Minimum wage in Kenya 2026, job by job
In Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret the lowest legal pay is Ksh 18,047 a month for a general worker, up 12% from Ksh 16,114. If your employer does not house you, add 15% for housing: Ksh 20,755, which takes home Ksh 18,627 after NSSF, SHIF and the Housing Levy.
Rules as of October 2026. Updated .
Check your minimum pay
Take-home at the minimumKsh 18,627a month in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret cities
| Basic payGeneral labourer, cleaner, gardener, house help, day watchman, messenger | Ksh 18,047 |
|---|---|
| Housing allowance (15%)Due on top of basic when your employer does not give you a house. | Ksh 2,707 |
| Gross pay | Ksh 20,755 |
| NSSF Tier IYour pension, paid to the National Social Security Fund: 6% of your pay up to Ksh 9,000. Your employer adds the same again. | −Ksh 540 |
| NSSF Tier IIMore pension: 6% of your pay between Ksh 9,000 and Ksh 108,000. Your employer matches it too. You get it back when you retire. | −Ksh 705 |
| SHIFThe Social Health Insurance Fund: 2.75% of your gross pay, at least Ksh 300. It covers you at hospitals and clinics. | −Ksh 571 |
| Housing LevyThe Affordable Housing Levy: 1.5% of your gross pay, and your employer pays the same. It funds the government's affordable homes. | −Ksh 311 |
| Take-home | Ksh 18,627 |
Paid by the day: at least Ksh 868 a day. By the hour: Ksh 161.
These are floors. An employer can pay more, never less. A union deal (CBA) for your industry may set a higher floor.
Start on Ksh 18,627 a month in GrindLife Nairobi: real rent, real fares, a real payslip. See how long it takes to climb out.
Play free GrindLife is a free life game on real Nairobi streets. Jobs in the game pay at least the legal minimum.Every rate in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret cities
Ksh. Basic as gazetted, rounded to the shilling. Take-home is on the gross with housing, after NSSF, SHIF, the Housing Levy and PAYE.
| Job | Basic a month | With 15% housing | Take-home | A day | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General labourer, cleaner, gardener, house help, day watchman, messenger | 18,047 | 20,755 | 18,627 | 868 | 161 |
| Miner, stone cutter, turnboy, waiter, cook | 19,491 | 22,415 | 20,117 | 937 | - |
| Night watchman | 20,134 | 23,154 | 20,781 | 966 | 182 |
| Machine attendant, bakery worker, tailor's assistant | 20,455 | 23,523 | 21,112 | 983 | 188 |
| Petrol station attendant, laundry operator, junior clerk | 23,350 | 26,853 | 24,075 | 1,125 | 210 |
| Shop assistant, copy typist, driver (cars and light vans) | 24,359 | 28,013 | 24,856 | 1,170 | 219 |
| General clerk, receptionist, telephone operator, storekeeper | 27,797 | 31,966 | 27,517 | 1,336 | 250 |
| Tailor, driver (medium vehicle) | 30,635 | 35,230 | 29,714 | 1,474 | 273 |
| Salesman, dyer, crawler tractor driver | 33,820 | 38,893 | 32,051 | 1,622 | 304 |
| Caretaker (buildings), saw doctor | 37,427 | 43,041 | 34,657 | 1,802 | 337 |
| Cashier, driver (heavy commercial), salesman driver | 40,724 | 46,833 | 37,039 | 1,961 | 367 |
| Ungraded artisan | 24,359 | 28,013 | 24,856 | 1,171 | 219 |
| Artisan grade III | 30,635 | 35,230 | 29,714 | 1,474 | 273 |
| Artisan grade II | 33,087 | 38,051 | 31,522 | 1,622 | 304 |
| Artisan grade I | 40,724 | 46,833 | 37,039 | 1,961 | 367 |
The same jobs outside the big five cities
The order sets three columns. Work in Mavoko, Ruiru and Limuru and a general worker's floor is Ksh 16,651. Everywhere else it is Ksh 9,268.
