MigrantoAverage salary in Kenya
Gross and take-home pay, by industry and against other countries
Average salary
Take-home / mo
KES 18,600
Gross / yr
KES 273,000
Kenya is one of East Africa's busier, more diversified economies, with real depth in services and a genuine technology scene. Pay is still low on the world scale and toward the lower end of the region, and tax takes a modest, noticeable slice — though you keep the larger part of what you make.
Salaries in Kenya by industry
Your field carries almost the whole weight here. Finance, the digital and communications trades, and the professional services pay on a level that construction, mining, and farming don't approach. For someone with a career already, that field is the lever — it moves your income far more than the country's averages ever will.
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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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How salaries in Kenya compare
Kenya sits toward the lower end of African pay and a long way under the world's. That's the honest read of an economy that's growing and broadening but still works from a low base — the activity and the talent are there, the earnings haven't caught up to them yet.
Data source: Mean monthly earnings 2019 (ILOSTAT), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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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 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 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 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.
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.
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.
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Living in Kenya
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