The average cost of living in the United States varies depending on the location, lifestyle, and other factors.
When many Kenyans move to the U.S. they have to make drastic adjustments to manage their lifestyle in the U.S.
Due to the number of immigrants in the U.S. entrepreneurial individuals have found ways of making sure that despite being in a far away country those in the diaspora still have access to some of the household commodities they used in their home countries.
In this article, we will compare the prices of Kenyan household commodities in the U.S. and how the prices differ from supermarkets in Kenya.
For the sake of the article the prices in the U.S. were obtained from a Valley Harvest Market, an international market located at 28855 Military Road South in Federal Way, Washington.
It is important to note that the prices of the commodities in the U.S. could be subject to a variety of factors such as demand as well as importation costs.
The local prices were obtained from Carrefour, Naivas and Jumia.
The total cost of the products paints a vivid picture of the economic disparities between the United States and Kenya.
The cumulative cost of the selected food items in the U.S. is $180.33, which, when converted, amounts to approximately Sh27,049.50.
In contrast, the same products cost Sh3,861 in Kenya.
This stark contrast underscores the significant variations in the cost of living and consumer prices between the two countries.
It's evident that purchasing the same set of essential food items in the United States is substantially more expensive than in Kenya.
This discrepancy is likely influenced by a combination of factors, including import costs, local production dynamics, market demand, and overall economic conditions.
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Minimum wage in Kenya vs U.S.
In 2022, former President Uhuru Kenyatta set the minimum wage in Kenya at Sh15,201 for cities, Sh14,025 for all former municipalities and Sh8,109 for all other areas.
On the other hand, the minimum wage in the United States varies by state and is set by the federal government. As of 2022, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour (Sh1,142), which translates to $1,256.7 (Sh198,118) per month for a full-time worker.
However, some states and cities have set their minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage.