Moving to Nigeria from Kenya
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Kenya to Nigeria — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Kenya to Nigeria, you would find that Nigeria is 2.8% more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,700,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly NGN102,000,000 in Nigeria to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lagos averages 87°F vs 74°F in Nairobi, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Nigeria cheaper than Kenya?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 36.8% less
Groceries
pay 22.0% more
Transportation
pay 37.9% less
Housing
pay 64.1% more
Childcare
pay 27.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 46.5% less
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 Nigeria?
What does your salary buy?
KES9,700,000 → NGN102,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Nigeria
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Nigeria
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Kenya to Nigeria.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kenya generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Kenya performs better than Nigeria across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Kenya generally does better on infrastructure, though Nigeria leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Kenya generally does better on employment & economy, though Nigeria leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Kenya performs better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Revenue Authority (2016), Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Nigeria vs Kenya
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Nairobi | Lagos |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) | 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 83°/71°F (28°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 88°/72°F (31°/22°C) |
View all months
| Month | Nairobi | Lagos |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) | 90°/72°F (32.2°/22.3°C) |
| Feb | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) | 92°/74°F (33.1°/23.5°C) |
| Mar | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) | 91°/75°F (32.7°/23.8°C) |
| Apr | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.6°C) |
| May | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) | 88°/74°F (30.9°/23.1°C) |
| Jun | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) | 85°/73°F (29.2°/22.6°C) |
| Jul | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) | 83°/72°F (28.1°/22.1°C) |
| Aug | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) | 83°/71°F (28.1°/21.7°C) |
| Sep | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) | 84°/71°F (28.9°/21.9°C) |
| Oct | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) | 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.3°C) |
| Nov | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) | 88°/73°F (31.0°/22.6°C) |
| Dec | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) | 89°/72°F (31.9°/22.4°C) |
Data:
Kenya Meteorological Department,
Nigerian Meteorological Agency
Can you move from Kenya to Nigeria?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya and Nigeria. To live, work, or study long-term in Nigeria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Nigeria's immigration authority.
Kenya passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Nigeria passport holder visiting Kenya
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Nigeria than Kenya?
No — Nigeria is on average about 3% more expensive than Kenya. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Nigeria?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NGN25,500,000 in Nigeria 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 Nigeria?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Nigeria has 0.1 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 Nigeria safe for expats?
Kenya generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Nigeria is 15.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.
How is healthcare in Nigeria compared to Kenya?
Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Nigeria, compared to 2.9 in Kenya. Nigeria scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).
What's the weather like in Nigeria compared to Kenya?
The average high temperature in Lagos is 87°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Lagos receives around 60.6 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.
What language do they speak in Nigeria?
The official language in Nigeria is English. In Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.
