Kenya is similar to Uganda, a reliable and good place to work online. With a local SIM card, you don't depend on the WiFi connection, and you can freely work almost everywhere. The only problems I also encountered were the heat, noises or not enough sockets to charge your equipment.
In Kenya, you can choose between the following data services: Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom, and Faiba. Safaricom and Airtel are the most common ones with many stores in the cities, even smaller ones. I decided to get the Airtel card. By the way, if you already have an Airtel card from Uganda, it is not compatible with the Kenyan data, even if it seems to be the same thing. Airtel offers daily, weekly and monthly packages which have, for instance following prices:
monthly - 1.5 GB -> KES 300; 4 GB -> KES 500; up to 20 GB -> KES 2000
weekly - 2 GB -> KES 250; 6 GB -> KES 500
Buying a SIM card is also easy. Just go to your preferred store and bring your passport. After purchasing the card, you still need to top it up with some money. You can do that in every store and even smaller huts on the street with the data service sign. Now open the menu, for instance, *544# for Airtel, and choose your data bundle. After activation, you'll receive an SMS, and you're ready to surf!
The guesthouses and hostels in Kenya were more modern than in Uganda, and it was easier to access a socket. Still, I found that the mobile data were more reliable than the WiFi. WiFi was often around 2.0 Mbps while data were around 4.0 Mbps, enough for online video calls. Often simple rooms wouldn't have a table or chair for working, so either you choose to work on the floor or look around for a common room. Often simple
apartments had amazing rooftops that were calmer and fine for work.
Take a look on the map to find out the places we stayed over night and where I could also work online.
Kisumu: Sooper Guesthouse
The WiFi connection was not good, so I needed to use the mobile data. The hostel has a standard room for breakfast that is perfect for working. Sometimes though it was closed and I couldn't enter. However, their rooftop is huge and wide, and you can make yourself kind of comfortable working. It is noisy though the later the morning and also hot, with no sun covers I recommend this place only for early morning work.
Nakuru: Red Rose Cafe
This hostel is a cheap place that can also be booked per hour. It means many prostitutes are coming here; the rooms have one bed and a bathroom outside. I can't complain overall about those $3 per night. However, it is right in the city center, close to the busy market road. The room is noisy too; WiFi works fine but may interrupt from time to time.
Only two sockets are available for the whole room - so better plan when to charge the laptop or the mobile phone in advance.
Naivasha: Golden Bay Hotel
This is one of many guesthouses that can be found in Naivasha. WiFi works alright; the rooms have a table and a chair and are very comfortable to work online. Still, you should use your mobile data and sit down in the hotel yard outside to be okay. However, the hotel's service was very supportive and helpful.
Nairobi: Denobase
Actually, I can not recommend this place. But it was very challenging to find a cheap place to stay in general. The hotel's boss was not friendly and tried to make us pay extra fees during the stay. However, the room is fine, with a table to work on, and the WiFi works quite well. As in all the other Kenyan cities, it is noisy, you can't close windows, or the walls are not isolated. A noise-canceling headset is recommended.
Mombasa: Bustani Apartments
The best apartment we had during our whole trip through Kenya. This Airbnb was offered for $12 a night - a comfortable room with a bathroom and balcony. The WiFi was stable and excellent. The area is calm, and I had no problem charging my devices. You can either work inside or outside and enjoy your stay the fullest.
Find out more about Digital Nomad options in other countries right here!
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