Moving to Kenya
East Africa's commercial hub, with Nairobi as a regional headquarters city and a coast that draws those who stay. Here is the honest brief on shipping your home to Kenya, how customs handles used effects, the work permit classes, and how you become a registered resident.
The gateway to East Africa, for those who come with a purpose.
Kenya is the economic engine of East Africa and the base for most international organisations, regional companies, and development agencies that operate across the region. Nairobi is a real, fast moving city with a strong technology scene that has earned it the nickname Silicon Savannah, while the Indian Ocean coast around Mombasa and Diani offers a slower, warmer life. The wildlife and landscapes need no introduction.
It suits professionals posted in on work assignments, entrepreneurs and technology workers drawn to the regional hub, people working in conservation, development, and the non profit sector, and the adventurous who want a base for exploring East Africa. It rewards those who arrive with a job or a clear plan, since Kenya is a destination you move to for a reason rather than to drift.
What surprises newcomers is the contrast. Nairobi can feel modern and international one moment and frankly challenging the next, with traffic, security awareness, and infrastructure gaps that take adjusting to. Those who settle well treat it as a genuine adventure with real rewards rather than an easy posting.
The realistic routes in.
Most newcomers come on a work or class permit tied to employment, business, or a specific activity, issued by the Directorate of Immigration Services. Short visits use the electronic travel authorisation, which is not a basis for living or working.
The standard work permit, issued to a person offered specific employment by a Kenyan employer who shows the role could not readily be filled locally. It is the most common route for posted professionals and is tied to the employer and role.
For people investing in or running a business in Kenya. It requires showing a genuine enterprise and a qualifying level of investment, and is the route for entrepreneurs rather than employees.
For the spouse and children of a permit holder. It allows residence in line with the main applicant and is applied for alongside or after the principal permit.
Further permit classes cover agriculture, the professions, missionaries, and more, while the electronic travel authorisation, the eTA, covers short visits. Confirm the right class for your situation, as living in Kenya requires a permit, not the eTA.
Bringing your household goods in.
Kenya offers real duty relief, but it is tied to your status. Returning residents and work permit holders can usually import used household goods and personal effects free of import duty, value added tax, and the import declaration fee, provided the goods were owned and used for at least a year before the move and they are imported within the time customs allows. The authority is the Kenya Revenue Authority, the KRA, and clearance runs through the port of Mombasa.
The timing rules matter. For people arriving to take up a work permit, the goods generally need to be imported within around three months of the permit being issued, and for returning residents within roughly 90 days of arrival, with limited extensions at the discretion of the Commissioner. Goods cleared under this relief cannot be sold or disposed of during your stay without consequences. Clearance must run through a licensed customs agent on the integrated customs system.
You will need a valued inventory, your passport with the relevant visa or permit endorsements, the bill of lading, and your KRA PIN. Bringing a vehicle is possible but follows separate and stricter rules, including right hand drive requirements and age limits, so check the position with the KRA before you ship a car rather than after.
How to pick a mover for this route, without the guesswork.
We do not rank or recommend individual companies. We teach you the criteria that separate a safe international move from an expensive mistake, then put your request in front of vetted movers who run this lane.
Check the trade affiliation. Membership of FIDI or IAM is the clearest signal a mover is financially screened and bound to industry standards for international household goods. For Kenya, confirm the mover works through a licensed clearing agent on the integrated customs system at Mombasa, understands the returning resident and work permit relief timing, and can manage the road leg up to Nairobi, which is where shipments commonly stall.
Insist on a binding pre move survey. A real video or in home survey of your volume is the only honest basis for a price. A quote given without one is a guess that tends to grow on moving day.
Compare like for like. Read what each quote includes: packing, materials, customs clearance, destination delivery, stair or long carry charges, and insurance. The cheapest headline number is rarely the cheapest move.
Understand the insurance terms. Ask whether cover is full replacement value or depreciated, what the excess is, and how claims are handled. Read the valuation clause before you sign.
