MigrantoAverage salary in Kenya
What people take home per month and earn per year, by industry and against other countries
Wages in Kenya
82% of gross pay stays in hand after income tax and employee contributions
Per employee, all industries
Take-home / mo
KES 18,600
Gross / yr
KES 273,000
Salaries in Kenya by industry
Take-home pay by industry against the national average
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Key facts
Salaries in Kenya in numbers
Industries pay unusually far apart
Agriculture & fishing sits at the bottom on KES 5,050 a month, 12× below the best-paid industry, where a typical country stretches 3.1×. Which industry you land in matters more here than in most places.
IT & communication is paid unusually well in Kenya
Here it sits at +219% against the national average, where the same industry usually sits at +47%.
20% of the world median wage
Take-home averages KES 18,600 a month, against KES 92,500 in the middle country worldwide.
Finance & insurance pays the most
It averages KES 61,100 a month, 228% above the national average of KES 18,600.
Public-sector work pays above average
Public administration, education and health together average KES 42,400 a month, 128% above the national average.
Pays 2.8× what its neighbour Rwanda pays
KES 18,600 a month here against KES 6,600 in Rwanda, the widest gap to any neighbouring country.
How salaries in Kenya compare
Neighbours, region and the world on the same take-home figure
Industries against the world
Where this country pays an industry more, or less, than that industry is usually paid
Pays more than usual here
- IT & communication+219% here, usually +47%
- Arts & recreation+159% here, usually -13%
- Finance & insurance+228% here, usually +57%
Pays less than usual here
- Mining & quarrying-53% here, usually +24%
- Agriculture & fishing-73% here, usually -38%
- Construction-37% here, usually -7%
“Usually” is what the same industry pays above or below the national average in a typical country
Data source: Mean monthly earnings 2019 (ILOSTAT), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
Salary calculator
What you could earn in Kenya
Tell us what you do and what you earn today — we'll estimate what someone with your background could earn in Kenya, what your living costs might be, and what you could save
- What someone in your field earns
- What you could spend and save
- How it compares with today
Take-home in Kenya
KES 23,800/mo
vs KES 155,000 in your country
Cost of living
KES 7,510
vs KES 104,000 in your country
Potential savings
KES 16,300
more than in your country
Standard of living
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Kenya?
The average salary in Kenya is KES 22,800 a month before tax, or KES 18,600 take-home after tax and social contributions. Over a year that's KES 273,000 before tax and KES 224,000 after.
What is the average salary in Kenya in US dollars?
The average salary in Kenya in US dollars is about $2,112 a year before tax, or $144 a month after tax.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Kenya?
The highest-paying jobs in Kenya are in finance, IT, and professional. Take-home pay in these industries averages around KES 61,100 a month (about KES 893,000 gross a year), roughly 228% above the national average.
What is a good salary in Kenya?
A good salary in Kenya is generally one above the national average — more than KES 18,600 take-home a month, or KES 273,000 gross a year. But a lot depends on your spending, where you live, and your financial goals.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Kenya?
A typical person in Kenya spends about KES 16,600 a month, while the average take-home pay is KES 18,600. How much you need to live comfortably depends on the city, your family situation, and how you usually spend. See the cost of living in Kenya for the full picture.
What are the lowest-paying jobs in Kenya?
Agriculture is the lowest-paying industry in Kenya. Pay there averages around KES 5,050 a month take-home (about KES 71,400 gross a year). For comparison, the highest-paying industries pay about 12.1 times more.
Is Kenya a high-salary country?
No. By average after-tax pay, Kenya is ahead of 9% of countries worldwide and ranks 32nd out of 42 countries in Africa.
Where to live?
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Living in Kenya
See the full country overview