Career advice · Updated October 2026
Minimum Wage in Kenya 2026: New Rates by Job and Town
The minimum wage in Kenya went up by 12% from 1 May 2026, after President William Ruto announced the rise on Labour Day. The new rates are set out in the Regulation of Wages (General) (Amendment) Order, 2026 (Legal Notice 108 of 2026), gazetted on 26 June 2026 and backdated to 1 May. If you earn a monthly wage as a cleaner, guard, driver, shop assistant, clerk or artisan, or you employ someone in one of those jobs, this is the figure your pay is measured against.
This guide sets out the 2026 rates, explains why there is no single “minimum wage” figure in Kenya, and shows what to do if you are being paid less.
Why Kenya has many minimum wages, not one
Kenya does not set one national minimum wage. Under section 46 of the Labour Institutions Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Labour issues wage orders that fix the lowest legal pay for each listed occupation, and the rate changes with where you work. The General Order uses three zones:
- Cities: Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret.
- Former municipalities and town councils of Mavoko, Ruiru and Limuru.
- All other areas of the country.
Farm workers are covered by a separate order, the Regulation of Wages (Agricultural Industry) Order, covered below.
So the question “what is the minimum wage in Kenya?” has a short answer and a long one. The short answer: the lowest rate in the General Order is KSh 9,628.07 a month, for a general labourer outside the cities and the three named towns. The long answer depends on your job and your town.
Minimum wage rates in Kenya from 1 May 2026
These are the basic monthly minimums in Legal Notice 108 of 2026. Monthly figures exclude housing allowance.
| Occupation | Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret | Mavoko, Ruiru, Limuru | All other areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| General labourer, cleaner, sweeper, gardener, children’s ayah, house servant, day watchman, messenger | 18,047.40 | 16,650.95 | 9,628.07 |
| Miner, stone cutter, turnboy, waiter, cook, logger, line cutter | 19,491.33 | 17,046.83 | 11,124.42 |
| Night watchman | 20,133.72 | 18,665.88 | 11,483.43 |
| Machine attendant, sawmill sawyer, bakery worker, tailor’s assistant | 20,454.86 | 19,034.56 | 15,427.97 |
| Junior clerk, petrol station worker, laundry operator, light tractor driver | 23,350.21 | 21,844.12 | 17,859.17 |
| Shop assistant, copy typist, printing machine operator, driver (cars and light vans) | 24,358.73 | 22,481.83 | 18,582.41 |
| General clerk, receptionist, telephone operator, storekeeper | 27,796.51 | 25,412.61 | 21,668.18 |
| Tailor, driver (medium-sized vehicle) | 30,634.69 | 28,155.87 | 25,105.72 |
| Dyer, crawler tractor driver, salesman | 33,820.24 | 31,555.31 | 28,479.38 |
| Saw doctor, caretaker (buildings) | 37,426.84 | 34,947.96 | 32,556.94 |
| Cashier, driver (heavy commercial vehicles), salesman driver | 40,724.23 | 38,323.71 | 35,932.75 |
All figures are in Kenya shillings per month. The order also has rows for ungraded artisans and artisans in Grades III, II and I, and it publishes daily and hourly rates for each job. Check the full schedule on Kenya Law if your job is not listed above.
A note on the “KSh 9,268” figure
The order was first gazetted as Legal Notice 95 on 29 May 2026, and that version printed the lowest rate as KSh 9,268.07. When the order was published again as Legal Notice 108 on 26 June, the figure read KSh 9,628.07. That is the one that matches a 12% rise on the previous KSh 8,596.49. You may still see the older number in some reports and payroll templates. Use the Legal Notice 108 figure.
Housing allowance comes on top
Monthly minimums do not include housing. Under the Regulation of Wages (General) Order, an employee on a monthly contract who is not given free housing must be paid a housing allowance of 15% of the basic minimum wage on top of it. In Legal Notice 108, daily and hourly rates already include housing.
