Updated 17 October 2026
Kenya’s statutory minimum wages went up with effect from 1 May 2026. The new rates were published in the Regulation of Wages (General) (Amendment) Order, 2026 (Legal Notice No. 108) and the Regulation of Wages (Agricultural Industry) (Amendment) Order, 2026 (Legal Notice No. 109), both in Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 160 of 26 June 2026 and signed by the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection. Use the calculator above to find the minimum for your job and town, add the housing allowance where it applies, and check your own pay against it. The full tables are below.
In this guide
How Kenya’s Minimum Wage Works
There is no single national minimum wage. Under section 46 of the Labour Institutions Act, the Cabinet Secretary issues wage orders that set different minimums by occupation and by area. Two orders cover most workers:
- The General Order covers most jobs outside agriculture, from cleaners and house helps to clerks, drivers and artisans. It has three pay zones.
- The Agricultural Industry Order covers farm workers and sets one consolidated rate for each job, wherever the farm is.
Both 2026 orders are “deemed to have come into operation on the 1st May, 2026”, although they were gazetted on 26 June 2026. Workers paid below the new minimum from 1 May 2026 can therefore ask for the difference for those months.
The Three Pay Zones
- Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret cities (highest rates).
- All former municipalities, and the former town councils of Mavoko, Ruiru and Limuru.
- All other areas (lowest rates).
Minimum Monthly Wages 2026: General Order
Basic minimum monthly wages, excluding housing allowance, from Legal Notice No. 108 of 2026:
| Job | Five cities (KSh) | Former municipalities, Mavoko, Ruiru, Limuru (KSh) | Other areas (KSh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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, machine assistant, mass production machinist, shoe cutter, bakery worker or assistant, tailor’s assistant | 20,454.86 | 19,034.56 | 15,427.97 |
| Machinist (made to measure), shoe upper preparer, chaplis maker, vehicle service worker (petrol and service stations), bakery plant hand, laundry operator, junior clerk, wheel tractor driver (light) | 23,350.21 | 21,844.12 | 17,859.17 |
| Printing, bakery, plywood or machine tool operator, sawmill dresser, shop assistant, dough maker, table hand baker or confectioner, copy typist, driver (cars and light vans) | 24,358.73 | 22,481.83 | 18,582.41 |
| Pattern designer (draughtsman), garment and dress cutter, single hand oven man, charge-hand baker, general clerk, telephone operator, receptionist, 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 |
| Ungraded artisan | 24,358.79 | 22,481.83 | 18,582.77 |
| Artisan Grade III | 30,634.74 | 28,155.87 | 25,058.23 |
| Artisan Grade II | 33,087.44 | 31,555.31 | 28,479.38 |
| Artisan Grade I | 40,724.23 | 38,323.71 | 35,932.86 |
The order also sets daily and hourly rates, which include housing allowance. For a general labourer they are KSh 868.44 a day and KSh 161.34 an hour in the five cities, KSh 797.80 and KSh 147.45 in the second zone, and KSh 487.94 and KSh 90.17 elsewhere. The calculator shows the daily and hourly rate for every job.
Housing Allowance on Top
The monthly figures above exclude housing. Paragraph 4 of the Regulation of Wages (General) Order says an employee on a monthly contract who is not given free housing by the employer must be paid a housing allowance equal to 15% of the basic minimum wage on top. For a general labourer in Nairobi that is KSh 2,707.11, bringing the minimum to KSh 20,754.51 a month. Tick the box in the calculator if your employer houses you for free.
Overtime
Under paragraph 6 of the General Order, overtime is paid at one and a half times the normal hourly rate for hours beyond the normal week, and at twice the normal hourly rate on the normal rest day or a public holiday. Where workers are not paid by the hour, the basic hourly rate is taken as at least one 225th of the basic minimum monthly wage. The normal working week is up to 52 hours over six days, or 60 hours for night work. The calculator shows both overtime rates.
Farm Workers: Agricultural Order 2026
Legal Notice No. 109 of 2026 sets basic minimum consolidated monthly wages for agricultural work: unskilled employee KSh 9,196.93; stockman, herdsman or watchman KSh 10,621.15; house servant or cook KSh 10,498.82; farm foreman KSh 16,591.20; farm clerk KSh 16,591.20; senior foreman KSh 10,740.61; farm artisan KSh 10,992.45; tractor driver KSh 11,656.75; combine harvester driver KSh 12,841.61; lorry or car driver KSh 13,476.47. Daily rates are KSh 386.24 for an unskilled employee and KSh 449.81 for a stockman, herdsman or watchman. These figures are reproduced as gazetted, including the senior foreman rate that the schedule prints below the farm foreman rate.
What to Do if You Are Paid Below the Minimum
Paying less than the gazetted minimum is an offence under the Labour Institutions Act. Raise it with your employer first, in writing, and keep your payslips or M-Pesa records. If that fails, report to the labour officer for your area, or seek help from your trade union. Employers who want to check their payroll can run each salary through the PAYE calculator to see deductions as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Kenya in 2026?
It depends on your job and where you work. For a general labourer it is KSh 18,047.40 a month in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret, KSh 16,650.95 in former municipalities and Mavoko, Ruiru and Limuru, and KSh 9,628.07 elsewhere, plus 15% housing allowance if housing is not provided.
When did the 2026 minimum wage start?
The orders took effect from 1 May 2026, although they were gazetted on 26 June 2026.
Does the minimum wage apply to house helps?
Yes. “Children’s ayah” and “house servant” fall in the general labourer line of the General Order. On farms, the Agricultural Order has its own house servant rate.
Is housing allowance included in the minimum monthly wage?
No. The monthly figures exclude housing; an extra 15% applies where free housing is not provided. The daily and hourly rates already include housing.
What is the minimum overtime rate?
One and a half times the normal hourly rate for extra hours, and twice the rate on a rest day or public holiday.
Rates from Legal Notices No. 108 and 109 of 2026 (Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 160, 26 June 2026) and the Regulation of Wages (General) Order. General information, not legal advice. CBAs may set higher pay.
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