Moving to Kenya from Romania

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Romania to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 21.3% cheaper than Romania overall. A RON337,808 salary in Romania would need to be roughly KES6,131,446 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 63°F in Bucharest, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Romania to Kenya.

What does your salary buy?

RON337,808 KES6,131,446

To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 56.3% less

Groceries

pay 17.5% less

Transportation

pay 16.6% more

Housing

pay 30.1% more

Childcare

pay 36.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 23.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RON = 28.73 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

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RO
1.3
KE
4.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RO
9.6
KE
28.2

Romania 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

RO
$2,614
KE
$274
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

RO
34.7
KE
1.0

Romania 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

RO
46.0
KE
33.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RO
3.7t
KE
0.4t

Kenya performs significantly better than Romania 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

RO
32.4
KE
1.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RO
7.4%
KE
33.2%

Romania performs better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RO
5.6%
KE
5.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RO
$40,500
KE
$5,700

Romania 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

RO
75.8 yrs
KE
69.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RO
5.8
KE
27.9

Romania generally does better on family life, though Kenya leads in education spending.

Data: National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bucharest Rain: 23.4 in/yr (594 mm)
63° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bucharest Nairobi
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 77°/54°F (25°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) 73°/55°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) 72°/50°F (22°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
View all months
Month Bucharest Nairobi
Jan 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C)
Feb 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C)
Mar 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C)
Apr 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C)
May 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C)
Jun 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C)
Aug 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C)
Sep 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C)
Oct 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C)
Nov 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C)
Dec 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C) 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C)

Data: National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration, Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Romania 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.

Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting Kenya

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

Kenya passport holder visiting Romania

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

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 Romania?

Yes — Kenya is on average about 37% cheaper than Romania. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Kenya?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly KES1,532,862 in Kenya on a RON337,808 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Kenya?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Kenya has 1.9 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 Kenya safe for expats?

Romania performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Romania.

How is healthcare in Kenya compared to Romania?

Romania 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 34.7 in Romania. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Romania: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 63°F in Bucharest. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Bucharest gets 23.4 in.

What language do they speak in Kenya?

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

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At a Glance

RO KE
Population 18,519,899 55,864,655
Currency Romanian Leu (RON) Kenyan Shilling (KES)
Languages Romanian English, Swahili
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +40 +254
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999