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Nairobi car hire

Driver's age: 26-65

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Cheap car rentals in Nairobi

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Economy car
Economy
M
Compact car
Compact
M
Intermediate car
Intermediate
M
Standard car
Standard
M
Full-size car
Full-size
M
Luxury car
Luxury
M
People mover car
People mover
M
Passenger van car
Passenger van
M
Commercial car
Commercial
M
Pick-up truck car
Pick-up truck
M

KAYAK’s top tips for hiring a car in Nairobi

  • Car hire in Nairobi is one of the best ways to give yourself the freedom of exploring the dazzling safaris in the Mara, taking a drive out to one of the coastal beaches in Kenya or just exploring the booming capital city that is Nairobi. The public transport system in Nairobi can be very difficult to figure out and taxis tend to take advantage of foreigners. Driving a car hire is a good way to mitigate these potential problems.
  • Car hire in Nairobi is often more convenient from Nairobi Airport (NBO) because it'll likely be your arrival and departure point, plus taxi costs between the city and the airport can get expensive. You'll want to book your Nairobi car hire ahead of time to make sure you avoid availability issues. There are a couple of car hire desks located in the Arrivals hall, while others offer an online service, arranging for a representative to meet you at the airport with your car keys. Once you've signed the paperwork, you'll be escorted to the vehicle for a final check.
  • When driving in the city, you'll drive on the left-hand side of the road and pass on the right. Be aware of the road rules but also that most locals don't obey these rules. Locals are known to drive wherever they can on the road, sometimes into oncoming traffic. The street conditions differ and tend to be okay in the city centre but get increasingly worse the further you get away from the centre of Nairobi. Other cities tend to be worse than Nairobi.
  • Difficult things about driving in Nairobi are the lack of compliance with the road rules by locals, the lack of road signs and traffic lights and all of the construction (Nairobi is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa). You'll need to be careful with potholes on the road, pedestrians and animals walking all over the streets, motorcycles and bicycles. If you're driving further away from Nairobi to other parts of the country, avoid driving at night, so you can see the quality of the road.
  • Book your rental car in Nairobi at least 2 days before your trip in order to get a below-average price
  • Intermediate rental cars in Nairobi are around 18% more expensive than other car types, on average

FAQs about renting a car in Nairobi

  • How much is the price of fuel in Nairobi?

    The average price of fuel in Nairobi is $8.90 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of uel costs between $107 and $142, depending on the car size.

  • What is the most popular car hire in Nairobi?

    Intermediate (Toyota RAV4 or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Nairobi.

  • How can I find car hires near me in Nairobi?

    Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.

  • How much does an Intermediate car hire cost in Nairobi?

    An Intermediate car hire in Nairobi costs $184 per day, on average.

  • How much does a Standard car hire cost in Nairobi?

    A Standard car hire in Nairobi costs $164 per day, on average.

  • How much does a Compact car hire cost in Nairobi?

    A Compact car hire in Nairobi costs $86 per day, on average.

  • What type of car is recommended for driving in Nairobi?

    If you're sticking to driving in the city centre and don't plan on venturing much further than the airport, you can get away with smaller car hire in Nairobi. You'll want to avoid convertibles because of the atmosphere. If you're planning on driving further away from the city centre and spending time on rural roads, a 4-wheel drive is a much better bet. The road conditions are unpredictable, so a 4x4 means less chance you’ll get stuck somewhere or damage the vehicle.

  • What’s the speed limit in Nairobi?

    Nairobi speed limits are the same as the rest of Kenya and worth knowing, even if most locals don't adhere to them. When you're driving outside of the city on major motorways and highways, the speed limit is between 100 km/h and 110 km/h. If you're driving bigger vehicles, like buses or commercial vehicles, the maximum speed is 80 km/h. The statutory limit when driving within trading centres, cities and municipalities is 50 km/h, while when driving near schools or any area where children are likely to be, the limit is 30 km/h.

