NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya has become the most expensive country to live in the East African Community (EAC) at the start of 2026, after recording a faster rise in living costs than its regional peers.
Latest data from crowdsourced global database Numbeo shows Kenya now tops Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda in the EAC cost-of-living rankings, with its index rising by four per cent compared to a year earlier.
Across the wider East African region, Kenya is ranked seventh, posting a cost-of-living index of 28.9, up from 28.2 in 2025.
The jump marks a notable shift from last year, when the country stood at ninth position, highlighting a steeper increase in household expenses relative to neighbouring economies.
Uganda follows closely behind Kenya at eighth in East Africa with an index of 27.0, while Tanzania ranks ninth at 26.6.
Rwanda remains the least expensive among the surveyed EAC countries, placing 10th with an index of 25.0.
The latest rankings represent a major reshuffle from 2025, when Tanzania and Rwanda were significantly more expensive.
Last year, Tanzania ranked eighth with an index of 31.8, while Rwanda stood sixth at 34.6.
Uganda, which was tenth with an index of 26.0, has seen a modest increase but continues to offer lower living costs than Kenya.
On the continental scale, Seychelles remains Africa’s most expensive country to live in, driven largely by its remote location and heavy dependence on imported goods.
High grocery and restaurant indices of 74.8 and 66.2, respectively, significantly push up daily expenses, even as rent remains relatively moderate at 27.6.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) ranks second in Africa with a cost-of-living index of 50.2, reflecting steep grocery, restaurant and rental costs despite the country’s vast natural resources.
Senegal follows closely with an index of 48.5, where comparatively low rent is offset by elevated food and dining prices, limiting purchasing power for residents.
The Numbeo data underscores growing pressure on households across East Africa as inflation, food prices and urban living costs continue to rise unevenly across the region.
