Guides · East Africa
Moving to East Africa: the best places to live
Arcadia scores 125 places across 15 countries in East Africa, from Keren at about $470 a month to Praslin (Grand Anse) at about $2,000. 67 are by the sea and 57 in the mountains. Typical ratings across the region: safety 3/5, healthcare 2/5, internet 3/5.
What the lists get wrong about East Africa
When the lists mention Africa at all they say Cape Town, which is two thousand miles from here. This region holds 125 places across fifteen countries, from $470 a month to $2,000. What varies most is not price but healthcare, and that is worth checking place by place.
The standouts
Within the 125 places Arcadia scores here, not the whole region.
Every country in East Africa
How many places we score in each, and what a month costs there.
What to weigh before moving to East Africa
Natural risks recur here: flooding, hurricanes and typhoons. It does not mean every place has them, it means you should check the specific one you pick.
Questions, answered
How much does it cost to live in East Africa?
The median across the 125 places we score is about $900 a month for one person, from $470 to $2,000. These are estimates for everyday living, rent included.
Where is the cheapest place to live in East Africa?
Keren, at about $470 a month. It is the cheapest of the 125 places Arcadia scores here, which is not the same as the cheapest in the region.
Is East Africa safe to live in?
The typical safety rating across these 125 places is 3 out of 5, and the highest is Nairobi. These are broad country-level estimates for comparing places, not local advice.
Which of these fits you?
A guide can only rank places for an average reader. Answer a few honest questions and we rank these 125, and 3,500+ others, against your life.
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