Moving to Kenya from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Kenya? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 38.0% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly KES5,840,000 in Kenya to maintain the same lifestyle.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and Kenya.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → KES5,840,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 39.1% less
Groceries
pay 29.0% less
Transportation
pay 23.9% less
Housing
pay 54.3% less
Childcare
pay 32.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 5.1% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to Kenya.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Kenya compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Africa generally does better on safety, though Kenya leads in homicide rate.
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 South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Kenya performs significantly better than South Africa 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
South Africa 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 Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya 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
South Africa performs better than Kenya across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Kenya Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Kenya
Visa Free
Kenya passport holder visiting South Africa
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 Kenya than South Africa?
On average Kenya is about 38% less expensive than South Africa, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Kenya?
Budget about KES1,460,000 for 3 months in Kenya (based on a ZAR1,200,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Kenya?
Connectivity is usually fine (Kenya: 3.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Kenya offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Kenya safe for expats?
South Africa generally does better on safety, though Kenya leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Kenya compared to South Africa?
Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Kenya compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Kenya?
The official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Kenya
At a Glance
ZA
|
KE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 57,532,493 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Kenyan Shilling (KES) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | English, Swahili |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +27 | +254 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 999 |