What really is "Middle-Class?"

-->

This weekend, while catching up on my news, I discovered a few facts to ponder about Nairobi, courtesy of a twitter search.

Nairobi has a population of about 3.1M people. That’s about ½ the population of New York City including its surrounding boroughs.

According to a 2005-2006 survey conducted by the Kenyan Government, 22% of people living in this nation’s capital live under the poverty line. (This survey uses the number: 3,100 KSH = the ubiquitous dollar a day.)

That means, that 1 out of every 5 people live under that line.

I contextualize those figures in my daily life.

I live in an apartment that rents for $650/month and is within walking distance of prospective neighbors that live below the poverty line.

The neighborhood that I live in was once considered the most prestigious Nairobi suburb. Now, it is 2^nd, next to Runda (area where the UN and U.S. Embassy are situated).

My apartment is modest, but spacious (3-bedrooms). Some have told me it's a good deal considering that there are lots of upmarket apartments/houses (which are furnished) which rent for $1,000-$3500+ per month and I am nearby most amenities.

One cannot dispute the role of the international community. It is the regional hub of the United Nations and the U.S. government has a large presence here, along with other diplomatic missions. The financial support for these outfits is not paltry. The programmatic funding is substantive and so is the daily living expenses which bolter the local economy.

In the development and expat circles, Nairobi is sometimes jokingly referred to the “Paris of Africa.”

It has posh shopping malls that have authorized Apple resellers (an iPhone4 sells for $700 USD) or Rado wristwatches (luxury Swiss imports which sell for $2,000+ USD).

Public schools are out of the question for most of the affluent. They enroll their children in reputable private schools which follow the American or British education system. Those high school graduates compete academically on the global stage – some even sit for AP exams which are administered locally. The tuition varies widely, but one in my neighborhood cost $11,000 USD per year.

Nairobi is digitally connected. Internet is relatively inexpensive. Safaricom sells 100MB data bundles for smartphones for 250KSH (~$3.00 USD). Wireless internet can be installed by technicians deployed to your home within 48-hours, and the majority of the time, it’s online.

There are pricey Italian, Lebanese and Japanese restaurants (to name a few) that cater to an well-to-do community. Sitting in their dining rooms, one can observe that their clientele are a mix of foreigners and local Kenyans. A typical bill for two would cost $25-50 USD.

Except for some occasional outages, the lights and electricity are on.

People who have lived elsewhere in Africa say that it’s easy to live in “this bubble” once you meet that income threshold.

Even the local newspaper recently wrote about the emerging middle class. But, I tend to think that the person featured in this article is not middle, but elite:

Daily Nation: "The Rise & Rise of Kenya's Middle Class" - (Oct 2012)