Security guard salary in Kenya 2026
A guard's floor is the night watchman's rate in the 2026 wage order, 20,134 a month basic in Nairobi, plus 15% housing when the firm does not house you, plus the regulator's overtime of 8,157: about Ksh 31,311 gross, Ksh 27,076 take-home.
Rules as of October 2026. Updated .
Can you afford it?
Left at the end of the monthKsh 155 to 3,155living in Umoja
It works, just. One bad month and you are on the overdraft.
| Take-home payAfter PAYE, SHIF, NSSF and the Housing Levy. | Ksh 27,076 |
|---|---|
| Rent (bedsitter)The usual range in this estate. | Ksh 7,000 to 10,000 |
| Power tokens | Ksh 1,258 |
| Water | Ksh 500 |
| Data and airtime | Ksh 1,300 |
| Cooking gas | Ksh 1,235 |
| FoodCooking at home, plus lunch at a kibanda on work days. | Ksh 6,996 |
| Matatu faresTwo rides a work day at the rush-hour fare, about Ksh 128 a ride. | Ksh 5,632 |
| Left over | Ksh 155 to 3,155 |
On this pay you can cover: bedsitter in Umoja (up to Ksh 10,000); bedsitter in Donholm (up to Ksh 10,000); bedsitter in Buruburu (up to Ksh 10,000).
One person, cooking at home. Rents are the usual range for the estate, not one listing.
Play a guard in Nairobi: twelve-hour nights, Ksh 27,076 a month, rent in Umoja. Free in GrindLife.
Play free GrindLife is a free life game on real Nairobi streets. Every job pays what its real scale pays.Security guard pay scale 2026
Plenty of firms pay guards far less, 6,000 to 15,000 a month. That is below the law. In August 2026 the President ordered security firms to pay the floor, and the regulator can suspend a firm's licence.
Ksh a month. The guard's floor is the wage order plus the regulator's package; supervisors and control room staff have no public scale, so those are estimates.
| Grade | Published basic | Gross in Nairobi | Take-home | Gross is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security Guard | Night watchman: 20,134, plus PSRA overtime 8,157 | 31,311 | 27,076 | an estimate |
| Control Room Operator (CCTV and alarms) | - | 36,000 | 30,233 | an estimate |
| Shift Supervisor | - | 42,000 | 34,003 | an estimate |
The payslip at each grade
Ksh a month at the first point of each grade, after NSSF, SHIF, the Housing Levy and PAYE. Union dues and loans are not taken off.
| Guard | Control room | Supervisor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | 31,311 | 36,000 | 42,000 |
| NSSF Tier I | 540 | 540 | 540 |
| NSSF Tier II | 1,339 | 1,620 | 1,980 |
| SHIF | 861 | 990 | 1,155 |
| Housing Levy | 470 | 540 | 630 |
| PAYE | 1,025 | 2,078 | 3,692 |
| Take-home | 27,076 | 30,233 | 34,003 |
How you move up
You need a good conduct certificate and registration with the Private Security Regulatory Authority before your first shift.
- Security Guard: Ksh 31,311 gross, Ksh 27,076 take-home. Needs PSRA registration as a private security officer (1 months).
- Control Room Operator (CCTV and alarms): Ksh 36,000 gross, Ksh 30,233 take-home. Needs 1 years in the grade below and CCTV and alarm monitoring course (1 months).
- Shift Supervisor: Ksh 42,000 gross, Ksh 34,003 take-home. Needs 2 years in the grade below and Certificate in Security Management (12 months).
What a Security Guard can rent in Nairobi
On Ksh 27,076 take-home, after bills, food and matatu fares, the most that fits at the top of the rent range: a bedsitter in Umoja (up to Ksh 10,000); a bedsitter in Donholm (up to Ksh 10,000); a bedsitter in Buruburu (up to Ksh 10,000).
A bedsitter in Umoja leaves Ksh 155 to Ksh 3,155 a month.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum wage for a security guard in Kenya?
In Nairobi: the night watchman's 20,134 basic, 15% housing on top, and the regulator's overtime of 8,157. About Ksh 31,311 gross, Ksh 27,076 take-home.
Is it legal to pay a guard 12,000 in Nairobi?
No. The night watchman's floor in Nairobi is 20,134 basic before the housing allowance and the regulator's overtime.
How much does a Security Guard take home?
Ksh 27,076 a month from Ksh 31,311 gross. Ksh 4,235 comes off for NSSF, SHIF, the Housing Levy and PAYE.
Sources
- Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 128, Legal Notice No. 95: Regulation of Wages (General) (Amendment) Order, 2026
- The Standard, "Ruto orders security firms to pay minimum wage", 6 Aug 2026
- Private Security Regulatory Authority, guard pay package upheld by the court, as reported by Eastleigh Voice
- KRA, Pay As You Earn guide, Jan 2025
- KNBS, 2023/24 Kenya Housing Survey (average Nairobi rent by unit, tenancy norms)