Moving to Texas from Kenya

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Kenya to Texas? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Kenya to Texas, you would find that Texas is 3.5 times more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,690,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly $179,886 in Texas to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kenya and Texas.

What does your salary buy?

KES9,690,000 $179,886

To maintain the same standard of living in Texas

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.0 times more

Groceries

pay 2.9 times more

Transportation

pay 48.8% more

Housing

pay 6.1 times more

Childcare

pay 4.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.3 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KES = 0.0077 USD (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?

What the data shows about people moving from Kenya to Texas.

Moved in 2023
4,840 ↑ 4% vs 2022

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.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Texas compared to Kenya.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

KE
7.1%
TX
36.8%

Kenya performs better than Texas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

KE
29.0%
TX
90.1%

Texas performs significantly better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KE
5.7%
TX
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

KE
$5,700
TX
$70,071

Texas performs significantly better than Kenya across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KE
69.7 yrs
TX
76.5 yrs

Texas 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Austin Rain: 36.2 in/yr (920 mm)
79° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Nairobi Austin
Jan–Mar 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) 65°/40°F (18°/5°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) 85°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) 93°/70°F (34°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) 71°/47°F (22°/8°C)
View all months
Month Nairobi Austin
Jan 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) 61°/37°F (15.9°/2.9°C)
Feb 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) 64°/39°F (17.6°/3.8°C)
Mar 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) 71°/45°F (21.6°/7.4°C)
Apr 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) 79°/55°F (25.9°/12.8°C)
May 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) 85°/64°F (29.7°/17.7°C)
Jun 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) 91°/70°F (32.8°/21.0°C)
Jul 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) 94°/72°F (34.7°/22.3°C)
Aug 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.1°C)
Sep 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) 90°/67°F (32.3°/19.2°C)
Oct 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) 81°/57°F (27.3°/13.7°C)
Nov 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) 71°/47°F (21.4°/8.4°C)
Dec 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) 62°/38°F (16.5°/3.4°C)

Data: Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department, National Weather Service 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

Kenya passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Kenya passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Kenya

Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States 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 Texas than Kenya?

On average Texas is around 140% pricier than Kenya, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Texas?

Budget about $44,972 for 3 months in Texas (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 Texas?

From major Texas cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Kenya and Texas are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Texas compared to Kenya?

Kenya performs better than Texas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Austin is 79°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Austin receives around 36.2 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 in.

What language do they speak in Texas?

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

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At a Glance

KE
Population 55,864,655 25,145,561
Currency Kenyan Shilling (KES) United States Dollar ($)
Languages English, Swahili English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +254 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 999 911