Author: Legit Check KE

Kenya’s cost of living has risen sharply over the past few years. From petrol at the pump to unga on the shelf, Kenyans are spending more on essentials — but few have a simple way to track exactly what things should cost and whether they’re being overcharged.

This guide covers the key prices every Kenyan household should track, why they change, and how to monitor them for free.

The prices that matter most to Kenyan households

1. Petrol and diesel

Fuel prices affect almost every other price in the economy. When petrol rises, matatu fares go up, goods become more expensive to transport, and food prices follow. EPRA reviews petrol and diesel prices every two months.

Current price: Check on Legit Index KE →

2. Unga (maize flour)

The 2kg packet of unga is Kenya’s most politically sensitive price. It tracks the local maize harvest, import prices, and government interventions. The price you pay at Naivas is typically 10–20% higher than the wholesale price at Wakulima Market.

Current retail and wholesale price: Check on Legit Index KE →

3. Cooking gas (LPG)

Over 40% of urban Kenyan households now cook with LPG, and the cylinder refill price is a major monthly expense. Unlike fuel, LPG is not regulated — prices vary between Total, Rubis, Gulf, Hashi and other suppliers.

Current 6kg, 13kg, 22.5kg prices: Check on Legit Index KE →

4. KPLC electricity tokens

Your electricity token buys fewer units when the fuel cost charge goes up — which EPRA adjusts quarterly. Understanding the current cost per kWh helps you budget and understand your bill.

Current KPLC token price: Check on Legit Index KE →

5. Rice, cooking oil, and other staples

Rice prices vary widely between local Pishori and imported varieties. Cooking oil tracks global vegetable oil markets. Sugar, milk and bread all move with global and local supply conditions.

Current prices for all food staples: Check on Legit Index KE →

How to track these prices in one place — for free

Legit Index KE is a free, community-powered price tracker built for Kenyan households. It tracks:

• ⛽ Petrol, diesel and kerosene (from EPRA)
• 🌽 Food staples: unga, rice, cooking oil, sugar, milk, eggs
• 🔵 LPG cooking gas: 6kg, 13kg and 22.5kg
• 💡 KPLC electricity tokens (cost per unit)
• 📦 Household goods

Prices are updated by community members who submit what they’ve seen and paid, combined with official EPRA and KPLC data. You can view price history charts to see whether a price is trending up or down before you make a bulk purchase.

The connection between prices and scams

When essential prices spike, more Kenyans fall victim to scams — sellers on Instagram and WhatsApp offering "subsidised" unga, "discounted" cooking gas, or bulk rice at prices that seem too good to be true.

The rule is simple: if a price seems dramatically below what you’d expect, something is wrong. Knowing the real market price — which you can always check on Legit Index KE — is your first defence against overpaying or being defrauded.

And if you’re buying from an online seller for any reason, verify them first at Legit Check KE — Kenya’s community seller verification platform.

Bookmark both platforms

• Legit Index KE — to know what you should be paying for essentials
• Legit Check KE — to verify the seller you’re buying from

Together, they give you the information you need to shop safely and avoid overpaying in Kenya’s growing online and offline market.

Many Kenyans have noticed that the same amount of money buys fewer KPLC electricity units than it did a year ago. If you’ve been wondering why your KSh 500 token loads fewer kWh than before, this guide explains exactly what’s happening and how to always know the current electricity token price.

Why your KPLC token buys fewer units

Kenya Power uses a tariff structure with both fixed components and variable components. The most important variable component is called the Fuel Cost Charge (FCC).

The FCC reflects how much it costs Kenya Power to generate electricity using fuel (diesel and heavy fuel oil). When fuel prices rise globally, or when Kenya Power uses more fuel-based generation, the FCC increases — meaning each shilling you spend on a token buys fewer kWh.

EPRA reviews the FCC quarterly (every three months). This is why electricity token prices in Kenya can change four times a year without a formal tariff review.

Other variable adjustments that affect your token value include:

• Foreign Exchange Adjustment — reflects exchange rate movements that affect imported electricity costs
• Inflation Adjustment — applied annually

The current KPLC token price

The most up-to-date electricity token cost per unit (kWh) in Kenya is tracked on Legit Index KE — a free price tracker that monitors KPLC token prices alongside fuel, food, and LPG prices.

