Moving to Kenya from Syria

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Syria to Kenya, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Swahili. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Syria 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

SY
2.1
KE
4.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
KE
28.2

Syria generally does better on safety, though Kenya leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
KE
$274
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SY
11.9
KE
1.0

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
KE
33.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
KE
0.4t

Kenya performs significantly better than Syria 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

SY
7.3
KE
1.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
KE
33.2%

Syria 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

SY
13.5%
KE
5.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$2,900
KE
$5,700

Kenya generally does better on employment & economy, though Syria leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SY
74.3 yrs
KE
69.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
15.9
KE
27.9

Syria performs better than Kenya across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Nairobi
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 77°/54°F (25°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 73°/55°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 72°/50°F (22°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Nairobi
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, Kenya Meteorological Department Kenya Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria 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.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Kenya

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

Kenya passport holder visiting Syria

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

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 Syria and Kenya.

Is Kenya safe for expats?

Syria generally does better on safety, though Kenya leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Kenya compared to Syria?

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in adult obesity rate. There are 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 11.9 in Syria. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

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

The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Kenya?

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

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At a Glance

SY KE
Population 21,563,800 55,864,655
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Kenyan Shilling (KES)
Languages Arabic English, Swahili
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +963 +254
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999