Moving to Kenya from United States
What to Expect
Considering a move from United States to Kenya? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United States to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 60.8% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly KES3,094,455 in Kenya to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United States and Kenya.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → KES3,094,455
To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 70.5% less
Groceries
pay 61.4% less
Transportation
pay 16.0% less
Housing
pay 77.2% less
Childcare
pay 77.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 58.2% less
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
The numbers behind daily life in Kenya compared to United States.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United States 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 United States 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
United States generally does better on environment, though Kenya leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
United States performs better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.
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
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya leads in top income tax 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
United States performs better than Kenya across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Kenya Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Kenya
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Kenya passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: 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 United States?
On average Kenya is about 68% less expensive than United States, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Kenya?
Budget about KES773,614 for 3 months in Kenya (based on a $75,000 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: 1.9 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?
United States 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 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Kenya compared to United States?
Kenya generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 36.1 in United States. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Kenya compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Kenya?
The official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili. In United States, the official language is English.
