KNBS data shows uneven food price shifts as inflation dips slightly
Food, transport and household utilities continued to carry the biggest influence on the inflation basket, making up more than half of the weighting used to track living costs.
Kenyan households entered the close of November with tighter spending plans after new figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) showed fresh increases in the prices of several basic commodities.
The latest inflation update, released on November 28, outlines how rising food costs, higher transport charges and shifts in utility prices shaped the cost of living across the month.
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KNBS noted that food, transport and household utilities continued to carry the biggest influence on the inflation basket, making up more than half of the weighting used to track living costs.
“The price increase was primarily driven by a rise in prices of items in the food and non-alcoholic beverages (7.7 per cent); transport (5.1 per cent), and housing, water, electricity, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other fuels (1.9 per cent) over the one year.
These three divisions together account for over 57 per cent of the total weight across the 13 major expenditure categories,” the statement reads.
Even with the higher prices in major categories, the bureau said inflation eased slightly to 4.5 per cent in November, down from 4.6 per cent in October.
“The overall index increased from 146.84 in October 2025 to 147.08 in November 2025, resulting in a monthly inflation rate of 0.2 per cent. The year-on-year inflation rate stood at 4.5 per cent in November 2025, a slight decline from an inflation rate of 4.6 per cent in October 2025,” KNBS stated.
A detailed look at the food chart shows uneven shifts, with some items rising and others dropping. Sugar fell from Sh184.95 per kilo in October to Sh182.23 in November.
Sukuma wiki (collard greens) increased to Sh94.07 from Sh91.56, while onions rose from Sh106.21 to Sh111.37, adding pressure to daily meal planning.
Carrots posted a small drop from Sh132.88 to Sh132.32. Oranges went up to Sh118.86 from Sh115.53, while cooking oil continued its slow rise to Sh345.27 per litre from Sh343.44.
Tomatoes eased slightly from Sh87.88 to Sh86.04, and potatoes stayed almost unchanged at Sh92.34.
Sifted maize flour also eased downwards from Sh148.79 to Sh143.96. Yearly comparisons showed oranges costing 12.7 per cent more than in 2024, while onions rose by 16.1 per cent.
Electricity charges shifted in different directions, with the 50 kWh tariff falling to Sh1,293.82 from Sh1,315.80, while the 200 kWh band showed only a light decline.
Transport costs rose by 0.4 per cent between October and November, supported by fuel prices that stayed high throughout the month.
Long-distance travel recorded a 9.1 per cent annual rise, pushing up costs for travellers moving between major towns.
Despite the slight easing in the headline inflation rate, KNBS noted that food continues to shape the cost of living more than any other category.
With food and non-alcoholic drinks carrying the highest weight at 32.9 per cent and rising by 7.7 per cent over the year, families feel the impact of these shifts more directly in their daily shopping.
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