Skip to main content

How much Nairobi Residents Pay in Rent

In my last post, I explained how difficult for people looking for housing in Nairobi. The main challenge is lack of information. On this front, I began a project that will collect some information, which will provide some start for those looking for housing in different areas in the city.

In the last one month, 33 people have given their responses.




Interesting enough, majority of the respondents, 16 to be exact, live in 2 bedrooms. This may mean that either 2 bedrooms are the most popular rentals in the city, or the most available. Only one way to find out - if you live in a 2 bedroom rental, here’s another survey.

10 of those who filled in the survey live in self contained 1 bedrooms.

5 people have 3 bedrooms, including 2 in Kikuyu, 1 in Ngong and Lower Kabete each, and another around Langata/National Park.

1 respondent has a 4 bedroom, while another one has a self contained bedsitter.
Pricing




Turning to pricing, the price of 1 bedrooms ranges from Kshs. 10,000 in Rongai to Kshs. 40,000 in Westlands. Imara Daima ranges from Kshs. 13,500 to Kshs. 17,000, while Kayole offers a 1 bedroom at Kshs. 17,000, Lower Kabete and Kangemi at Kshs. 18,000, Jamhuri at Kshs. 20,000 and up at the road at Dagoretti Corner at Kshs. 30,000.

2 bedrooms range from Kshs. 16,800 in Kinoo to Kshs. 50,000 in Kileleshwa. In between, Rongai comes in at Kshs. 17,000, Kinoo and Dagoretti Corner at Kshs. 18,000, Ruaka at Kshs. 20,000, Kinoo Regen at Kshs. 23,000, Imara Daima and Thindigua(Kiambu Road) at Kshs. 25,000. Ridgeways, Imara Daima and Parklands come in at between Kshs. 30,000 and Kshs. 35,000, while Kileleshwa tops up at Kshs. 50,000.

For 3 bedrooms, we have 2 respondents from Kikuyu who both lease at Kshs. 18,000, which incidentally is cheaper than majority of the bedrooms. The other three go for KShs. 80,000 in Langata, Kshs. 42,000 in Dam Estate and KShs. 27,000 in Ngong/Karen.

Our sole 4 bedroom in Langata’s Dam Estate costs Kshs. 70,000, while our sole bedsitter in Kilimani goes for Kshs. 28,000.
Security




Security is among the top concerns in the city. Recently, we had an article chronicling insecurity issues around Uthiru and Kikuyu(includes Kinoo).

Those staying in Imara Daima, Kiambu Road, Dagoretti Corner, Rongai, Tassia and Parklands rate their neighbourhoods as very safe.

Not surprising, those in Kikuyu, Kinoo, Kayole, Ruaka, Uthiru rate their security as okay. Jamhuri, Kileleshwa, Langata and some Imara Daima residents also feel their security is okay.

Rongai and Ngong Residents rate their security as somehow safe, while Imara Daima completes its straddling of the spectrum by making an entry here too.

15 out of 33 respondents felt their security was okay compared with 13 out of 30 who felt very safe and 5 who felt somehow safe.

Interesting enough, when we flip the question to when residents felt safe coming in at night, residents of okay areas including Kinoo, Kayole, Uthiru and Langata felt confident coming in at any time of the night. This may probably vary due to presence of guards, and closeness to the main road.

From the “very safe” areas, those in Dagoretti, Parklands, Tassia and Kikuyu feel they can come in any time.

Those in Ruaka, Ruaka, Rongai, and Jamhuri feel comfortable going home between 11 PM and midnight.

In Imara Daima, Kinoo and Kileleshwa, residents feel confident coming in at between 8 PM and 10 PM on the latest.





Matatu Fares

While transport costs make for a good argument on the attractiveness of living in a place, many people may tend to overlook these as the fare varies mostly depending on competition(story for another day).

Imara, Ngong and Rongai fares to the CBD peak at Kshs. 100, while Kikuyu, Kayole, Dagoretti and Kilimani come in at Kshs. 80. Kinoo, Kangemi and Jamhuri come in at between Kshs. 60 and Kshs. 70 while Parklands and Kileleshwa range at Kshs. 30 to Kshs. 50.




