Nairobi vs San Jose: cost of living for digital nomads
Nairobi, Kenya and San Jose, Costa Rica, 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
- Nairobi is about 32% cheaper than San Jose for a month of nomad living ($1,300 vs $1,900).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $580 in Nairobi against $900 in San Jose.
- San Jose scores higher on safety (7/10 vs 6/10).
- Internet is faster in San Jose: 80 Mbps typical against 40 Mbps.
- Nairobi is temperate; San Jose is tropical.
Nairobi wins 5 of the measured lines; San Jose wins 3.
| Line | Nairobi | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,300 | $1,900 |
| Rent | $580 | $900 |
| Food | $360 | $480 |
| Transport | $50 | $55 |
| Coworking | $110 | $140 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 40 | 80 |
| Climate | temperate | tropical |
| City size | metro | metro |
| Setting | inland | inland |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 7/10 | 8/10 |
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.