Moving to Kenya from Oman

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Oman to Kenya — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Oman to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 27.2% cheaper than Oman overall. A OMR28,837 salary in Oman would need to be roughly KES6,545,687 in Kenya to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Swahili. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Nairobi averages 74°F vs 91°F in Muscat, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Oman to Kenya.

What does your salary buy?

OMR28,837 KES6,545,687

To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 6.3% less

Groceries

pay 24.2% less

Transportation

pay 20.4% more

Housing

pay 54.9% less

Childcare

pay 12.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 55.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 OMR = 336.57 KES (June 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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Key Indicator Comparison

How Oman and Kenya stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

OM
0.3
KE
4.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

OM
11.0
KE
28.2

Oman performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

OM
$1,444
KE
$274
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

OM
20.6
KE
1.0

Oman generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

OM
104.0
KE
33.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

OM
18.7t
KE
0.4t

Kenya performs significantly better than Oman across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

OM
10.9
KE
1.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

OM
116.7%
KE
33.2%

Oman generally does better on infrastructure, though Kenya leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

OM
1.5%
KE
5.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

OM
$40,000
KE
$5,700

Oman performs 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

OM
76.9 yrs
KE
69.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

OM
14.4
KE
27.9

Oman performs better than Kenya across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Oman, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Muscat Rain: 3.5 in/yr (90 mm)
91° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Muscat Nairobi
Jan–Mar 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) 77°/54°F (25°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 100°/82°F (38°/28°C) 73°/55°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 97°/83°F (36°/28°C) 72°/50°F (22°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/70°F (31°/21°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
View all months
Month Muscat Nairobi
Jan 77°/62°F (25.1°/16.7°C) 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C)
Feb 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.8°C) 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C)
Mar 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.3°C) 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C)
Apr 94°/76°F (34.7°/24.2°C) 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C)
May 103°/84°F (39.6°/28.7°C) 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C)
Jun 104°/87°F (40.0°/30.3°C) 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C)
Jul 100°/86°F (38.0°/30.1°C) 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C)
Aug 96°/83°F (35.6°/28.2°C) 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C)
Sep 96°/80°F (35.6°/26.8°C) 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C)
Oct 94°/76°F (34.6°/24.2°C) 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C)
Nov 87°/69°F (30.3°/20.8°C) 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C)
Dec 80°/65°F (26.8°/18.3°C) 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C)

Data: Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority, Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Oman passport

Oman passport holder visiting Kenya

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Oman passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Kenya.
Kenya passport

Kenya passport holder visiting Oman

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Kenya passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Oman.

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 Kenya than Oman?

Generally yes: Kenya runs about 33% cheaper than Oman on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Kenya?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a OMR28,837 comparable salary, that's around KES1,636,422 in Kenya for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Kenya?

With 1.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Kenya can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Oman and Kenya.

Is Kenya safe for expats?

Oman performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Oman.

How is healthcare in Kenya compared to Oman?

Oman generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 20.6 in Oman. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Oman: 70).

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

The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 91°F in Muscat. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Muscat gets 3.5 in.

What language do they speak in Kenya?

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

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At a Glance

OM KE
Population 3,764,348 55,864,655
Currency Omani Rial (OMR) Kenyan Shilling (KES)
Languages Arabic English, Swahili
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +968 +254
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 9999 999