Kenyans spent more on rent and essential food items in January, according to the latest inflation report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
The report, released on Friday, January 31, indicates that the average rent for a single room increased by 0.7 per cent, while one-bedroom and two-bedroom units saw a 0.1 per cent rise.
On food inflation, the cost of seven key food items went up, with tomatoes and onions recording the highest increases. The price of 1kg of tomatoes rose by 17.9 per cent, while 1kg of onions increased by 6.8 per cent.
Similarly, 1kg of cabbage became 5 per cent more expensive, while the price of sukuma wiki increased by 3.9 per cent. Oranges saw a 1.9 per cent price rise, and 1kg of sugar increased by 1 per cent.
“The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Index increased by 1.6 per cent between December 2024 and January 2025, as shown in Table 2. Notably, prices of tomatoes, onions (leeks and bulbs), and cabbages rose by 17.9, 6.8, and 5.0 per cent, respectively.
“During the same period, prices of mangoes and cooking oil (Salad) dropped by 3.9 per cent and 0.4 per cent,” the report stated.
Non-Food Items
The report also highlighted an increase in tuition fees in private institutions, with primary school fees rising by an average of 2.8 per cent.
Fuel prices also went up, with the cost of a litre of kerosene increasing by 2 per cent, diesel by 1.2 per cent, and petrol by 0.2 per cent.
However, some items recorded a price drop, including electricity, which decreased by 0.6 per cent, and a 13kg cooking gas cylinder, which became 0.7 per cent cheaper.
