I live in a rural area and have recently received a job offer in Nairobi, but I am afraid of what lies ahead.
I am married and have one child, who is six years old. I earn a net salary of Sh34,000. I live in a rural area with my family. I have recently received a job offer with a different employer in Nairobi. If I take this offer, my net salary will increase to Sh54,000. However, I am scared about relocating to Nairobi since my husband is a civil servant upcountry and can’t just quit his job to move to Nairobi. I am also afraid of the cost of living in Nairobi.
My financial situation is as follows: household budget contribution Sh13,000 (house help and utilities), mum Sh3,000, brother in campus Sh4,000, work chama Sh2,000, friends chama Sh3,000, salon and nails Sh5,000, M-Pesa savings Sh1,000, airtime Sh500.
My husband earns Sh36,000 net, and he takes care of our rent, shopping and groceries. He is against the move because of the cost of living, even though I think he is scared I will earn more than him. Should I quit my current job and move to a better-paying job in Nairobi?
I was hoping that getting a better job would help us buy a plot and build our home. Please help me with advice. Catherine
I live in a rural area and have recently received a job offer in Nairobi, but I am afraid of what lies ahead.
Gertrude Njeri is an accountant, personal finance and investment consultant and the founder of Financial Buddy Africa Ltd.
A jump in monthly pay from Sh34,000 to Sh54,000 is a meaningful sign, Catherine. It means your skills are growing, and other employers see value in you. In this economy, that matters a lot.
But your hesitation is also valid because this decision is bigger than just a salary increment. It affects your marriage, your child, your plans, and your day-to-day quality of life. Right now, your current setup has something very important going for it: stability.
You and your husband are sharing responsibilities in a way that works. He handles rent and groceries, while you support the household in other areas. Because you’re living upcountry, your combined income of around Sh70,000 stretches much further than it would in Nairobi.
And that’s the part you need to look at very honestly. Yes, the Nairobi job gives you an extra Sh20,000. But Nairobi can consume that increase very quickly.
If you relocate, even modestly, you’ll likely face rent or accommodation costs, daily transport, higher food expenses, and the pressure that naturally comes with city life. On top of that, there’s the emotional side of living away from your husband and child, depending on how you arrange things.
That extra Sh20,000 can disappear faster than you think. So, the real question is not simply, “Will I earn more?” The real question is, “Will our family actually move forward financially and emotionally because of this move?”
And honestly, the answer depends on what this job leads to in the long term. If this is simply a salary increase with much higher living costs, then the move may not be worth it.
But if this Nairobi role gives you better exposure, stronger experience, better future opportunities, or positions you for much higher income in the coming years, then it becomes much more valuable than just the extra Sh20,000. That’s the other part that you need to evaluate carefully.
Now, I also want to address your husband’s concerns carefully. You mentioned feeling like he may be uncomfortable with you earning more than him. That can happen sometimes, but before turning it into a relationship issue, try to also look at the practical side of his concern. From his perspective, he may genuinely be worried that Nairobi will increase your costs so much that the salary increase won’t improve your overall situation. And honestly, that concern is not unreasonable.
At the same time, I completely understand your side too. You’re thinking ahead. You want your family to eventually own land, build a home, and improve your future. That’s not competition. That’s vision.
But here’s something important I noticed from your budget. Right now, there’s very little intentional investing happening toward those long-term goals. You contribute to the household, support your mum and brother, and participate in chamas, which is good. But if you and your husband truly want a plot and eventually a home, then the two of you need a more intentional family investment plan.
For example, setting aside Sh10,000 to Sh20,000 together every month toward a land or home fund starts changing your future over time. And honestly, this is where I think the real decision sits. Not “Nairobi versus upcountry.” But rather: “Which option helps us build a stronger future as a family?”
Personally, if I were advising you as a friend, I would not rush into relocating immediately unless this Nairobi job clearly improves your long-term career trajectory. And by that, I mean: better future earning potential, stronger professional growth, and better opportunities after two or three years. Because career growth matters too.
One mistake people sometimes make is staying comfortable for too long and later realising they passed up opportunities that could have changed their financial future. So don’t reject the opportunity out of fear alone. Instead, evaluate it strategically.
Ask practical questions. Could you take the job and live modestly at first? Could you stay with relatives temporarily? Could the employer support relocation? Could you try Nairobi first before fully changing your family arrangement?
Those are the conversations worth having before making a final decision.
And one more thing. Your family is actually in a stronger position than you may realise. Combined, you and your husband are already bringing in around Sh70,000 monthly. With structure and planning, that’s enough to slowly start building assets.
So whatever decision you make, don’t let the salary increase automatically push you into a more expensive lifestyle. That’s how many people move to Nairobi, earn more, and somehow remain financially stuck.
If you do take the job, the goal should be very clear. Use the higher income to increase investments and build assets, not just increase spending. That’s how the plot gets bought. That’s how the house eventually gets built. That’s how your child gets more stability. So don’t think about this decision emotionally or competitively.
Think about it strategically. Ask yourself: “Five years from now, which path gives our family the strongest foundation?” That’s the question that matters most.
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