  • Where are the best places to park in Nairobi?

    There is a shortage of parking spaces in the Nairobi CBD, but there are both free and paid car parks available. It's recommended to stick with paid parking because they're safer and have better security. There is a local app you can use to pay for street parking, while car parks usually work on a ticket system. There are also a lot of locals who park in undesignated areas, but you'll want to avoid doing this as a foreigner.

Nairobi car rental reviews and directory 
All ratings and reviews are collected from KAYAK users with a verified car rental booking. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.

Hertz

Cleanliness

6.4

Comfort

6.6

Pick-up/Drop-off

5.7

Value for money

5.5

2 locations in Nairobi

Show locations

Locations in Nairobi

Airport North Road

Monday00:00 - 23:59
Tuesday00:00 - 23:59
Wednesday00:00 - 23:59
Thursday00:00 - 23:59
Friday00:00 - 23:59
Saturday00:00 - 23:59
Sunday00:00 - 23:59

Waiyaki Way

Monday00:00 - 23:59
Tuesday00:00 - 23:59
Wednesday00:00 - 23:59
Thursday00:00 - 23:59
Friday00:00 - 23:59
Saturday00:00 - 23:59
Sunday00:00 - 23:59

Filters

Reviews

8.0 Very Good

Anonymous, Feb 2024

Compact

KAYAK
There were no signs after exiting the airport for the rental car office and it was very difficult to find the phone number for Hertz Nairobi JKAI. Eventually we found it then they wanted to put an $800+ deposit on hold on our card (never mentioned on the terms and conditions), as well as, the $400+ for the actual rental car. I made sure to take lots of pictures and wrote on all the documents we signed that it was a deposit and we would get it back period. After we finally got the car, everything went smoothly but the check in and that “deposit” was ridiculous.

10.0 Wonderful

Anonymous, Sept 2022

KAYAK
👍

8.0 Very Good

Amie, Feb 2021

KAYAK

Pros:

Drop off was easy, they came to pick it up.

Cons:

Prices are way to high from other experiences in other countries and locations.

2.0 Poor

Anonymous, Apr 2023

SUV

KAYAK
They were very late meeting me to pick up the car and they gave me a gigantic truck so they had to drive me to their HQ to get the correct car. Awful experience.

8.0 Very Good

Anonymous, Sept 2022

KAYAK
So far so good

2.0 Poor

Anonymous, Feb 2022

KAYAK
Alert- the office is closed. Others nearby said it has been closed during COVID. There were numbers posted in the window to call, but we received no reply. I'm so glad we didn't pre-pay! You may want to investigate and remove them from your website. Fortunately, we got a friendly and honest JKIA driver to take us to where we needed to go for a reasonable fee.

1 out of 3

GREEN MOTION

7.0

Good

One location in Nairobi

Show locations

Locations in Nairobi

Nairobi Airport

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Express Rent a Car

8.0

Very Good

Best rated

One location in Nairobi

Show locations

Locations in Nairobi

Nairobi International Airport

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Autounion Car Rental

7.7

Good

4 locations in Nairobi

Show locations

Locations in Nairobi

66 Muthithi Road Westlands - Vitafoam compound

+254 717 600 100

Monday08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday08:00 - 18:00
Wednesday08:00 - 18:00
Thursday08:00 - 18:00
Friday08:00 - 18:00
Saturday08:00 - 18:00

Avis Counter

+254 717 600 100

Opening times not available

Hotel Delivery, Nairobi

Opening times not available

Nairobi Airport Wilson

+254 717 600 100

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Sixt

7.2

Good

2 locations in Nairobi

Show locations

Locations in Nairobi

Airport Road 1

+254 724 001 111

Monday08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday08:00 - 18:00
Wednesday08:00 - 18:00
Thursday08:00 - 18:00
Friday08:00 - 18:00
Saturday08:00 - 18:00
Sunday08:00 - 18:00

