20 Reasons Why Nairobi is the Best Place for Digital Nomads in Africa

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9.Insfrastructure

Nairobi is Fairly Modern City with good Road network albeit with Traffic Jam, which is being addressed with many road infrastructure being undertaken by the Government. Nairobi is City looks like a constructions site with so Apartments popping up everywhere.

Eastern African Longest Expressway stretching 27 Kms cutting along the City is going to change the look of the Capital City as well as reduce Nairobi Famous Grid Lock Traffic Jams. The roads are well Maintained, there are many Urban Shopping Mall for shopping just like Western Cities.

10.Festivals

Nairobi is a Hub of many Festivals from Sports ,Jazz, Food to music, you are spoilt for Choice. Though there are other Festival s around Kenya here are the Top Festivals just In Nairobi.

Famous Festivals Outside Nairobi

11.The Vibe/People and Culture

Most Foreigners will testify there’s a different Vibe in Africa, Nairobi is known as Hustle city of Africa. Kenyans are generally known to be very welcoming, most Foreigners will attest to the work Ethic of Nairobians or Kenyans Generally. Kenyans has very diverse Culture with 42 ethnic backgrounds and Languages.

Nairobi is modern City but still touch of African culture, street vendors, organized chaos, hustle and bustle associated with African Cities, though modernizing at a very fast pace with the Government trying to bring order to the City. The Graffiti Painted matatu(Transport Buses) with loud Music sprinkle a Street Culture unlike any other. Nairobi just like most other Modern cities has it share of issues ,the city especially Town can be overwhelming for most foreigners with large human traffic but just as most Cities one should exercise common sense and Caution.

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12.Ride Hailing Apps/Boda Boda

Ride hailing apps are plenty in Nairobi and they are the best way move around Nairobi as a foreigner. They are other ways to get around in Nairobi a part from Ride Apps but our advice don’t use other transportation modes until you are comfortable around the City or you have a chaperone to show you around until you understand the nuances of Nairobi Transport system. The cost of the ride hailing apps is usually fair as compared with other Cities. The obvious advantages of using Ride Hailing Apps you get to go places by using navigation as a Newcomer. If you stay in middle areas which have all the amenities around Ride Hailing Apps are convenient and very cheap. The most popular Ride Apps in are Uber and Bolt(Formally as Taxify).

Here’s is a Table with Comparison of Prices Per Km/Mile in Nairobi, Joburg & London.

13.Cost of Living

Nairobi can cheap or expensive depending where you live, so let’s start with the Biggest Expense for most People which is rent for a decent apartment in nice Suburb for a two bed -three bedroom flat goes for about 600$-1200$.The further you move from neighborhood near the City Center the cheaper the apartments.

Here’s Table of Expected cost

Services like grooming/self care are cheap compared to western Prices. However Electronics generally are usually very pricy due to high Taxation so be prepared to pay more than average American price.

14.Stable Power

Often overlooked factor when choosing which African City to move. Unfortunately most African Cities are yet to have consistent Power which is something westerners are not used to. However in Kenya and Nairobi to be precise, has consistent with Power with Blackouts Experienced rarely and in the rare occasion there’s a power Black out its usually Fixed within 10-30 mins time. Contrast with other favorite digital nomad Cities like Dare Salam ,Accra and Lagos which usually experience Blackouts on daily basis .One of the running Jokes is ”you know you are in Lagos by the Constant buzz of generators”.

15.Language

Kenya is a Multi Language Country and most people can communicate in English . Schools in Kenya teach both languages (Swahili & English) as national Languages thus making it easy to converse with even ordinary Kenyans. You can be able to converse with Kenyan when you are procuring products and services even at the lowest level of the society.

16.Safety

Nairobi is safe depending on three main factors: location, time of day and mode of movement. Like most cities in the world, caution and common sense will dictate how safe you can be. Often cast as Unsafe by Embassies with exaggerated information coupled with false Narratives disseminated by western Media Houses. Nairobi is relatively safe but like any Modern city does have certain areas that are unsafe. In Fact as most American or Westerners who have lived for a while in Nairobi will tell you they feel safe In Nairobi more than their native Cities especially the Bigger Cities.

17.Cheap Labor

As a Digital Nomad your Dollars or Currency goes a long way here Nairobi than it would in most places, a house help here in Nairobi would cost around $5 for all chores in the House and up to max $8 per day if it also includes cooking. Generally the general Salary for a housekeep is $150 per month .A driver will cost you $10 per Day or $250-$300 per month. This allows you to focus on your craft or online Job without incurring so much expenses at the end of the Month.

18.S.G.R

The high Speed Train referred as S.G.R (Standard Gauge Rail) which connects Nairobi and Mombasa and will eventually also will link Kisumu cutting across the Country. This opens tourism across the country as it gives an alternative to Kenya Nightmare Traffic jams.

For Example To Amboseli National Park takes 3hr Train Ride and you get picked the Train Station at Mtitu Andei and straight to the National Park and back.

The Charges to Mombasa for the 1st Class is $30 while Economy Class is $10.While on you way you can easily be able to Spot Elephants, Zebra ,Giraffe and other wildlife as the train cuts cross Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Park.

19.Medical Facilities

Kenya’s Public Hospitals are of quite low standards as compared to western Countries and most digital Nomads are advised to get Private Hospital/Medical Covers. However as a foreigner you can still pay For public Insurance usually at $5 per Month just as safety net if by chance you cant afford the Private Covers but don’t expect up to Standard Services.

Kenya’s Private Hospitals are among the Best in Africa and with South Africa Hospitals as the Best in Africa. Private Insurance is highly encouraged, the quality of the services is very good but be prepared to pay almost the same amount of money just as any western Country.

Nairobi has all the Big/major Hospitals and Chemist incase of emergency or Prescriptions. However Africa in general is not does not have a Big Pharma Culture and getting prescription is tightly controlled and Doctors don’t easily Prescribe Strong Medicine as Easily as western Countries do.

Here’s Table with Estimates showing Rates of Covers from Different Countries

20.Transit Hub

Though greatly affected by Corvid -19 the Kenyan Government is pushing the Resumption to make Nairobi the Major Transport Hub in Africa which also to a great Extent depends on the national Carrier Kenya Airways. The government has been Expanding the the Airport and facilitating the national Carrier to have direct flights from most Continents with the Recent introduction of Nairobi to New York direct Flight as an Example. Currently there are direct Flights to Tourist Destinations like Rwanda ,Ethiopia ,Mauritius and S.Africa .

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