Kenya
Africa · Eastern Africa
Currently reported
Drought reported in Kenya since 21 May 2026. Part of an episode covering 4 countries.
Orange alert from GDACS, the UN and European Commission disaster alert service. Read the report
East Africa's business hub and M-Pesa pioneer, with a fast-growing tech scene in Nairobi.
Digital Nomad
Ideal destination
At a Glance
📈Kenya's Human Development Index
0.601
Medium human development#144 of 191 countries worldwide, #17 of 54 in Africa.
Higher than 25% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Kenya
Kenya is East Africa's most visited country, famous for the Masai Mara and its spectacular annual wildebeest migration, but it offers far more than safari, including a beautiful Indian Ocean coastline, the Great Rift Valley lakes, and the highland tea country around Mount Kenya. Nairobi is one of Africa's most dynamic and creative capitals, with a growing arts, food, and tech scene. The warmth of Kenyan people across many different cultural groups is one of the country's most consistent and memorable qualities.
- Invented M-Pesa mobile money — the world's first and most successful mobile banking system.
- Kenyan runners have won more long-distance Olympic medals than any country combined.
- Africa's tech capital: Nairobi's 'Silicon Savannah' hosts more tech startups than any other African city.
Quick Facts
Capital
Nairobi
Languages
English, Swahili
Currency
Sh KES
Area
580,876 km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
16Mbps
Mobile
46Mbps
Digital Nomad Visa
Min. Income
$4,583/mo
Duration
12 months
Renewable
Yes
Application Fee
~$1,200
GDP / Capita
$2K
PPP / Capita
$7K
Inflation
4.1%
Unemployment
5.4%
Innovation (GII)
21.4
GNI / Capita
$2K
Tax Revenue
14.1%
FDI Inflows
0.4%
Education Spend
4.0%
Cost of Living
28.9
Price Level Index
77th pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.480 → 0.601 (+0.121)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
Thinking about Kenya for real?
The matcher weighs your budget, timeline and dealbreakers against the same data on this page, then answers with the places that actually fit.
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Kenya head-to-head
💬Quick answers
What is Kenya's Human Development Index?
Kenya's Human Development Index is 0.601 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #144 of 191 countries.
Is Kenya safe?
Kenya scores 2.45 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #131 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
How expensive is Kenya?
Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Kenya at 28.9 (New York = 100); that is #25 cheapest of 143 countries with data.
What is life expectancy in Kenya?
Life expectancy at birth in Kenya is 63.8 yrs (World Bank), ranked #175 of 195 countries.
What is the quality of life in Kenya?
Numbeo's quality-of-life index scores Kenya at 99.4, ranked #75 of 87 countries with data. It composites purchasing power, safety, healthcare, cost of living, commute and pollution from resident surveys, so it reflects what residents report rather than what an economy produces.