A whopping 23 essential commodities recorded a hike in price between June 2024 and June 2025, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
According to the Kenya Consumer Price Index and Inflation Report published on June 30, essential items crucial for day-to-day activities like food, housing essentials, health products and fuel all recorded a price increase, contributing to Kenya’s annual inflation rate of 3.8 per cent.
Among the most affected items were carrots, cabbages and sugar, which experienced 11.1 per cent, 10.8 per cent and 5.5 per cent increases in price, respectively.
Other food items that recorded sharp increases include maize grain (2.8 per cent), spinach (2.3 per cent), sifted maize flour (2.1 per cent), tomatoes (1.2 per cent), kale (1.0 per cent), and beef with bones (0.7 per cent).
Fuel prices also experienced what was a rare spike considering the trend in recent months. The cost of petrol rose by 1.6 per cent, Ksh178.19 per litre, a dynamic that led to an overall 0.7 per cent increase in transport costs.
Notably, June also saw an increase in the price of basic energy sources, including firewood (2.0per cent) and charcoal (1.0 per cent).
The housing sector was also not spared, with tiles rising by 0.7 per cent and monthly rent for a single room going up slightly by 0.2 per cent to KSh. 4,176.85. Though modest, these changes added to the overall rise in housing and utility costs.
In the health sector, eye care medication prices rose by 0.7 per cent, while the cost of dewormers spiked by 2.1 per cent.
Other basic household commodities whose prices went up include buckets and basins (0.9 per cent), refrigerators (0.8 per cent), shoe polish (0.6 per cent), bar soap (0.5 per cent), as well as clothing, specifically for children and women.
In contrast, several items experienced a slight dip in prices, effectively making them more affordable in June. Notably, diesel dropped by 101 per cent to retail at Ksh 163.89 per litre, while electricity prices decreased, with the 50 kWh package falling by 1.6 per cent and the 200 kWh unit by 1.5 per cent. Kerosene and LPG gas also experienced a marginal reduction in prices.
Some food items like cooking salad oil (–0.4 per cent), fresh unpacketed milk (–0.4 per cent ), and Irish potatoes (–0.2 per cent) saw slight price declines, but the hike in a majority of essential commodities heavily contributed to Kenya’s annual inflation rate of 3.8 per cent.
KNBS data shows monthly inflation was at 0.5 per cent in June, the same as last month.
The Central Bank of Kenya targets inflation to be within the 2.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent range in the medium term.