In addition to the above graphs, you can also explore data for the various estates mapped out below. The larger the circle, the larger the rent. Mousing over the circles, or tapping on your mobile phone will give more information including the location, amount of rent, number of bedrooms and what the people renting perceive of the safety of the neighbourhood.

And if you haven't filled the survey, here's the form. 




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Beers in Kenya: A sober opinion

Note: This is a dated post and has since been mostly passed by events. SAB Miller beers including Castle and Peroni are no longer widely available in Kenya after their exist. Sirville Brewery was bought out by Brew Bistro before being permanently shut in a tax dispute. Kenya is a land of milk, honey, beaches and taxes. I have penned, or is typed, a newer post here .  Peroni - One of the best beers in Kenya. Did a taste of canned and bottled Italian, and bottled Tanzanian I like the tangy flavour and body in Tanzanian Peroni. The can is close. Heineken drinkers will like the Italian one.  I have had a short beer swigging stint in my life. It has however been long enough for me to share my opinion of Kenyan beer. Interestingly, over the course of sharing such opinions with other drunkards connoisseurs,  I have found that we all have different views as to what beer is the best, which one makes you too drunk, or which one gives one free, extra hangover for every ha...

Beers of Kenya. The Ultimate 2019 Guide

Four years ago, precisely in 2015, I wrote about beer in Kenya in what has gone on to be my most popular post this year with more than 5,000 people reading it. It seems that there is a lot of interest in exploring beer in Kenya, which is understandable. The brewing sector has grown since then and we now have lots of options, which means it is time for another review. Back in 2015, Kenya had one major brewer - EABL/KBL, challenged by Keroche and Sierra which is more of a small volume craft brewer, and arguably Kenya’s first craft brewery. It had also been joined by Brew Bistro which mostly sells its malted stuff at its outlets in Nairobi and later by Sirville, a bar located at Galleria Mall. Sirville was later sold to Brew Bistro and converted to the latter for a while, before shutting down in what is alleged to be a tax dispute.

Why Humanity Hasn't Learned From the Covid Pandemic

In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic began ravaging the world, succeeding the 1918 flu pandemic.  Many found it unbelievable that despite all the scientific progress that the world has made since 1918, from composite jets to modern healthcare to going to the moon, the world was still susceptible to a pandemic.  Ironically, some of these advancements largely played a role in the spread of the pandemic. Thousands of global flights every hour and air conditioning fanned its spread like a dry wind would in a forest fire.  There was even further disbelief in mid-2020 when it became apparent that many countries were even struggling to keep a pandemic in check. Developed countries, supposed to have the best healthcare, suffered the worst outbreaks amidst disagreements on measures such as quarantines and wearing of masks.  In yet another twist, technology advancement finally came to our rescue with the speedy development of vaccines, including the safe pioneering of never-tried-b...

Nairobi's Top 4 Texas Brisket Places Reviewed and Ranked

Brisket on a bed of roast vegetables with barbecue sauce at Texas Brisket, Kikuyu  This review has been updated after a number of you suggested I try the brisket at County2County.  What's the best place to have Brisket in Nairobi? What's even brisket?  Brisket is one of the toughest cuts in a cow, from around the belly. It is so tough that it has to be smoked for about 16 hours to tenderise. But that there, is the catch.  12 to 16 hours later, it is the most flavourful and softest cut you will ever have. So full of flavour and so soft you can pick it apart with your fingers.  However, due to the long cooking time involved, only a few places offer brisket in Nairobi.  The best so far is Texas Brisket which is located within Kikuyu Railway station.  They do the meat for a proper 16 hours, and will usually have a fatty or non-fatty portion. The fatty portions are more tasty. A 500 gram serving goes for KSh. 900 and a 1 KG order comes with a serving of fre...

Rather than positivity, Kenya needs to face its problems

Traffic between Thika and Nairobi as a result of Highway Bumps and reliance on the road  as the sole link between the two towns. Arguing the traffic is better than in Lagos or encouraging people to use the road earlier doesn't solve the problem A fierce debate springs up every now and then on development in Kenya, or in other developing countries. There are two schools of thought - those who argue that a lot needs to be done and what is there is barely much, and those who feel a lot of progress has been made. Those who focus on the progress will point out that at least Kenya (or another country) is better than its neighbouring or other countries in its status when it comes to some aspect such as roads, or education. While this is true, it however presents a lot of danger as we will discuss shortly.