Nairobi: what to see and whether to move there

What the city lives on and who it suits

Nairobi is the capital of Kenya and the business centre of East Africa, with about 5 million people in the city and suburbs. It hosts the headquarters of UN programmes on environment and human settlements, regional offices of international companies, tech start-ups and the birthplace of mobile money, used to pay for almost everything. On the city's edge is a national park with giraffes and rhinos against a skyline of towers.

Nairobi suits staff of international organisations, specialists in technology, finance and consulting, entrepreneurs with business in Africa and families who need strong international schools. English is official alongside Swahili.

Neighbourhoods: where newcomers settle

• Kilimani: a popular area with new buildings, cafés and malls.
• Westlands: the business hub with offices, restaurants and nightlife.
• Gigiri and Runda: near the UN complex and embassies, villas and gardens, the family choice.
• Karen and Langata: green suburbs with houses on large plots by the national park.

Cost of living

Exchange rate: about 130 shillings per dollar on 6 October 2026.

Practicalities: climate, transport, safety

Climate. At about 1,800 metres days are warm and nights cool, with rainy seasons in March-May and October-December. Transport. Traffic is heavy; foreigners use cars or app taxis, and an expressway runs to the airport. Safety. Theft and robbery happen, especially downtown in the evening, so people live in guarded compounds and do not walk at night.

Moving and legal status

• since 2024, instead of a visa, an electronic travel authorisation is required: about $30, usually decided in 3 days, for stays of up to 90 days;
• work requires a work permit arranged by the employer;
• there are permits for investors and self-employed professionals;
• remote workers have a digital nomad permit with a foreign income requirement.

We will choose the grounds and prepare the documents.

Money, communications and schools

Mobile money is the main way to pay: taxis, shops, bills and transfers go through the phone, and cash is needed less and less. Internet is fast, and the country is the region's tech hub. International schools with British, American and international programmes are strong but expensive.

Safaris and trips

Nairobi National Park with giraffes, rhinos and lions is 20 minutes from the centre. At weekends people go to Lake Naivasha and the Rift Valley, and the Maasai Mara reserve with the great wildebeest migration from July to October is a few hours by road or a short flight away. The Indian Ocean beaches of Mombasa and Diani are an hour's flight.

Work and business

Nairobi has regional offices of international companies and UN organisations, a strong tech sector and finance. The employer arranges the work permit, and investors and self-employed professionals have their own categories. Companies are registered through the state online portal.

Renting and housing

Foreigners usually rent flats in guarded compounds with a generator, pool and parking. Leases run for a year, with a deposit usually of one or two months' rent. Prices in Gigiri, Runda and Karen are higher than in Kilimani, but these areas are more spacious and closer to international schools.

Is the city worth considering

The pluses are East Africa's business centre, English, a mild climate, mobile money, safaris within the city and strong schools. The minuses are crime, traffic and expensive schools and housing for foreigners. Nairobi works for careers in international organisations and business in Africa.