TaipeiAccommodation
Great · #13 of 62
8.3/10
The city has a great range of accommodation options from numerous hi-spec new build apartments to garden style bungalows - whatever you are looking for you should be able to find.
KenyaVisited Sep 2023 · 1 month
Nairobi
Africa's silicon valley - with plenty of monkeys and coffee.
Top ratedGreat valueWould return
This guide was written 3 years ago
Prices, opening hours and recommendations may have changed since my visit, so double-check anything important before you book.
Kenya's capital serves as one of East Africa's economic and cultural hubs.
Founded in the late 19th century as a colonial railway settlement, today the city offers a unique blend of historical landmarks and a gateway to Kenya's vast natural wonders.
If you're seeking to experience modern life in a bustling African city, I don't think there are many better options on the continent. If that isn't something that explicitly interests you, then it's not worth the visit.
At a glance
Coworking
Great · #4 of 62
8.9/10
Nairobi has an enormous selection of great quality coworking options, with offices dotted across the city.
Value
Great · #10 of 62
8.5/10
If arriving from Europe, you are likely to find food and drink in regular restaurants and bars are all of great value in the city.
More refined options are available with prices closer to what you would expect in Europe. Taxis are an inevitable part of life in the city, but even with a tip included, they are inexpensive.
Excitement
Good · #21 of 62
7.5/10
Nairobi is undoubtedly an exciting place, even if not by conventional metrics. It’s noisy, busy, and chaotic to varying degrees depending on the area.
In your spare time, there are plenty of great spots to enjoy food and drink in the evenings, and numerous opportunities to experience the nature right on the city’s doorstep.
As the first major African city I visited, just being in such a radically different environment can be engaging enough. Merely walking through the CBD is likely to be a memorable experience for years to come.
Plan
Summary
A friend's upcoming wedding in Cape Town provided a great reason to head down to Africa for a prolonged period. Flying in and out of Cape Town however felt like it could give something of an incomplete picture of the continent.
After much research, Nairobi looked to provide a good mix of adventure whilst being a seemingly reliable place to work from.
Cost of living
$824a month, before rent
Basic living costs, rent not included
Day-to-day spending for a month: two meals out and a coffee every day, three taxis and two nights out a week, a gym and a coworking desk. Add your rent on top.
Very Affordable- Meal in a casual restaurant$6.95
- Speciality coffee$2.89
- Pint of local beer$2.89
- Cocktail$6.95
- Taxi for 2 miles$3.47
- Men's haircut$9.26
- Women's haircut$23
- Gym membership, monthly$50
- Coworking, monthly$116
Prices as of Oct 2026. Confidence: low (gym & coworking verified; other prices restated at 2026-10-07 exchange rates). Sources: numbeo.com, workin.space, mctaba.com. Always check locally before planning around them.
Duration & season
To make the most of a trip to Kenya, plan around the two rainy seasons when your ability to explore the outdoors may be limited. These generally occur from mid-March to May, and towards the end of the year from October to December.
During my stay in September, there were only a few instances of rain, while most days remained pleasantly warm yet persistently cloudy.
By month
| Month | Low °C | High °C | Rain mm | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15 | 28 | 67 | peak season |
| February | 16 | 30 | 18 | peak season |
| March | 15 | 30 | 61 | |
| April | 15 | 26 | 147 | wet month |
| May | 14 | 26 | 110 | wet month |
| June | 13 | 24 | 36 | |
| July | 13 | 24 | 33 | peak season |
| August | 13 | 24 | 38 | peak season |
| September | 12 | 28 | 19 | peak season |
| October | 14 | 28 | 59 | peak season |
| November | 15 | 26 | 99 | wet month |
| December | 15 | 27 | 75 | peak season |
Wettest months Peak season
Typical daytime highs and overnight lows, from the last two years of observations (Open-Meteo). Rain icons mark the wettest months.
