Annual consumer price inflation was 6.4 per cent in June 2026, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This implies that the general price level was 6.4 per cent higher in June 2026 than it was in June 2025.
The price increase was primarily driven by a rise in prices of items in the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (8.6%), Transport (16.1%), and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and other fuels (3.4%) over the one year. These three divisions together account for over 57 per cent of the total weight across the 13 major expenditure categories.
According to the monthly data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the overall index increased from 154.56 in May 2026 to 154.91 in June 2026, resulting in a monthly inflation rate of 0.2 per cent. The year-on-year inflation stood at 6.4 per cent in June 2026.
What were the key drivers of inflation for June 2026
Between May and June 2026, tomatoes decreased by 2.4 per cent, brown wheat flour dropped 1.2 per cent, beans eased 0.5 per cent, and beef with bones edged down slightly by 0.1 per cent. On the other hand, maize grain (loose) rose by 1.2 per cent, spinach increased by 3.1 per cent, and kale (sukuma wiki) recorded the highest rise at 4.0 per cent.
Petrol prices decreased by 0.1 per cent. Diesel recorded the highest decrease at 6.3 per cent during the reference period.
The average price of 50 kWh of electricity declined by 1.2 per cent between May 2026 and June 2026. Similarly, the average price of 200 kWh of electricity decreased by 1.1 per cent over the same period.
Between May and June 2026, prices of beer (lagers and stouts) recorded a marginal price increase of 0.1 per cent. Over this period, the price of Miraa (khat), on the other hand, saw a rise of 1.7 per cent.
Prices of women’s skirts rose by 0.4 per cent while women’s blouses went up by 0.6 per cent during the reference period. Between May and June 2026, dishwashing paste/liquid prices increased by 2.0 per cent during the reference period. Similarly, prices of laundry soap increased by 0.5 per cent.
Cost of healthcare and prepared food in June 2026
Prices of Medicines for cancer and laboratory tests increased by 3.2 per cent and 1.2 per cent, respectively, during the reference period. ICT and education index remained constant in the same period.
Prices of exercise books increased by 0.8 per cent during the reference period, while prices of foodstuff for pets increased by 0.2 per cent.
Prices of Hotel and restaurant prepared foods and restaurant beverages increased by 0.4 per cent and 0.5 per cent, respectively, during the reference period, while insurance costs remained the same.
Between May and June 2026, prices of body lotion and hair oil/cream both increased by 0.8 while toilet paper/tissue paper rose by 1.4 per cent.
