Civil Engineer Salary in Nairobi (2026)

Typical local-market pay: KSh 650,873/year (OECD / estimated Estimated · KNBS Kenya). Lifestyle equivalent of a New York $72,000 salary: KSh 2,296,654/year (COLI-scaled, not market pay). COLI rank #98 of 113.

Local market
KSh 650,873
OECD / estimated Estimated · KNBS Kenya
Lifestyle equivalent
KSh 2,296,654
COLI 24.7 · NYC $72,000 scaled · not market pay
Take-home (on market pay)
74%
$309/mo net
COLI (NYC = 100)
24.7
#98 of 113
NYC baseline
$72,000
mid-career USD

Salary Range in Nairobi

COLI-scaled lifestyle-equivalent range for a civil engineer in Nairobi (NYC baseline × COLI 24.7 / 100). This is not local market pay.

Entry Level
KSh 1,212,123
Mid-Career
KSh 2,296,654
Senior
KSh 4,306,226

Top Cities for Civil Engineer Salary

Highest COLI-scaled lifestyle equivalents (not local market pay):

City Local market Lifestyle equivalent Take-Home
ZurichCHF 39,669CHF 71,40565%
GenevaCHF 39,669CHF 69,18861%
New York$72,000$72,00067%
San Francisco$72,000$70,27268%
SingaporeS$51,587S$82,25877%

See all 113 cities for Civil Engineer →

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Other Jobs in Nairobi

Civil Engineer Salary — Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a civil engineer earn in Nairobi?

Local-market pay for a civil engineer in Nairobi is approximately KSh 650,873/year (OECD / estimated · Estimated · KNBS Kenya). Separately, the lifestyle equivalent of a New York $72,000 salary is KSh 2,296,654 (COLI 24.7, NYC = 100). That equivalent is not what someone earns locally. COLI-scaled entry/senior lifestyle equivalents: KSh 1,212,123 – KSh 4,306,226.

What is the take-home pay for a civil engineer in Nairobi?

After income tax and social contributions in Kenya, a civil engineer in Nairobi takes home approximately 74% of their gross salary, or around $309/month ($3,709/year in USD equivalent).

How does Nairobi rank for civil engineer salaries globally?

Nairobi ranks #98 out of 113 cities on COLI-scaled lifestyle equivalent for civil engineers (not local market rank). The top city on that equivalent scale is Zurich.