Tracking changes compared to five years ago
Gotten Cheaper
Utilities: An electricity in June 2015 showed that consumers incurred costs of 251(US) cents per kilowatt hour, and forex adjustment ones of 40 cents per kwh. Five years ago it was 340 cents per kwh while forex was 57 cents per kwh.
Communications: Call rates are between Kshs 2 – 4 per minute, compared to Kshs 8 five years ago, and SMS are now Kshs 1. There has also been a massive drop in the cost of mobile data. That said there’s a bit of turmoil in the industry. Safari com is diversifying into new segments like health and television, as Airtel is threatening to pull out. Meanwhile Orange is apparently for sale, and Essar folded their Yu brand just a few months ago.
About the Same
Beer/Entertainment: A bottle of Tusker beer is Kshs 200 at the local pub compared to Kshs 170 five years ago. The competition from the introduction of several new beer and alcohol brands (like Carlsberg) does not seem to have made prices lower.
Other food item
A 2 kg pack of (rare) Mumias sugar is now Kshs 240. Its rare because both Ucumi and Mumias are going through some transitions with financing, suppliers, and even new CEO’s Meanwhile, there’s also the debate about whether and at what cost Kenya produces sugar compared to other countries like Zambia, Sudan and even Uganda. The same Mumias pack was Kshs 200 five years ago. Mumias troubles has resulted in other brands like Butali Chemelil Nzoia and other store and generic brands now getting space at supermarkets like Ucumi.
More Expensive
Foreign Exchange: 1 US$ equals Kshs 103 compared to 80 fiver years ago (actually today it’s 106) a steep rise that does not seem to have reached its bottom. This may be due to the strength of the dollar but other currencies have also strengthen due to the trade deficit
Staple Food: Maize flour is used to make Ugali that is eaten by a majority of Kenyans daily. A 2 kg. Unga pack at Uchumi today costs Kshs 113 compared to Kshs 65 five years ago.
Fuel: A litre of petrol is Kshs 102.6 petrol compared to 94.5 five years ago (but with the weaker shilling, in dollar terms it’s about $4.5 per gallon (down from $5.25 five years ago)