Moving to Kenya from Israel

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Israel to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 61.3% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪210,139 salary in Israel would need to be roughly KES3,146,216 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?

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

What does your salary buy?

₪210,139 KES3,146,216

To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 77.1% less

Groceries

pay 55.6% less

Transportation

pay 37.9% less

Housing

pay 58.6% less

Childcare

pay 61.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 62.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ILS = 46.19 KES (June 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.

Get free moving quotes to Kenya

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

IL
4.2
KE
28.2

Israel 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

IL
$4,033
KE
$274
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IL
37.1
KE
1.0

Israel 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

IL
15.0
KE
33.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IL
5.8t
KE
0.4t

Israel 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

IL
29.4
KE
1.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IL
132.0%
KE
33.2%

Israel generally does better on infrastructure, though Kenya leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
3.4%
KE
5.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$48,300
KE
$5,700

Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IL
83.3 yrs
KE
69.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IL
3.6
KE
27.9

Israel performs better than Kenya across all family life metrics.

Data: Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jerusalem Nairobi
Jan–Mar 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) 77°/54°F (25°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) 73°/55°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 72°/50°F (22°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
View all months
Month Jerusalem Nairobi
Jan 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C)
Feb 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C)
Mar 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C)
Apr 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C)
Jun 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C)
Jul 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C)
Sep 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C)
Nov 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C)

Data: Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service, Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Israel 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.

Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting Kenya

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

Kenya passport holder visiting Israel

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

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 Israel?

Generally yes: Kenya runs about 68% cheaper than Israel 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 ₪210,139 comparable salary, that's around KES786,554 in Kenya for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, 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 Israel and Kenya.

Is Kenya safe for expats?

Israel 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 Israel.

How is healthcare in Kenya compared to Israel?

Israel 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 37.1 in Israel. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.

What language do they speak in Kenya?

The official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.

Share this

At a Glance

IL KE
Population 8,914,885 55,864,655
Currency Israeli New Sheqel (₪) Kenyan Shilling (KES)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew English, Swahili
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +972 +254
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 100 999