Off Limuru Road

+254 724 001 111

Monday08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday08:00 - 18:00
Wednesday08:00 - 18:00
Thursday08:00 - 18:00
Friday08:00 - 18:00
Saturday09:00 - 13:00

Filters

No reviews available

keddy by Europcar

6.3

Okay

One location in Nairobi

Show locations

Locations in Nairobi

Jomo Kenyatta International Apt,- Main Arrival Lounge

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Budget

6.2

Okay

2 locations in Nairobi

Locations in Nairobi

Avis Counter

+254 20 2386420

Opening times not available

College House

+254 20 2213330

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Europcar

5.5

Fair

2 locations in Nairobi

Locations in Nairobi

Jomo Kenyatta International Apt

+254 723 596717

Opening times not available

Westlands Square 1st Floor

+254 700 115119

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Ace

5.4

Fair

3 locations in Nairobi

Locations in Nairobi

66 Muthithi Road

+254 717 600100

Monday08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday08:00 - 18:00
Wednesday08:00 - 18:00
Thursday08:00 - 18:00
Friday08:00 - 18:00
Saturday08:00 - 18:00
Sunday08:00 - 18:00

Embakasi

+254 717 600100

Monday00:00 - 23:59
Tuesday00:00 - 23:59
Wednesday00:00 - 23:59
Thursday00:00 - 23:59
Friday00:00 - 23:59
Saturday00:00 - 23:59
Sunday00:00 - 23:59

Karen

+254 717 600100

Monday08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday08:00 - 18:00
Wednesday08:00 - 18:00
Thursday08:00 - 18:00
Friday08:00 - 18:00
Saturday08:00 - 18:00
Sunday08:00 - 18:00

Filters

No reviews available

Right Cars

4.1

Mediocre

One location in Nairobi

Locations in Nairobi

4th Floor Valley View Office Park, Nairobi

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Avis

No score available yet

3 locations in Nairobi

Locations in Nairobi

Aspire Centre

+254 703 046517

Monday07:45 - 16:30
Tuesday07:45 - 16:30
Wednesday07:45 - 16:30
Thursday07:45 - 16:30
Friday07:45 - 16:30
Saturday09:00 - 13:00

Jomo Kenyatta Int Airport

Monday00:00 - 23:59
Tuesday00:00 - 23:59
Wednesday00:00 - 23:59
Thursday00:00 - 23:59
Friday00:00 - 23:59
Saturday00:00 - 23:59
Sunday00:00 - 23:59

P O Box 48296

Monday07:30 - 18:00
Tuesday07:30 - 18:00
Wednesday07:30 - 18:00
Thursday07:30 - 18:00
Friday07:30 - 18:00
Saturday09:00 - 13:00

Filters

No reviews available

DISCOUNT.QUEBEC

No score available yet

2 locations in Nairobi

Locations in Nairobi

66 Muthithi Rd

Opening times not available

Nairobi Downtown Hotel Delivery

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Sunnycars

No score available yet

2 locations in Nairobi

Locations in Nairobi

Nairobi Airport

Opening times not available

Nairobi Wilson Airport

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Unicorn Rent A Car

No score available yet

2 locations in Nairobi

Locations in Nairobi

Jomo Kenyatta Airport, Embakasi, Nairobi

Opening times not available

Number 66 Muthithi Road, Westlands, Nairobi

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

Express Travel Group Limited

No score available yet

One location in Nairobi

Locations in Nairobi

Nairobi Airport- Meet& Greet

Opening times not available

Filters

No reviews available

9 travellers who rented a car in Nairobi gave the car agency they used an average rating of 6.3

Car hire locations in or near Nairobi

Good to know

Most popular car type

Intermediate

When to book a car hire in Nairobi

Average daily price per month
Car hire prices as pick-up date approaches

Nairobi car hire information

Pick-up locationNairobi
Car types
Hire locations30
Airport locations17