What if you were born in Kenya?

If you had grown up in Kenya instead of Pakistan, here is what your money, your home and your day in Nairobi could look like.

Try it with my numbers

Giraffe in the Maasai Mara. Photo: HasselbladWhisperer, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Kenya

Each person keeps the same place on the income ladder they have in Pakistan. Amounts are per month, after tax, in KES and in rupees at today’s rate.

Single, starting out

Earns Rs 60,000 a month in Pakistan, on your own.

Take-home in Kenya: KES 30,900Rs 65,900
Rent (city centre): KES 8,920
Transport (public transport): KES 2,100
Food: KES 4,460
Saved: KES 4,630

Family of four

Earns Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, as a family of four.

Take-home in Kenya: KES 70,900Rs 151,000
Rent (suburbs): KES 18,100
Transport (public transport): KES 4,820
Food: KES 12,100
Saved: KES 10,600

High-earning couple

Earns Rs 300,000 a month in Pakistan, as a couple.

Take-home in Kenya: KES 115,000Rs 245,000
Rent (city centre): KES 28,100
Transport (car): KES 10,800
Food: KES 14,100
Saved: KES 32,200

Try it with my own income

A day in Nairobi

The family of four above, with one parent working as an engineer.

Morning
You wake up in Nairobi, a city of mild winters around 19°C and cool summers around 22°C.
Commute
Public transport is limited here, so you share rides or use taxis and buses for a longer commute.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
You speak English.
Lunch
Lunch might be ugali (maize porridge) with nyama choma (grilled meat) and sukuma wiki greens.
Evening
You get home with KES 10,600 saved each month. You stay alert in some areas at night.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

Kenya compared with Pakistan

	Kenya	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	1.5× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	64 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	20 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	5.5%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	20°C	26°C
Languages	English, Swahili	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	KES	PKR

Sources: World Bank (price levels, household spending, life expectancy, PM2.5, unemployment), NASA POWER (climate), Dareecha’s daily exchange rates.

Thinking of really moving? See Pakistan vs Kenya, living in Kenya and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in Kenya?

It depends on where you are on the ladder. A family earning Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, above the national average, would take home around KES 70,900 a month at the same level in Kenya (about Rs 151,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Kenya more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 1.5 times as much as in Pakistan (World Bank price levels), but incomes there are higher too, so what matters is how far your pay goes.

What language would I speak in Kenya?

Mainly English, Swahili. English is an official language.

Can I actually move to Kenya?

This page imagines being born there. For a real move, compare costs, safety and jobs on the Pakistan vs Kenya page, and check visa rules in the visa checker.