Maize and sukuma wiki, staples for many Kenyan households, are likely to cost more as January 2026 begins. The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that prices of everyday goods and services are shifting, with many items on the rise.
The report released by the statistics body on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, indicates that overall annual inflation stood at 4.5 per cent, meaning prices of basic commodities Kenyans use in their day-to-day lives are higher than they were a year ago.
Food continues to bite hardest, rising 7.8 per cent over the year. Kale (sukuma wiki) jumped 4.7 per cent, maize flour 5.1 per cent, potatoes 2.9 per cent, and maize grain 1.9 per cent between November and December 2025, signalling higher costs for household staples as Kenyans usher in the new year.
Transport fares also surged, with inter-town matatu and bus rides up 5.3 per cent and international flights increasing 14.4 per cent due to festive travel demand.
Housing and energy costs saw modest changes, with gas/LPG prices increasing by 0.4 per cent. Electricity costs decreased, with charges for 50 kWh and 200 kWh falling by 2.8 and 2.6 per cent respectively, providing some relief to households.
Hard drinks and tobacco rose 2.8 per cent over the year, with traditional beer and spirits recording slight increases, while miraa prices fell by 0.1 per cent.
Prices for clothing and footwear showed minor changes, with women’s dresses rising 0.7% and boys’ sports shoes declining 0.3%. Household items such as laundry soap eased slightly, while domestic worker wages increased marginally.
Health costs rose 2.6 per cent annually, including medicines for cholesterol and blood pressure, antibiotics, and general practitioner services.
Recreation, sports, and culture recorded a 2.9 per cent annual increase, with tour packages and electronics seeing small monthly changes; the price of decoders fell by 0.2 per cent, while speakers and woofers rose by 1 per cent.
As schools gear up to reopen, education and accommodation costs edged higher. School textbooks rose 0.5 per cent, education services increased 2.2 per cent over the year, while hotel food and lodging also ticked up slightly, pushing the restaurants and accommodation category up by 2.1 per cent.
Personal care products saw varying increases. Toilet paper went up 1.5 per cent and hairdressing services 0.7 per cent, while insurance and financial services were largely unchanged.
Core inflation, which covers stable items such as manufactured foods, health, and ICT, eased to 2.0 per cent, while volatile non-core items like food and energy recorded 11.2 per cent inflation. Food alone added 2.4 points to overall inflation.
Some items fell in price, offering relief for ordinary Kenyans. According to the data, sugar prices dropped by 1.5 per cent to Ksh179.60 per kilogram, mangoes fell 1.6 per cent to Ksh153.99, and electricity costs declined for many households. These decreases helped soften the overall impact of rising prices.
“Between November and December 2025, the price of one kilogram of sugar fell from Ksh182.37 to Ksh179.60, while maize grain (loose) increased from Ksh68.08 to Ksh69.39,” the report read in part.
“The cost of electricity for 200 kWh consumption dropped from Ksh5,676.22 in November to Ksh5,530.12 in December, while 50 kWh rose slightly from Ksh1,293.82 to Ksh1,257.30. Petrol prices remained steady at Ksh185.59 per litre.”