Read recent reviews for this corridor. A mover can be excellent locally and weak on international shipments. Look for verified reviews that mention the actual route and customs experience.
What life costs once you land.
Kenya spans a wide range. Expatriate standard housing in the good Nairobi suburbs is not cheap, but local prices for food, help, and transport are low, so your lifestyle drives the number more than the city does.
Indicative 2026 figures in US dollars, converted from Kenyan shilling. Your suburb and lifestyle will move these numbers sharply.
Where people land
Nairobi holds the jobs, the international organisations, and the established expatriate suburbs such as Westlands, Kilimani, Lavington, Gigiri, and Karen, the last two near the United Nations and many embassies. Mombasa and the south coast at Diani offer a tropical, slower life. Nakuru and other towns suit those working upcountry. Most international newcomers base themselves in Nairobi and travel out from there.
Healthcare and banking
Healthcare in Kenya is private for most newcomers, with good private hospitals in Nairobi and Mombasa, and comprehensive international health insurance is strongly advised, including evacuation cover for serious cases. Confirm exactly what your policy covers before you rely on it.
Banking requires your KRA PIN, the tax identifier from the Kenya Revenue Authority, along with your passport, permit, and proof of address. Mobile money, led by the ubiquitous mobile payment system, is woven into daily life and you will use it constantly, so getting a local number and registering for it early is one of the most useful first steps.
Your first month checklist
- 1Make sure your work or class permit from the Directorate of Immigration Services is in order before you ship, since duty relief depends on it.
- 2Get your KRA PIN from the Kenya Revenue Authority, which you need for banking, tenancy, and customs clearance.
- 3Time your household shipment to arrive within the customs window for your permit or returning resident status.
- 4Arrange comprehensive international health insurance, including medical evacuation cover.
- 5Get a local SIM and register for mobile money, which you will use every day.
- 6Choose a suburb with your security and commute in mind, and budget for backup power and water.
Get moving quotes for Kenya.
Tell us your origin, size, and timing. We pass your request to vetted international movers who run the route to Kenya and understand its customs and permit timing, and you compare them on your own terms.
Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move to Kenya?
From Europe or the Gulf, a two to three bedroom move by sea to Mombasa can run from roughly 3,500 to 8,000 US dollars. From North America or further, plan on around 6,000 to 12,000 US dollars or more. The road leg up to Nairobi adds cost. These are indicative 2026 ranges, not a quote.
Do I need a work permit to live in Kenya?
Yes. Living and working in Kenya requires a permit such as the Class D for employment or Class G for investors, issued by the Directorate of Immigration Services. The electronic travel authorisation covers short visits only. Confirm the right class for your situation before you move.
Can I import my household goods to Kenya duty free?
Returning residents and work permit holders can usually import used household goods free of import duty, value added tax, and the import declaration fee, provided the goods were owned and used for at least a year and imported within the customs deadline. Confirm the current conditions with the Kenya Revenue Authority.
What is the KRA PIN and why does it matter?
It is your personal identification number from the Kenya Revenue Authority. It is required for opening a bank account, signing a tenancy, clearing your shipment, and most formal transactions, so getting it early is essential.
How long does shipping to Kenya take?
By sea to Mombasa, expect roughly three to five weeks from Europe and the Gulf and five to seven weeks or more from North America and Asia, plus customs clearance and the inland road leg to Nairobi, which together can add one to two weeks.
Is Nairobi safe for newcomers?
Nairobi requires security awareness that newcomers from quieter places have to learn. Most expatriates live comfortably in established suburbs, drive or use ride hailing rather than walk at night, and take sensible precautions. It is manageable with local advice, not a reason to avoid the move.
Moving to Kenya from where you are.
Start from your country hub for the costs, customs, and timeline specific to that route, or browse them all on the corridors index.
From North America
From Britain and Ireland
From the Gulf
From Oceania
We refresh destination guides as rules and prices change.
Last reviewed: 13 May 2026. We refresh this guide as costs, customs, and visa rules change.