Two examples using the general labourer row:
- Outside the cities and the three towns: KSh 9,628.07 basic + KSh 1,444.21 housing (15%) = KSh 11,072.28 a month if no housing is provided.
- Nairobi and the other four cities: KSh 18,047.40 basic + KSh 2,707.11 housing = KSh 20,754.51 a month if no housing is provided.
If your employer houses you, as with many live-in house helps and farm workers, the allowance is not added. Do not confuse this with the Affordable Housing Levy, which is a 1.5% deduction from your gross pay and has nothing to do with housing allowance.
Minimum wage for farm workers
Agricultural employees fall under the Regulation of Wages (Agricultural Industry) (Amendment) Order, 2026, which raised farm wages by 15% from 1 May 2026. Farm wages are consolidated, meaning housing is already included, and the same rate applies countrywide. The lowest rate is KSh 9,196.93 a month (KSh 385.24 a day) for an unskilled employee. Tractor drivers, farm clerks, foremen and other skilled farm workers have higher rates in the same schedule.
What the minimum wage means for your payslip
The minimum wage is a floor for gross basic pay, not take-home pay. Your employer still deducts NSSF, SHIF and the Housing Levy, so the amount that reaches your M-Pesa or bank account will be lower. At the lowest rates in the table, PAYE usually works out to zero once the KSh 2,400 personal relief is applied. Enter your figures in our net salary calculator to see what you should actually receive, and read how to read your payslip to check each line.
Overtime is calculated on top of the minimum. The General Order sets normal hours at 52 a week (60 for night workers), with overtime at 1.5 times the hourly rate on ordinary days and twice the rate on rest days and public holidays. Our overtime calculator works this out for you.
Are you being underpaid? What to do
- Find your row. Match your actual duties, not just your job title, to the schedule, and check which zone your workplace is in.
- Compare basic pay only. Allowances such as transport or lunch do not count towards the basic minimum, and housing allowance is extra unless you are housed.
- Check the date. The new rates apply from 1 May 2026, so pay for May onwards should reflect them. The Federation of Kenya Employers advised employers on 30 June 2026 to adjust pay to comply.
- Raise it in writing with your employer or HR, attaching your payslips. Keep copies.
- Go to the county labour office if it is not resolved. Paying below the gazetted minimum is an offence under the Labour Institutions Act, and a labour officer can take up the complaint. You can also join a union or file a claim at the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
If you are an employer, budget for the higher employer contributions too. NSSF and the Housing Levy both rise with gross pay. Business Radar’s TransUnion income survey coverage shows how tight household budgets are, which is why getting wages right also helps you keep staff.
Key takeaways
- The lowest monthly minimum wage in Kenya from 1 May 2026 is KSh 9,628.07 (general labourer, all other areas). In Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret it is KSh 18,047.40.
- Rates differ by occupation and town. Check your exact row in Legal Notice 108 of 2026.
- Add 15% housing allowance to the monthly minimum unless your employer provides housing.
- Farm workers have a separate consolidated rate, starting at KSh 9,196.93 a month.
- Report underpayment to the county labour office.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Kenya in 2026?
The lowest rate is KSh 9,628.07 a month for a general labourer outside the main cities and the towns of Mavoko, Ruiru and Limuru. In Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret the general labourer minimum is KSh 18,047.40. Both apply from 1 May 2026 under Legal Notice 108 of 2026.
Does the minimum wage include housing allowance?
No. Monthly minimums exclude housing allowance. An employee who is not given housing must also get 15% of the basic minimum wage as a housing allowance. Daily and hourly rates already include it.
What is the minimum wage for a house help in Nairobi?
A house servant or children's ayah falls under the general labourer row, so the minimum is KSh 18,047.40 a month in Nairobi from 1 May 2026, plus 15% housing allowance if the worker is not housed by the employer.
When did the new minimum wage take effect?
The 12% increase took effect on 1 May 2026. The order was gazetted later, as Legal Notice 108 on 26 June 2026, and backdated to 1 May.
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