- Visitors a year
- 1.6M2024
- Crowds
- Medium
- Peak season
- Jul–Oct, Dec–Feb
- Low season
- Apr–May, Nov
Remote work visa
No digital nomad visa
Working hours
Kenya follows East Africa Time (EAT), placing it 1 hour ahead of Central European Time (CET) during the summer months of the year. Throughout winter this extends to 2 hours.
Safety
Be ultra cautious in the CBD.
Travel in a group if you can, it is a hectic, intense environment where pick pocketing is common. Plan a rough route of where you are going before hand to avoid getting your phone out every few moments.
Download Uber, Bolt and InDrive.
All are great options for getting across town.
Keep your headphones in your pocket.
Parklands, Westlands & Lavington all felt safe to walk around during the day time, but you would still be best advised to be fully aware of your surroundings.
Street lighting can be inconsistent or non existent.
I kept any walks after dark to an absolute minimum.
Be aware of beggars near the Sarit centre.
This is less problematic during the week where it is busier, but you are more isolated on a quieter Sunday.
Live & work
Where to stay
Whilst researching where to stay on this trip, I struggled to make any sense of the cities layout. I'd plan in advance where you intend to work from and pick an area that will be conducive to a hassle free commute.
Westlands
RecommendedA hub of nightlife within the city with several malls throughout. Pretty hectic and busy throughout the week.
Lavington
More peaceful and quieter than the other neighbourhoods, Lavington provides a more peaceful alternative. You will likely be dependent on Ubers or a car.
CBD
There is absolutely no reason I can think of why you would to stay in the Nairobi CBD. Worth visiting to experience and then get out of immediately.
Ngara Road
Situated between the hectic CBD and the nightlife in Westlands, Ngara West is a convenient base which allows you to get to most places on foot. Safe to walk during the day time, but would avoid after dark.
Where to work
Nairobi has an enormous selection of great quality coworking options, with offices dotted across the city.
Given how bad the traffic is in the city and how early it get's dark in the evenings, picking one in close proximity to your accomodation definitely helps.
Ikigai - Riverside
Top ratedGood coffeeQuality fit-outOutdoor spaceCommunityOn-site café
I visited 5 different coworking spaces in Nairobi before settling on this particular branch of Ikigai. Around a 30 minute walk from the centre of Westlands, the space covers the third and fourth floor of the Merchant Square development with each floor consisting of permanent offices and spaces for hot desking. Each floor has an outdoor balcony and as a monthly member you get 24/7 access to the space as well as access to the other 4 locations across the city.
The onsite cafe 'Roasted Truth' did some of the best coffee I had on the entire trip, with lunch options provided by a rotating kitchen operator. The immediate area is something of a peaceful oasis compared to the hectic nature of Westlands & the CBD, with grocery shops available within a 10 minute walk.
Plenty of phone boots and meeting rooms should you need them and the staff make it a pleasure to visit everyday.
Merchant Square, Riverside Dr, Nairobi
Food & drink
Coffee
Connect Coffee Roasters
Top ratedLaptop friendly
Great speciality Kenyan coffee, with a range of pastries and light meals. Decent wifi and working environment also.
Food
Hacienda Sports Bar & Grill
If you are looking to sample some local Kenyan BBQ (Nyama Choma) this is a relaxed local spot to enjoy with the football. Would recommend the spicy fries.
Nairobi Street Kitchen
Top rated
Lively European style street food market open 7 nights a week with great quality food and drinks. As popular with the expat community as the locals.
Pot Of Jollof
Top rated
Fantastic Jollof Rice, Stew & Plantains. Look out for the lunch box specials.
Drinks
Black Curves Liquor
Raucous bar showing live sports each night popular with locals. Rowdy on the weekends.
254 Beer District
Impressive selection of local craft beers with IPAs, Belgian and more exotic styles all well represented.
Cafe AMKA
Great quality food and drinks with large screens for football.
Bila Shaka
Locally produced craft beers with a range of local and international foods on offer. Situated inside the Sarit Centre.
Off the clock
Off work
Spend the afternoon at the Organic Farmers Market
Hidden away in the residential suburb of Karen, this lively farmers market has a wide range of local and international street foods on offer with live music and drinks.
