Moving to South Korea from Kenya
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Kenya to South Korea — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Kenya to South Korea, you would find that South Korea is 2.2 times more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,700,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly ₩218,000,000 in South Korea to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Seoul averages 63°F vs 74°F in Nairobi, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is South Korea cheaper than Kenya?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 46.9% more
Groceries
pay 3.3 times more
Transportation
pay 13.9% more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 2.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 47.2% 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.
What salary do you need in South Korea?
What does your salary buy?
KES9,700,000 → ₩218,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in South Korea
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to South Korea
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Kenya to South Korea, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Kenya to South Korea · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to South Korea?
Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents.
- 803,011
- 177,274
- 159,264
- 68,050
- 64,942
- 55,601
Key Indicator Comparison
How Kenya and South Korea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics.
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
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya 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 generally does better on environment, though South Korea leads in air pollution deaths.
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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Kenya 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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya leads in top income tax 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
South Korea performs significantly better than Kenya across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2016–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Revenue Authority (2016), National Tax Service, South Korea (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in South Korea vs Kenya
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Nairobi | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Nairobi | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Kenya Meteorological Department,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Can you move from Kenya to South Korea?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya and South Korea. To live, work, or study long-term in South Korea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Korea's immigration authority.
Kenya passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Required
South Korea 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 South Korea than Kenya?
Day-to-day costs in South Korea run about 119% higher than Kenya on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to South Korea?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a KES9,700,000 comparable salary, that's around ₩54,500,000 in South Korea for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Korea?
With 47.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, South Korea can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Kenya and South Korea.
Is South Korea safe for expats?
South Korea performs significantly better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Kenya?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 2.9 in Kenya. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Kenya?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.
