Moving to Italy from Kenya

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Kenya to Italy, you would find that Italy is 2.5 times more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,700,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly €165,000 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian. 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 ↓

Is Italy cheaper than Kenya?

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

Restaurants

pay 3.2 times more

Groceries

pay 2.3 times more

Transportation

pay 51.2% more

Housing

pay 3.4 times more

Childcare

pay 82.0% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 50.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KES = 0.0069 EUR (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 Italy?

What does your salary buy?

KES9,700,000 → €165,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Italy

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to Italy

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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
238 ↑ 32% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Italy?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

KE
4.9
IT
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KE
28.2
IT
5.0

Italy performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

KE
$274
IT
$4,993
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

KE
2.9
IT
41.9

Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Italy 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
IT
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KE
0.4t
IT
5.1t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KE
3.0
IT
31.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KE
33.2%
IT
29.8%

Italy performs significantly better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KE
5.5%
IT
6.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

KE
$2,363
IT
$43,309

Kenya generally does better on employment & economy, though Italy leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

KE
63.8 yrs
IT
84.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KE
34.2
IT
2.3

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

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

Weather in Italy vs Kenya

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Rome Rain: 31.7 in/yr (804 mm)
69° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Nairobi Rome
Jan–Mar 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) 85°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Nairobi Rome
Jan 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C)
Feb 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C)
Mar 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C)
Apr 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C)
May 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C)
Jun 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C)
Jul 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C)
Aug 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C)
Sep 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C)
Oct 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C)
Nov 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C)
Dec 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C)

Data: Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department, Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology

Can you move from Kenya to Italy?

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

Kenya passport

Kenya passport holder visiting Italy

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

Italy passport holder visiting Kenya

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Italy 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 Italy than Kenya?

No — Italy is on average about 149% more expensive than Kenya. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Italy?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €41,250 in Italy on a KES9,700,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Italy?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Italy has 31.8 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 Italy safe for expats?

Italy performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Italy is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.

How is healthcare in Italy compared to Kenya?

Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Italy leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 41.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 2.9 in Kenya. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).

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

The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.

What language do they speak in Italy?

The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.

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At a Glance

KE IT
Population 57,532,493 58,915,656
Currency Kenyan Shilling (KES) Euro (€)
Languages English, Swahili Catalan, Italian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +254 +39
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112