| Job (basic a month) | Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret cities | Mavoko, Ruiru and Limuru | All other areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| General labourer, cleaner, gardener, house help, day watchman, messenger | 18,047 | 16,651 | 9,268 |
| Miner, stone cutter, turnboy, waiter, cook | 19,491 | 17,047 | 11,124 |
| Night watchman | 20,134 | 18,666 | 11,483 |
| Machine attendant, bakery worker, tailor's assistant | 20,455 | 19,035 | 15,428 |
| Petrol station attendant, laundry operator, junior clerk | 23,350 | 21,844 | 17,859 |
| Shop assistant, copy typist, driver (cars and light vans) | 24,359 | 22,482 | 18,582 |
| General clerk, receptionist, telephone operator, storekeeper | 27,797 | 25,413 | 21,668 |
| Tailor, driver (medium vehicle) | 30,635 | 28,156 | 25,106 |
| Salesman, dyer, crawler tractor driver | 33,820 | 31,555 | 28,479 |
| Caretaker (buildings), saw doctor | 37,427 | 34,948 | 32,557 |
| Cashier, driver (heavy commercial), salesman driver | 40,724 | 38,324 | 35,933 |
| Ungraded artisan | 24,359 | 22,482 | 18,583 |
| Artisan grade III | 30,635 | 28,156 | 25,058 |
| Artisan grade II | 33,087 | 31,555 | 28,479 |
| Artisan grade I | 40,724 | 38,324 | 35,933 |
What the housing allowance means
Every figure in the gazette is basic pay "exclusive of housing allowance". If your employer does not give you a place to live, they owe you 15% of basic on top, as a housing allowance.
So a general worker in Nairobi who rents their own room should see at least Ksh 20,755 gross, not Ksh 18,047. A live-in house help, who sleeps at the employer's house, can be paid the basic alone. On the basic alone the take-home is Ksh 16,198.
What comes off minimum pay
- NSSF, SHIF and the Housing Levy come off every payslip, even at the minimum. On Ksh 20,755 that is Ksh 2,127, leaving Ksh 18,627.
- PAYE: none on the lowest rows, because personal relief wipes out the tax. Higher up it starts to bite: the top row (cashier, driver (heavy commercial), salesman driver) is Ksh 40,724 basic and takes home Ksh 37,039 with housing.
- Paid daily? The daily rate is for a casual worker, and the housing allowance applies to them too. A general worker in Nairobi gets at least Ksh 868 a day before housing.
When this order started
The Regulation of Wages (General) (Amendment) Order, 2026 (Legal Notice No. 95) came into force on 1 May 2026. It was gazetted later, on 29 May 2026, so pay from May was owed as arrears. It raised every rate by about 12%.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum wage in Kenya in 2026?
For a general worker in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret: Ksh 18,047 a month basic, Ksh 20,755 with the housing allowance. It is Ksh 16,651 in Mavoko, Ruiru and Limuru and Ksh 9,268 in all other areas.
What is the minimum wage per day in Kenya?
Ksh 868 a day for a general worker in the five cities, before the 15% housing allowance. Each job in the table above has its own daily rate.
What is the minimum wage per hour in Kenya?
Ksh 161 an hour for a general worker in the five cities.
What is the minimum wage for a security guard in Kenya?
The gazette rate for a night watchman in the cities is Ksh 20,134 basic, Ksh 23,154 with housing. Private guards also have their regulator's pay package on top of the legal floor.
What is the minimum wage for a house help in Kenya?
House help falls under the general worker row: Ksh 18,047 basic in Nairobi. A house help who does not live in gets Ksh 20,755 with the housing allowance.
How much does a minimum wage earner take home?
Ksh 18,627 a month on Ksh 20,755 gross in Nairobi. No PAYE at that pay; NSSF, SHIF and the Housing Levy still come off.
Sources
- Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 128, Legal Notice No. 95: The Regulation of Wages (General) (Amendment) Order, 2026, 29 May 2026 (reproduced in Grant Thornton Kenya, Wages guide 2026)
- Labour Institutions Act (Cap. 234), section 46 (Kenya Law)
- Employment Act 2007, section 31: housing (Kenya Law)
- KRA, Pay As You Earn guide, Jan 2025