Free tool · Updated October 2026
Gross to Net and Net to Gross Salary Calculator Kenya
Know the take-home pay you need? Work back to the gross salary to ask for. Or convert any gross offer to net pay.
Job adverts and offer letters in Kenya usually quote gross pay, but rent and bills are paid from net pay. Use the net-to-gross mode before a salary negotiation so you ask for the right number.
How the conversion works
Gross to net applies NSSF, SHIF, the Housing Levy and PAYE in the same order as the net salary calculator. Net to gross searches for the gross salary whose take-home pay equals your target, to the nearest cent, because PAYE bands and the NSSF cap make a simple formula impossible.
Rates used and sources
| Item | Rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| PAYE bands (monthly) | 10% on first 24,000; 25% on next 8,333; 30% on next 467,667; 32.5% on next 300,000; 35% above 800,000 | 1 July 2023 (Finance Act 2023), unchanged by Finance Act 2025 and 2026 |
| Personal relief | KSh 2,400 per month | Since 1 January 2018 |
| Insurance relief | 15% of premiums, max KSh 5,000 per month | Income Tax Act s.31 |
| NSSF (Year 4) | 6% employee + 6% employer; Lower Earnings Limit KSh 9,000, Upper Earnings Limit KSh 108,000 (max KSh 6,480 employee) | 1 February 2026 (NSSF Act, Third Schedule) |
| SHIF | 2.75% of gross pay, minimum KSh 300, no cap; fully tax-deductible | 1 October 2024; deductible from 27 December 2024 |
| Affordable Housing Levy | 1.5% employee + 1.5% employer; fully tax-deductible | Affordable Housing Act 2024; deductible from 27 December 2024 |
Sources: KRA – Pay As You Earn; NSSF Notice to Employers – Year 4 (2026) rates; KPMG Kenya tax alert on NSSF Phase 4; PKF Kenya 2025/26 Quick Tax Guide (SHIF, AHL and insurance relief). Rates checked October 2026. This tool gives estimates; your employer’s payroll is the final word.
Frequently asked questions
Should I negotiate on gross or net salary?
Offers in Kenya are normally stated as gross. Decide the net pay you need, convert it to gross here, and negotiate on that gross figure.
Why does a KSh 10,000 raise not give me KSh 10,000 more?
Most of each extra shilling is subject to SHIF, the Housing Levy and PAYE at your top band, often 30%, so a KSh 10,000 raise usually adds about KSh 6,700 to net pay at the 30% band.
Jobs hiring in Kenya now
- 35 Vacancies Open · United Nations Nairobi Office
- Roving Project Manager · Hivos East Africa
- Digital Marketing Executive · Minet Kenya
- Plumber · Syngenta
- Associate Manager or Manager - Marketing (Consumer) · Shalina Healthcare
- Grant Accountant · World Vision Kenya