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Living in Kenya for an italian family

Info, advices and kind of affordable life

22-03-2022 by redazione

How much can it really cost to live on the coast of Kenya for an Italian family?
Let's take an example regarding an average family nucleus, parents and two children of school age. One of them is 8 and the other is 4, just to say.
Let's imagine that this family has an income or earns a certain amount per month thanks to smart working, for now we will not consider the search for a work situation in Kenya, because expenses and mechanisms that do not concern the pure and simple daily economy over time would come into play.
In the same way, we will not consider housing as property, but we will talk about rents. It should also be borne in mind, for example, that the expenses of a villa owned with a swimming pool, service and security personnel, water and electricity bills, are more or less equivalent to the rent of an apartment in a residence where many of the expenses are included.
As we have done previously for an article based on "single" compatriots, we have collected dozens and dozens of case histories gathered over the last few years, "on the ground" experiences and living costs on multiple levels. Using this data, we have broken down presumed new "expat" families in Kenya into five socio-economic categories.
First, however, the expenses that we believe are essential to deal with this eventual life change.

HEALTH INSURANCE: Kenya from the point of view of welfare remains a Third World country. Public health care is borderline indecent and cannot be counted on for emergencies, although some essential services are provided. However, each region (here called the County) has its own private facilities for the lower-middle class of residents, which can guarantee first aid or specialist visits. For everything else, there are private hospitals, usually run by groups of Indian origin, which offer services at the level of those in the West, with private clinic costs. A banal operation of appendicitis or gallbladder, for example, can cost as much as 2 thousand euros, and the implantation of a stent up to 5 thousand.
At this point, it is clear how much, especially in a family nucleus, it is convenient to take out health insurance. In Kenya it is advisable to take out family insurance with coverage of 10 million shillings (approximately 80-90 thousand euros) that costs approximately 100 thousand shillings per year. It is also advisable to sign up for the Flying Doctor service of Amref (family price 50 euros per year) that in case of accident or serious illness can fly you to the requested or nearest hospital.

SCHOOL: In order to facilitate the learning and insertion of children in the Kenyan school system, we always recommend that they attend institutions that have an international vocation. Where, therefore, there are not only Kenyan students. The risk of having your children attend a Kenyan-only state school is that the teachers will often teach in Kiswahili and not English and that your children will be the only foreigners. While this may seem inclusive and "romantic," education and adjustment could suffer greatly, not to mention other issues. An international school is therefore recommended. There are several on the coast, at the primary and pre-primary level (ages 3 to 14). They are almost all private. Prices can range from 300 to 1000 euros per term. School in Kenya begins in January and has about one month of vacation for every three of study. Colleges, especially secondary schools, follow the Western calendar instead, from September to June.

RESIDENCE: To obtain residency without officially working, one of both parents (more likely the father) must apply for a "pensioner" or annuity permit. It costs about 1000 euros per year and is renewed every 3 years. To obtain it you must demonstrate the fixed income of about 1500 euros per month by bank transfer from Italy to Kenya, or a guarantee of about 20 thousand euros per year. (By law would be 2000 dollars and 24 thousand dollars, but the Kenyan government is quite elastic on the figures, translated into shillings). With this permit, the rest of the family would be covered by the so-called "Dependant Passes", whose application costs about 80 euros and are valid for the entire duration of the permit of the head of the family. For those who still wish to maintain residence in Italy, the costs can be higher. Every six months, in fact, you have to go abroad for at least 5 days, so there is to consider travel with 4 airline tickets plus stay. The closest and cheapest solution is Addis Ababa in Ethiopia (round-trip ticket about 300 euros per person, stay in Air BnB for family about 200 euros for 4 nights).

KINDS OF LIFE IN KENYA:

1. AFRICAN-STYLE FAMILY
Apartment in the local poor neighborhoods (Ngala 4, Muyeye or Mtangani in Malindi, Timboni in Watamu) from 120 euros per month (two bedrooms, living room, bathroom and kitchen), electricity bill approx. 10 euros. Diet based on polenta and vegetables, beans and chapati, less noble parts of the meat, eggs and fruit. Shopping strictly at the market or in local shops, no imported products and Italian food. No television or, in any case, no decoder or satellite dish, a charcoal stove alternating with a small gas bottle (price 10 euros per month), and boda-boda travel. To drink, boiled tap water, a "soda" every now and then. Partners or neighbors who occasionally help with washing and cleaning. Simple cell phone or smartphone with a lot of attention to the cheapest rates for calling with whatsapp. Significant expenses that Italians can hardly do without: toilet paper, shampoo, sanitary napkins for women-boys, mosquito repellent.
MONTHLY COST: about 600 euros

2. INTEGRATED FAMILY
Apartment in the neighborhoods of the small local bourgeoisie (Majengo, Central, Shella in Malindi, Kilifi Town, Mtwapa) 150/200 euros per month, electricity 20 euros, water 5 euros.
Food in local restaurants (average price 2 euros per person per meal) or rice, vegetables, meat and fish (taffi, kumbu), fruit. Shopping at the market or in local shops, no imported products. Gas stove. Television with local channels, travel also by tuk-tuk. To drink, cheap mineral water, a soda and a beer now and then. Occasional houseboy for washing and cleaning. Smartphone with attention to cheap internet rates. Significant expenses as above.
MONTHLY COST about 900 euro

3. MZUNGU" SAVING FAMILY

Apartment or portion of a small villa in a residence (from 300 to 400 euros per month, with bills around 50 euros), spending on food, even imported food (sometimes cold cuts, cheese), known vegetables: eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach. Spending in Indian supermarkets and small fruit and vegetable stores where Italian is spoken. Dinners in fairly good African restaurants and, once a week, an Italian pizza. Gas stove. Television with decoder to take Rai Italia as well. Travel by tuk-tuk. To drink, sometimes South African or Chilean wine or offers from Italian importers. Houseboy, smartphone with fixed rate.
MONTHLY COST: about 1250 euros

4. COMFORTABLE ITALIAN FAMILY

Independent villa with pool for rent (600/800 euros per month, electricity 200 euros, water 50), varied diet (fish, meat, shellfish, Italian products, wine), television with Rai Italia subscription, internet wi-fi, dinners in good Italian restaurants, days at organized beaches such as Rosada or Malaika Beach in Malindi and Paparemo in Watamu. Children enrolled in tennis or kitesurfing courses, parents in golf. Weekend safari every now and then. Purchase of a car, preferably a Japanese one, for transfers. Houseboy and security service.
MONTHLY COST: about 2000 euro

5. FAMILY OF NABOBS

Villa in a tourist residential area (Casuarina in Malindi, Ocean Breeze, center in Watamu, Bofa Beach in Kilifi), purchased, with swimming pool. Diet of fish, shellfish, fillet of meat, non-native vegetables (artichokes, asparagus, fennel, etc. ...), fish, cold cuts, imported Italian products, Italian wines. Spending in supermarkets, possibly Western, dinners in good restaurants two or three times a week, dinners at home with guests and parties. Almost daily days at the beach in bathing establishments and evenings in clubs or at the casino. Houseboy, gardener, askari. Television with subscription "premium", internet wi-fi . Own off-road vehicle, safari when you feel like it. Facilities for kids and European conveniences.
MONTHLY COST: from 3500 euro upwards.

IMPORTANT: The costs are net of any inconvenience (medicines, car repairs, wear and tear appliances, etc. ...). For this reason it would be convenient to add a monthly bonus from 150 euros of the first category to 1000 of the fifth.

TAGS: vivere in kenyafamiglia kenyavita kenyacosti kenya

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