A Kenyan financial advisor has cautioned Kenyans seeking employment opportunities abroad against being swayed by attractive salary figures without first considering the cost of living and other expenses in their destination countries.
Benjamin Cheruiyot, a financial advisor at Abojani Investments, said some Kenyans could end up financially worse off after taking jobs in countries such as Turkey, despite earning significantly higher salaries than they would in Kenya.
In an analysis shared on X, Cheruiyot cited Turkey as an example, noting that many young Kenyans are taking entry-level jobs in the textile, hospitality and teaching sectors, where monthly salaries typically range between Sh100,000 and Sh150,000.
He posed a scenario of a Kenyan earning Sh80,000 net per month in Nairobi who receives an offer to work in Turkey for Sh200,000, equivalent to about 75,000 Turkish lira.
According to Cheruiyot, the higher salary does not necessarily translate into greater disposable income.
“Sh80,000 net in Nairobi is better than Sh200,000 net in Turkey unless housing is free,” he argued, pointing to the significantly higher cost of living in Istanbul.
He noted that available cost-of-living comparisons indicate that Nairobi is cheaper than Istanbul, including when rent is taken into account. For instance, a bedsitter that could cost about Sh15,000 a month in Nairobi may require more than Sh45,000 in Istanbul.
Cheruiyot estimated that a person earning Sh80,000 in Nairobi could spend about Sh20,000 on rent, Sh20,000 on food and shopping, Sh7,000 on transport, Sh5,000 on utilities and another Sh8,000 on other expenses, leaving about Sh20,000 for savings.
The situation would be markedly different for someone earning Sh200,000 in Istanbul, he said. A one-bedroom apartment within the city could cost between Sh80,000 and Sh110,000 a month, consuming up to 55 per cent of the salary before food, transport and other bills are considered.
He estimated that groceries, utilities and transport could take up a further Sh80,000, leaving little or nothing to save.
Cheruiyot also warned that some Kenyans have quit jobs in Turkey after discovering that the actual financial benefits did not match what had been presented by recruitment agents.
He advised job seekers to look beyond the headline salary and establish whether an overseas job package includes key benefits such as accommodation, meals, work permits and airfare.
He said Kenyans may be better off remaining in Kenya on a Sh80,000 net salary if a Turkish offer does not provide free accommodation, a work permit and flight costs, particularly where the job is an entry-level hospitality position.
According to his analysis, hospitality and hotel reception jobs in Turkey generally pay about Sh80,000 to Sh105,000, meaning a Sh200,000 salary should not automatically be viewed as the standard for entry-level positions.
He also advised those with family responsibilities in Kenya to carefully weigh the decision, as the higher gross salary abroad may not compensate for the additional living expenses.
However, Cheruiyot said a Sh200,000 net salary in Turkey could make financial sense where the employer provides free accommodation, meals, a work permit and a flight ticket.
Under such circumstances, he estimated that a worker could potentially save close to Sh100,000 a month—substantially more than the estimated Sh20,000 savings available to a worker earning Sh80,000 in Nairobi.
Beyond the financial calculations, Cheruiyot noted that some Kenyans may still choose to take overseas opportunities for the experience and exposure they provide, particularly if they view the job as a stepping stone towards opportunities elsewhere in Europe.
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