Kenya is an Eastern African country and it encompasses Savannah, Lakelands, the Great Rift Valley and mountain islands. Kenya is one of the most beautiful countries when it comes to sightseeing and cherishing the beauty of nature because of its diverse landscapes, friendly people, and incredible wildlife. Kenya has a lot of opportunities and, beyond the beautiful beaches, lovely climate and exciting cities, Kenya has a thriving international community, especially in places like Nairobi and Mombasa.
The following are things you need to know when moving to Kenya.
1. The Climate: This country’s weather is typically hot. However, the heat may result in a delay in adapting to the environment, especially for those coming from the cold climate region. If you would like to reside in Mombasa or Kisumu, the temperature in Mombasa can reach up to 38 degrees Celsius, but once you fully adapt, it won’t be a difficult factor for relocating to Kenya. In fact, Nairobi is known to have mild weather throughout the year and a high altitude, which means warm days with cooler nights.
2. Immigration: Like other countries, Kenya issues different types of resident permits to different classes of foreigners. However, individuals migrating for retirement, diplomats, investors, and expatriates all have different requirements and it is important to familiarize yourself with all the requirements based on what class you fall into, especially if you will be moving in with your family.
3. The Economy: Kenya has the most diverse and largest economy in Eastern and Central Africa, and Nairobi serves as a regional commercial hub. It has been recorded that the Kenyan economy has been growing at an average rate of above 5% per year in the last decade.
4. Transportation and Infrastructure: Kenya is known to have four operational airports, but the one in Nairobi-Mombasa happens to be the busiest. Nairobi’s geographically central location also makes it easier to travel to other parts of the country easily.
5. Personal Safety: Kenya is an incredibly friendly country. But the country also experiences notorious crimes, and for this reason, the capital of Kenya, Nairobi, is sometimes called Nai-robbery.
6. Accessible Holiday Destinations: One of the best factors about relocating to Kenya is that there are innumerable holiday destinations and tourist spots to check out. Especially if you are staying in Nairobi, the city is packed with incredible wildlife. Apart from that, the vast and beautiful white sand and palm-lined beaches of the Indian Ocean are a treat to the eyes.
7. Affordable General Expenses: If you are relocating to Kenya, you need to know that most of the general commodities are very affordable. Food items like vegetables and fruits are cheap and plentiful. In addition, everyday items such as shampoos, pastes, toothbrushes, generic medicines, and clothing are reasonably priced.
8. Health conditions and medication: The nature of the climate in this country tends to increase disease propensity. There are a few mandatory injections and medications you need to take before relocating to Kenya which are booster doses of Hepatitis A, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Typhoid, Poliomyelitis, Cholera, Rabies, Yellow Fever, and Meningitis. Though Nairobi and some highland areas have a low risk of such diseases, it is still good to take precautions instead of facing medical issues later on.
9. Food and Drink: Most of the meals in Kenya are served with a grain of some sort of rice, couscous, meat, or fish. The foods are deliciously seasoned and most of the hotels and restaurants make use of the fresh products available in the area. But, just like in most countries, you need to be careful about the “street foods”. If you are eating street food, make sure that you are eating it from recently cooked stores at high temperatures.
Kenya makes use of the Shilling as their currency, but the second accepted currency is the US dollar. It is therefore important to know that houses, clothes, food, or any other product or service can be purchased basically in Kenya Shillings.