Everything nobody tells you about living in Nairobi

Free, independent guides to Kenyan paperwork, housing, money and daily life, and an interactive map of the city. Written for anyone making Nairobi home — new arrivals, returnees, and Nairobians who have never had to file a KRA return before.

Nairobi, by constituency. Choose one to open it on the map. Explore the map →

Explore Nairobi

Things to play with, not just read.

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The things that block everything else. Until these are done, you cannot open a bank account, sign a lease or get paid properly.

Coming up in Nairobi

All events ➞

The same figures as the guides, worked out on your own device. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.

The numbers, today

Every figure on this site comes from one dated file, so a guide can never quietly go stale. How that works ➞

What How much Where it bites
Minimum wage, Nairobi KES 18,047 A month, for a general labourer, from May 2026
Lowest PAYE rate 10% On the first KES 24,000 a month, less KES 2,400 relief
NSSF off your payslip 6% Up to KES 6,480 a month; your employer matches it
SHIF and Housing Levy 2.75% + 1.5% Of gross pay, before PAYE is worked out
Largest M-Pesa payment KES 250,000 Anything bigger goes through a bank
Nairobi's population 4,396,828 At the 2019 census, across 17 constituencies

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AFCON 2027 in Nairobi

The Africa Cup of Nations comes to Nairobi in June 2027 - stadiums, tickets, travel and the Harambee Stars.

  1. AFCON 2027 in Nairobi
  2. AFCON stadiums in Nairobi
  3. AFCON tickets and Fan ID
  4. Visiting for AFCON 2027
  5. Between the host cities
  6. Harambee Stars and AFCON
  7. Watching AFCON in Nairobi
  8. AFCON for businesses
8 guides ➞

Arriving in Nairobi

Entry rules, permits and the accounts and IDs everything else depends on.

  1. Moving to Nairobi
  2. First weeks
  3. eCitizen, KRA PIN and IDs
  4. Weather and seasons
  5. Swahili basics
  6. Culture and etiquette
  7. Phones and SIM cards
  8. Remote work
  9. Leaving Kenya
  10. Kenyans abroad
  11. How Kenya is governed
  12. Applying for an eTA
  13. JKIA airport guide
  14. eSIMs for visitors
  15. Class D work permit
  16. Dependant passes
  17. Digital nomad permit
  18. Permanent residence and citizenship
  19. Shipping belongings to Kenya
  20. Getting a passport
  21. Good conduct certificate
  22. Birth certificates
  23. Changing your name
23 guides ➞

Housing

Where to live, how renting works, and keeping the power and water on.

  1. Neighbourhoods
  2. Kilimani, Westlands or Lavington
  3. Serviced apartments
  4. Moving house
  5. Solar and backup power
  6. Home security
  7. Water tanks and boreholes
  8. Living in Kilimani
  9. Living in Westlands
  10. Lavington and Kileleshwa
  11. Karen and Lang'ata
  12. Runda, Gigiri and Muthaiga
  13. South B and South C
  14. Ruaka and Thika Road
  15. Syokimau and Kitengela
  16. Living in Rongai
  17. Finding housing
  18. Tenant rights
  19. Utilities
  20. Kenya Power tokens
  21. Home internet
  22. County services
  23. Setting up home
  24. Buying property
  25. Being a landlord
  26. Land search on Ardhisasa
  27. Buying land around Nairobi
  28. Building a house
  29. Building from abroad
  30. Buying off-plan
  31. Airbnb in Nairobi
  32. Housing Levy and Boma Yangu
32 guides ➞

Money and work

M-Pesa, banks, payroll deductions and what things cost.

  1. M-Pesa
  2. Opening a bank account
  3. PAYE and taxes
  4. Cost of living
  5. Saving and investing
  6. Filing a nil return
  7. Filing with a P9
  8. Tax compliance certificate
  9. Money market funds
  10. Treasury bills and bonds
  11. Sending money to Kenya
  12. PayPal, Payoneer and Wise
  13. Investing on the NSE
  14. SACCOs
  15. Mortgages
  16. Mobile loans
  17. CRB status
  18. NSSF statement and benefits
  19. Pensions
  20. Life insurance
  21. Credit cards
  22. Changing money
22 guides ➞

Work and business

Finding a job, your rights at work, employing people at home, and starting a business.

  1. Finding a job
  2. Working in Kenya
  3. Salary offers
  4. UN and NGO jobs
  5. Minimum wage
  6. Household staff
  7. Registering a business
  8. Freelancing
  9. Job clearance certificates
  10. HELB loans
  11. eTIMS explained
  12. Registering a company
  13. Nairobi business permit
  14. Turnover tax vs income tax
  15. Hiring your first employee
  16. Coworking spaces
  17. Registering for VAT
  18. Company annual returns
  19. Importing goods
  20. Small business ideas
20 guides ➞

Getting around

Matatus, ride-hailing, trains and driving.

  1. Getting around
  2. Driving
  3. Driving licence
  4. Importing a car
  5. Transferring a logbook
  6. Car insurance
  7. Travelling around Kenya
  8. Nairobi to Mombasa
  9. Car hire
9 guides ➞

Health and safety

SHA, hospitals and emergencies, and the everyday habits that keep you safe.

  1. Healthcare
  2. Registering for SHA
  3. Health insurance
  4. Hospitals in Nairobi
  5. Giving birth in Nairobi
  6. Therapy and mental health
  7. Emergencies
  8. Safety
  9. Crime and lost documents
9 guides ➞

Family and daily life

Schools, shopping and the public holiday calendar.

  1. Schools
  2. International schools
  3. Senior school and Grade 10
  4. With kids
  5. Daycare and preschool
  6. Studying
  7. Pets
  8. Shopping
  9. Online shopping
  10. Public holidays
  11. Getting married
  12. Planning a wedding
  13. Death and succession
13 guides ➞

Exploring Nairobi

Wildlife inside the city, museums, markets, nights out and trips beyond.

  1. Things to do
  2. Nairobi in 48 hours
  3. Nairobi National Park
  4. Maasai Mara from Nairobi
  5. Weekend getaways
  6. Choosing a safari company
  7. Where to stay
  8. Is Nairobi safe?
  9. Food and eating out
  10. Nightlife
  11. History of Nairobi
  12. Day trips
  13. Sport and fitness
  14. Volunteering and giving
14 guides ➞

Calculators

Worked out with the same figures the guides use, entirely in your browser.

  1. Salary calculator
  2. Final dues calculator
  3. Leave calculator
  4. Overtime calculator
  5. Household staff calculator
  6. Move-in cost calculator
  7. Budget planner
  8. Rental income tax calculator
  9. Commute calculator
  10. Savings calculator
  11. Loan calculator
  12. Mortgage affordability
  13. Stamp duty calculator
  14. Car import duty calculator
  15. VAT calculator
  16. Turnover tax calculator
  17. Withholding tax calculator
  18. Rental yield calculator
  19. AFCON matchday planner
  20. AFCON trip budget
20 guides ➞
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