Checking the current token price before you top up helps you budget correctly and understand if a recent EPRA review has changed what you’ll get.

How to buy KPLC tokens in Kenya

There are several ways to buy prepaid electricity tokens:

M-Pesa (most common):
Go to M-Pesa → Lipa na M-Pesa → Pay Bill → Business number: 888880 → Account: your meter number → Enter amount

Safaricom USSD:
Dial *977# on Safaricom for quick token purchase

KPLC self-service portal:
Visit selfservice.kplc.co.ke — register your meter to track usage history and buy tokens online

KPLC app:
Available on Android and iOS — useful for monitoring consumption and getting alerts

Airtel Money:
Pay Bill number 888880

Understanding your electricity tariff bracket

Domestic customers (DC tariff) benefit from a lifeline tariff for the first 10 units per month — these are charged at a lower rate to protect low-income households. After 10 units, the standard domestic rate applies.

This means: if you buy several small tokens throughout the month, you may always be buying at the cheaper lifeline rate. One large monthly token purchase moves through the lifeline bracket quickly.

Spotting electricity scams online

Be careful of sellers on Instagram or WhatsApp who offer to sell KPLC tokens at a "discount" or who ask for your meter number and money before sending the token.

Official KPLC tokens can only be bought through official channels — M-Pesa, the KPLC app, and licensed vendors. Anyone offering discounted tokens is either defrauding you or selling stolen token codes that Kenya Power can deactivate.

If you’ve been scammed by a fake electricity token seller online, report the seller at Legit Check KE and file a complaint with the DCI at DCI.go.ke.

Track electricity prices alongside all other costs

Legit Index KE tracks KPLC token prices, petrol prices, LPG cooking gas, unga, and other household costs in one free dashboard. When EPRA adjusts the fuel cost charge, Legit Index updates so you know exactly what to expect from your next token purchase.

Cooking gas — LPG — is now the main cooking fuel for most urban Kenyan households. But unlike petrol, LPG prices are not regulated, which means they vary between suppliers, between towns, and sometimes between the same station week to week.

Here’s what you need to know about LPG cooking gas prices in Kenya right now.

Current LPG prices in Kenya

The best place to check current LPG cylinder prices in Kenya is Legit Index KE — a free community price tracker updated by Kenyans who have recently bought gas.

Legit Index tracks:

• 6kg cylinder refill price — for singles, couples and small flats
• 13kg cylinder refill price — for families of 4–6
• 22.5kg cylinder refill price — for large families, restaurants, caterers

These are refill prices — what you pay to fill an empty cylinder you already own, not the cost of a brand new cylinder.

Why LPG prices vary so much

Unlike petrol and diesel (which EPRA regulates), LPG prices in Kenya are set freely by suppliers. This creates significant price variation:

Between brands: Total Energies, Rubis, Gulf Energy, Hashi, and ProGas all set their own prices. Gulf and Hashi are often cheaper in Nairobi than Total for the same cylinder size.

Between towns: Mombasa and Coast region suppliers often have different prices from Nairobi. Towns further from the port tend to have higher prices due to transport costs.

Between months: Global LPG prices fluctuate with energy markets. Unlike fuel which has a fixed review calendar, LPG prices can change any time.

Refill vs new cylinder: what’s the difference?

When you buy LPG for the first time, you pay:

• Cylinder deposit — one-time cost (ownership fee for the physical cylinder)
• Gas refill — cost of the LPG to fill it

When you come back to refill, you only pay for the gas. The cylinder deposit is often refunded if you return the cylinder, though not all suppliers operate this way.

This is important when comparing prices between brands — if one brand offers a cheaper refill but charges more for the initial cylinder, the total cost may be higher.

How to save money on cooking gas in Kenya

1. Compare refill prices before you commit to a brand
Once you buy one brand’s cylinder, you are generally tied to that brand for refills. Check Legit Index KE to compare current prices before buying your first cylinder.

2. Buy the right size
A 13kg cylinder is usually cheaper per kg of gas than a 6kg cylinder. If your household uses gas regularly, the larger cylinder saves money in the long run.

3. Avoid buying from unverified online sellers
LPG is a regulated product — only licensed suppliers should be selling it. Buying cooking gas from unverified online sellers (especially on Instagram and WhatsApp) risks receiving under-filled or unsafe cylinders. Always buy from a licensed petrol station or official supplier outlet. For any product you’re buying online, verify the seller first at Legit Check KE.

