Ekurhuleni vs Nairobi

Nairobi leads Ekurhuleni by 4 points on the CIRA Index, 71 to 67. Ekurhuleni grades better on 3 measures, Nairobi on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Ekurhuleni 67, Nairobi 71
• OECD: Ekurhuleni 63, Nairobi 70
• UN Tourism: Ekurhuleni 64, Nairobi 68
• UNDRR: Ekurhuleni 58, Nairobi 61

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Ekurhuleni 63, Nairobi 79
• Economy and jobs: Ekurhuleni 50, Nairobi 50
• Climate and hazards: Ekurhuleni 65, Nairobi 65
• Water and environment: Ekurhuleni 67, Nairobi 63
• Community and housing: Ekurhuleni 88, Nairobi 100
• Access and continuity: Ekurhuleni 54, Nairobi 58

Where Ekurhuleni is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 29 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 15,906 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 15,000 and 30,000: grade 1/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 88.1 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (City of Ekurhuleni, Sustainable Development Goals Baseline Assessment Report, 2024/25). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4.

Where Nairobi is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 12.8 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Tourism Research Institute, Annual Tourism Sector Performance Report 2024, 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Recovery against 2019: 117.1 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (country figure) (Tourism Research Institute, Annual Tourism Sector Performance Report 2024, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 11.4 % of the labour force (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Analytical Report on Urbanisation, 2019). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 303 kg per resident per year (UN-Habitat Waste Wise Cities Tool (WaCT) Factsheet - Nairobi, Kenya, 2023). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: -2.5 % change in rents over the last 12 months (metro figure) (HassConsult, Hass Composite Rental Index Q4 2025 (reported by Tuko), 2025). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Tourism Fund Kenya, 2025). Grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• South Africa: #61 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Kenya: #77 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Ekurhuleni in full · Nairobi in full

The CIRA Index ranking · City vs city · How the index works · CIRA Studio · Put your city in the pilot