesia performs better than Kenya across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

ID
71.3 yrs
KE
63.8 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ID
15.2
KE
34.2

Indonesia generally does better on family life, though Kenya leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Direktorat Jenderal Pajak (2016), Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

Weather in Kenya vs Indonesia

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jakarta Rain: 65.2 in/yr (1655 mm)
89° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jakarta Nairobi
Jan–Mar 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) 77°/54°F (25°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 73°/55°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 72°/50°F (22°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
View all months
Month Jakarta Nairobi
Jan 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C)
Mar 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C)
Apr 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C)
May 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C)
Jun 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C)
Jul 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C)
Sep 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C)
Oct 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C)
Nov 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C)
Dec 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C)

Data: Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department

Can you move from Indonesia to Kenya?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Indonesia 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.

Indonesia passport

Indonesia passport holder visiting Kenya

Visa Free
Indonesia passport holders can enter Kenya without a visa.
Kenya passport

Kenya passport holder visiting Indonesia

Visa on Arrival
Kenya passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Indonesia.

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 Indonesia?

No — Kenya is on average about 6% more expensive than Indonesia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Kenya?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly KES2,675,000 in Kenya on a IDR1,400,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Kenya?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Kenya has 3.0 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?

Indonesia performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Indonesia.

How is healthcare in Kenya compared to Indonesia?

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 5.2 in Indonesia. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 89°F in Jakarta. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Jakarta gets 65.2 in.

What language do they speak in Kenya?

The official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili. In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.

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At a Glance

ID KE
Population 285,721,236 57,532,493
Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) Kenyan Shilling (KES)
Languages Indonesian English, Swahili
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +62 +254
Time zones 3 1
Emergency number 112 999