Driver salary in Kenya 2026, by vehicle
The 2026 wage order sets a floor for each kind of driver. In Nairobi, with the 15% housing allowance: a turnboy Ksh 22,415, a light van driver Ksh 28,013 and a medium truck driver Ksh 35,230, which takes home Ksh 29,714.
Rules as of October 2026. Updated .
Can you afford it?
Left at the end of the month−Ksh 6,804 to −3,804living in Umoja
This does not add up. Something has to give.
| Take-home payAfter PAYE, SHIF, NSSF and the Housing Levy. | Ksh 20,117 |
|---|---|
| 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 6,804 to −3,804 |
On this pay you can cover: single room in Mukuru (up to Ksh 5,000).
One person, cooking at home. Rents are the usual range for the estate, not one listing.
Play a driver in Nairobi: start as a turnboy on Ksh 20,117 a month and work up to the Northern Corridor. Free in GrindLife.
Play free GrindLife is a free life game on real Nairobi streets. Every job pays what its real scale pays.Driver pay scale 2026
On the long-haul runs most of the money is per diem: about 1,000 a night away. That is why a heavy driver's month is far above the floor.
Ksh a month. Basic from the wage order's Nairobi column, gross with 15% housing. A long-haul heavy driver's usual month includes per diem for nights away, an estimate.
| Grade | Published basic | Gross in Nairobi | Take-home | Gross is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnboy (Driver's Assistant) | Turnboy: 19,491 | 22,415 | 20,117 | from the scale |
| Driver, Light Van | Light van driver: 24,359 | 28,013 | 24,856 | from the scale |
| Driver, Medium Truck | Medium vehicle: 30,635 | 35,230 | 29,714 | from the scale |
| Heavy Commercial Driver (Mombasa to Malaba) | Heavy commercial: 40,724 | 70,000 | 51,594 | 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.
| Turnboy | Light van | Medium | Heavy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | 22,415 | 28,013 | 35,230 | 70,000 |
| NSSF Tier I | 540 | 540 | 540 | 540 |
| NSSF Tier II | 805 | 1,141 | 1,574 | 3,660 |
| SHIF | 616 | 770 | 969 | 1,925 |
| Housing Levy | 336 | 420 | 528 | 1,050 |
| PAYE | 0 | 285 | 1,905 | 11,231 |
| Take-home | 20,117 | 24,856 | 29,714 | 51,594 |
How you move up
Each step up needs the next licence class from NTSA and years on the class below. A medium truck needs class C; a trailer, class CE.
- Turnboy (Driver's Assistant): Ksh 22,415 gross, Ksh 20,117 take-home.
- Driver, Light Van: Ksh 28,013 gross, Ksh 24,856 take-home. Needs 1 years in the grade below and Driving licence, class B (cars and light vans) (2 months).
- Driver, Medium Truck: Ksh 35,230 gross, Ksh 29,714 take-home. Needs 2 years in the grade below and Licence endorsement, class C1 and C (light and medium trucks) (1 months).
- Heavy Commercial Driver (Mombasa to Malaba): Ksh 70,000 gross, Ksh 51,594 take-home. Needs 4 years in the grade below and Licence endorsement, class CE (heavy truck with a trailer) (1 months).
What a Turnboy (Driver's Assistant) can rent in Nairobi
On Ksh 20,117 take-home, after bills, food and matatu fares, the most that fits at the top of the rent range: a single room in Mukuru (up to Ksh 5,000).
A bedsitter in Umoja leaves −Ksh 6,804 to −Ksh 3,804 a month.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum wage for a driver in Kenya?
In Nairobi: light vans 24,359 basic, medium vehicles 30,635, heavy commercial 40,724, each with 15% housing on top when not housed.
How much does a long distance truck driver earn in Kenya?
The floor is 46,833 with housing. With per diem on the Mombasa to Malaba run GrindLife puts a usual month at about Ksh 70,000.
How much does a Turnboy (Driver's Assistant) take home?
Ksh 20,117 a month from Ksh 22,415 gross. Ksh 2,298 comes off for NSSF, SHIF, the Housing Levy and PAYE.