Colombo vs Nairobi: cost of living for digital nomads
Colombo, Sri Lanka and Nairobi, Kenya, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.
The short version
- Colombo is about 19% cheaper than Nairobi for a month of nomad living ($1,050 vs $1,300).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $450 in Colombo against $580 in Nairobi.
- Colombo scores higher on safety (7/10 vs 6/10).
- Colombo is tropical; Nairobi is temperate.
Colombo wins 6 of the measured lines; Nairobi wins 0.
| Line | Colombo | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,050 | $1,300 |
| Rent | $450 | $580 |
| Food | $300 | $360 |
| Transport | $40 | $50 |
| Coworking | $90 | $110 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 40 | 40 |
| Climate | tropical | temperate |
| City size | metro | metro |
| Setting | coast | inland |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 7/10 | 7/10 |
Compare Nairobi with
Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.