Run or cycle in Karura Forest
An urban forest only 10 minutes from the hub of Westlands, Karura is an ideal place to go running over the weekend. Plenty of well marked trails as well as designated areas for biking. Be sure to check out The River Cafe for a refuel.
Explore the CBD
One of the most intense urban environments I can recall being in. A frantic, rowdy and intoxicating hub of activity. Head down on Saturday, leave your valuables at home, keep your phone in your pocket and embrace the madness.
Hike in the Ngong Hills
An hours drive from the centre of Nairobi, they are a formation of 7 hills continuous hill tops, an ideal day trip for hiking or trail running. Get a taxi to the south gate and walk back north to the town of Ngong. There are security concerns in the area, so you are best advised to travel with a group or guard.
Take a safari in Nairobi National Park
Without doubt the most convenient safari in the world? Less than a 20 minute drive from the centre of Nairobi, the park is home to 4 of the big 5. No elephants, but plenty of zebras, rhinos and the occasional lion. I booked an early morning tour with a guide named Legendre who I would 100% recommend.
Exercise
Run
Karura Forest
A protected forestry site within a 10 minute drive of the CBD, there are numerous running trails to be explored.
Walk
Ngong Hills
A challenging hike over a series of hills situated out of the city, popular area for trail running. It is best done as a group for your security, I did individually and saw no issues but there have been reportings of theft.
Run
Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary
Less well marked than the Karura forest, the Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary has a plethora of routes to be explored both on bike and on foot. Accessible in about 20 minutes via Taxi from the city centre.
People
One of the last highlights from the trip was the distinct warmth and friendliness of the Kenyan people. The widespread use of English makes it easy to get around and some well rehearsed phrases in Swahili will always get a positive reception.
The city boasts a sizeable expat community, particularly noticeable at venues like the NSK. Most individuals I came across were employed by NGOs, while a few remote workers also favoured it as their home base. Due to it's strong regional reputation with the tech industry, it also draws talent and entrepreneurs from neighbouring countries in East Africa
Notes
Positives
Super friendly people.
Kenyan's are incredibly welcoming with lots of positive interactions throughout the day.
Lots of western standard amenities.
Street food markets, high end restaurants, craft beer bars and malls are all at a standard you would expect elsewhere.
Fantastic coffee.
Even though coffee has generally been more exported than consumed domestically, there is a burgeoning speciality coffee scene in Nairobi.
Great value.
If you are bringing $,€ or £, they will generally go a long way.
A national and regional hub for tech.
People are drawn to Nairobi from all over the region making it an easy place to meet entrepreneurs.
Negatives
It get's dark early year round.
There isn't a tonne of street lighting either, so you ideally don't want to be walking anywhere too far after 18:00.
The traffic can be abysmal.
Nairobi's streets weren't designed for the influx of cars that are now in the city. A 10 minute drive can take an hour between 16:00-20:00 making any form of motorised commute unnecessarily painful.
Road infrastructure is poor.
Aside from the main roads and in some nicer neighbourhoods, the quality can deteriorate rapidly. Pavements can disappear at a moments notice.
Tips
Get an M-PESA account and local sim card.
Most places do accept card, but if you are staying any longer than one week, M-PESA has universal applicability and the preferred method by locals.
Don't be alarmed if taxi drivers ask you for directions.
Sometimes infuriating, occasionally hilarious, there appears to be some distrust in the Uber map (which is in fact always correct). It doesn't harm to have a rough idea of where you are heading to.
Kenyan's are early risers.
If you want to be part of the natural rhythm of the city,
Sundays are quiet.
The roads have a fraction of the amount of traffic on the roads, making it easy to get from A-B.
Get a yellow fever vaccine.
If you stay in Kenya more than a couple of weeks, your onwards destination may require a yellow fever vaccine. Plan ahead. (I didn't)
Planning a trip to Nairobi?
Partners I recommend. Some of these links give you a discount, and I may receive a referral reward.
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