Moving to Australia from Kenya

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Kenya to Australia, you would find that Australia is 3.7 times more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,690,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly A$278,734 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle.

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

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Kenya to Australia.

What does your salary buy?

KES9,690,000 A$278,734

To maintain the same standard of living in Australia

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 4.0 times more

Groceries

pay 2.8 times more

Transportation

pay 70.5% more

Housing

pay 5.1 times more

Childcare

pay 5.2 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.8 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KES = 0.0111 AUD (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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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Kenya to Australia, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
938 ↓ 13% vs 2022

people moved from Kenya to Australia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Australia?

Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KE
4.9
AU
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KE
28.2
AU
4.5

Australia performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

KE
$274
AU
$7,691
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KE
1.0
AU
39.8

Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KE
0.4t
AU
14.1t

Kenya generally does better on environment, though Australia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KE
1.9
AU
35.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KE
33.2%
AU
4.6%

Australia performs significantly 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

KE
5.7%
AU
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KE
$5,700
AU
$59,500

Australia 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

KE
69.7 yrs
AU
83.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KE
27.9
AU
3.0

Australia performs significantly better than Kenya across all family life metrics.

Data: Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Nairobi Canberra
Jan–Mar 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) 80°/54°F (26°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) 61°/39°F (16°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) 56°/35°F (13°/1°C)
Oct–Dec 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) 73°/47°F (23°/9°C)
View all months
Month Nairobi Canberra
Jan 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C)
Feb 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C)
Mar 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C)
Apr 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C)
May 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C)
Jun 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Jul 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C)
Aug 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C)
Sep 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C)
Oct 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C)
Nov 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C)
Dec 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C)

Data: Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department, Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya and Australia. To live, work, or study long-term in Australia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Australia's immigration authority.

Kenya passport

Kenya passport holder visiting Australia

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

Australia passport holder visiting Kenya

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

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 Australia than Kenya?

No — Australia is on average about 158% more expensive than Kenya. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Australia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly A$69,684 in Australia on a KES9,690,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Australia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Australia has 35.1 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 Australia safe for expats?

Australia performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.

How is healthcare in Australia compared to Kenya?

Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Australia, compared to 1.0 in Kenya. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).

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

The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.

What language do they speak in Australia?

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

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At a Glance

KE AU
Population 55,864,655 26,141,369
Currency Kenyan Shilling (KES) Australian Dollar (A$)
Languages English, Swahili English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +254 +61
Time zones 1 8
Emergency number 999 000