Kenyan rental math, made simple.
Six free, mobile-first calculators that take the guesswork out of renting in Kenya — affordability, deposit, lease cost, move-in, currency for diaspora, and landlord ROI.
Rent affordability
Enter your net income + other commitments to see the conservative monthly rent ceiling you should aim for.
The 30%-of-net-income rule is the standard Kenyan tenancy guideline. HFR recommends staying under it for comfort.
Deposit calculator
Most Kenyan landlords ask for one month's rent as a refundable deposit plus the first month's rent upfront. Some ask for 1.5–2 months' deposit for furnished homes.
Worked example
- Monthly rentKSh 95,000
- Refundable deposit (1 mo)KSh 95,000
- Move-in costKSh 190,000
Total lease cost
The full cost of a 12-month tenancy, including refundable deposit. Use this to plan savings and compare leases fairly across landlords.
Worked example
- Monthly rentKSh 75,000
- Lease length12 months
- Refundable deposit (1 mo)KSh 75,000
- Total lease costKSh 975,000
Move-in cost
Beyond rent and deposit, plan for utility setup (KPLC token + water), minor repairs, and a small contingency fund. Most tenants underestimate this.
Worked example
- Monthly rentKSh 65,000
- Deposit (1 mo)KSh 65,000
- Utility setupKSh 5,000
- ContingencyKSh 10,000
- Total move-in costKSh 145,000
Landlord ROI
A simple annual yield: total yearly rent ÷ property value × 100. Kenyan rentals typically yield 5–8% gross — compare this against other investments.
Worked example
- Monthly rentKSh 95,000
- Yearly rentKSh 1,140,000
- Property valueKSh 12,000,000
- Gross ROI9.50%
Diaspora currency converter
Quickly see what a Kenyan rent looks like in your home currency. Rates are indicative (Nov 2025 ballpark) — for real transfers we recommend Wise, Remitly, or Sendwave.
100,000 KES =
$ 769.23
Indicative rate · 1 KES ≈ 0.0077 USD. Use Wise or Remitly for live transfers.