Moving to California from Kenya
What to Expect
Considering a move from Kenya to California? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Kenya to California, you would find that California is 4.5 times more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,690,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly $234,093 in California to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kenya and California.
What does your salary buy?
KES9,690,000 → $234,093
To maintain the same standard of living in California
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.5 times more
Groceries
pay 3.7 times more
Transportation
pay 60.0% more
Housing
pay 9.2 times more
Childcare
pay 6.8 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.9 times more
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?
What the data shows about people moving from Kenya to California.
people moved from Kenya to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
48.156,960
Kenya
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in California compared to Kenya.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Kenya performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs significantly 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
share of people below the poverty line
California performs significantly better than Kenya across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs significantly better than Kenya across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Nairobi | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Nairobi | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) |
| Feb | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) |
| Mar | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) |
| Apr | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) |
| May | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) |
| Jun | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jul | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) |
| Aug | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) |
| Sep | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) |
| Oct | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) |
| Nov | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) |
| Dec | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) |
Data:
Kenya Meteorological Department,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Kenya passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Kenya
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in California than Kenya?
On average California is around 212% pricier than Kenya, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to California?
Budget about $58,523 for 3 months in California (based on a KES9,690,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from California?
From major California cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Kenya and California are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in California compared to Kenya?
Kenya performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in California compared to Kenya?
The average high temperature in Sacramento is 74°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Sacramento receives around 18.5 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.
What language do they speak in California?
The official language in California is English. In Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.
