Supermarket cashier and shop assistant salary in Kenya
The 2026 wage order gives a shop assistant in Nairobi 24,359 basic and a cashier 40,724. With the 15% housing allowance that is Ksh 28,013 and Ksh 46,833 gross, taking home Ksh 24,856 and Ksh 37,039.
Rules as of October 2026. Updated .
Can you afford it?
Left at the end of the month−Ksh 2,065 to Ksh 935living 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 24,856 |
|---|---|
| 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 2,065 to Ksh 935 |
On this pay you can cover: single room in Kawangware (up to Ksh 5,000); single room in Kibera (up to Ksh 5,000); single room in Mathare (up to Ksh 5,000).
One person, cooking at home. Rents are the usual range for the estate, not one listing.
Play a supermarket worker in Nairobi: Ksh 24,856 a month, the till at month end, 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.Supermarket worker pay scale 2026
The cashier's row is one of the highest in the order. Many chains put new tills on the shop assistant's rate instead.
Ksh a month. Basic from the wage order's Nairobi column, gross with 15% housing. Supervisors have no scale: an estimate.
| Grade | Published basic | Gross in Nairobi | Take-home | Gross is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shop Assistant | Shop assistant: 24,359 | 28,013 | 24,856 | from the scale |
| Cashier | Cashier: 40,724 | 46,833 | 37,039 | from the scale |
| Section Supervisor | - | 55,000 | 42,170 | 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.
| Shop assistant | Cashier | Supervisor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | 28,013 | 46,833 | 55,000 |
| NSSF Tier I | 540 | 540 | 540 |
| NSSF Tier II | 1,141 | 2,270 | 2,760 |
| SHIF | 770 | 1,288 | 1,513 |
| Housing Levy | 420 | 703 | 825 |
| PAYE | 285 | 4,993 | 7,192 |
| Take-home | 24,856 | 37,039 | 42,170 |
How you move up
A good conduct certificate gets you on the floor. A branch manager's post usually asks for a business diploma.
- Shop Assistant: Ksh 28,013 gross, Ksh 24,856 take-home. Needs Certificate of good conduct (1 months).
- Cashier: Ksh 46,833 gross, Ksh 37,039 take-home. Needs 1 years in the grade below.
- Section Supervisor: Ksh 55,000 gross, Ksh 42,170 take-home. Needs 2 years in the grade below.
What a Shop Assistant can rent in Nairobi
On Ksh 24,856 take-home, after bills, food and matatu fares, the most that fits at the top of the rent range: a single room in Kawangware (up to Ksh 5,000); a single room in Kibera (up to Ksh 5,000); a single room in Mathare (up to Ksh 5,000).
A bedsitter in Umoja leaves −Ksh 2,065 to Ksh 935 a month.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum wage for a cashier in Kenya?
40,724 basic in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret, Ksh 46,833 with housing.
How much does a shop assistant earn in Nairobi?
At least 24,359 basic, Ksh 28,013 with housing, Ksh 24,856 take-home.
How much does a Shop Assistant take home?
Ksh 24,856 a month from Ksh 28,013 gross. Ksh 3,157 comes off for NSSF, SHIF, the Housing Levy and PAYE.