Is there a subsidy on cooking gas in Kenya?

Kenya has not had a consistent LPG subsidy, although the government has at times waived import taxes on LPG to reduce prices. The current tax position on LPG can affect prices significantly — watch for announcements in budget statements that may affect cooking gas costs.

Track LPG prices with Legit Index KE

Legit Index KE is free and tracks LPG prices alongside petrol, food, and electricity token prices. If you’ve recently bought cooking gas, you can also submit the price you paid to help other Kenyans know what to expect.

Unga — maize flour — is Kenya’s most important staple food and the most watched price in the country. Whether it’s a 2kg Jogoo packet at Naivas or a 10kg bag from Wakulima Market, the price of unga tells you more about the Kenyan cost of living than almost any other single number.

Here’s what you need to know about unga prices in Kenya right now, and where to always find the latest retail and wholesale figures.

What is the current price of unga in Kenya?

Unga prices change regularly based on the maize harvest, government interventions, and global grain markets. The best place to check the current retail and wholesale unga price in Kenya is Legit Index KE — a free community price tracker updated by Kenyans from Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and other towns.

Legit Index shows:

• Retail price for a 2kg packet (what you pay at a supermarket or duka)
• Wholesale price per kg (what bulk buyers pay at Wakulima Market)
• Price trend — whether unga has been going up or down recently

What drives unga prices in Kenya?

Unlike fuel, unga prices are not regulated by the government in normal times, although the government has occasionally imposed price caps or introduced subsidised unga through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) during price spikes.

Key factors affecting the unga price include:

1. The local maize harvest
Kenya’s main maize-growing regions are the Rift Valley, Trans Nzoia and Uasin Gishu. A good long rains harvest (March–July) typically brings unga prices down from August onwards. A poor harvest pushes prices up from October.

2. Imports and regional supply
When local supply falls short, Kenya imports maize from Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and sometimes as far as South Africa. Import maize is priced in dollars, so a weak shilling means more expensive imported unga.

3. Energy costs
Milling maize flour requires electricity. When KPLC token prices rise, milling costs increase, which can push up unga prices slightly.

4. Logistics and fuel costs
Transporting maize from the North Rift to Nairobi-area mills adds cost. When diesel prices rise, unga transport costs rise with them.

Retail vs wholesale unga prices

There is a significant difference between the retail price of unga (what you pay at a supermarket) and the wholesale price (what bulk buyers pay):

• Retail (2kg packet): Available at supermarkets like Naivas, Carrefour, Quickmart. The 2kg Jogoo or Pembe packet is the standard reference.
• Wholesale (10kg bag): Available at Wakulima Market, Eastleigh wholesale distributors, and direct from millers. Per kilogram, wholesale unga is typically 10–20% cheaper than retail.

If you run a household of 5 or more, or a food business, buying wholesale can save you significant money each month. Check current wholesale unga prices on Legit Index KE.

Why tracking food prices matters for online shoppers

If you’re buying from an online seller who deals in food products — unga, rice, cooking oil, spices or household groceries — knowing the current market price helps you spot overpricing and avoid scams.

A seller offering "wholesale" unga at higher than the current retail market price is not giving you a good deal. Always check Legit Index KE for current prices, and verify any online food seller on Legit Check KE before sending payment.

Track food prices in Kenya — free

Legit Index KE tracks current retail and wholesale prices for unga, rice, cooking oil, sugar, milk, bread, eggs and more across Kenya. It’s completely free and updated by real Kenyan buyers and sellers. Bookmark it for your next shopping trip.

Fuel prices in Kenya affect everything — from the cost of your matatu fare to the price of unga at your local shop. Yet many Kenyans don’t know exactly what they should be paying at the pump, or why prices change every two months.

This guide explains how Kenya fuel prices work, how they are set, and how you can always check the current price before you fill up.

How Kenya fuel prices are set

Petrol and diesel prices in Kenya are regulated by EPRA — the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority. EPRA publishes maximum pump prices every two months, typically around the 14th or 15th of even months.

Petrol stations must not sell above the regulated maximum price. The regulated price is calculated using a formula that includes:

• The international price of crude oil and refined products
• The Kenya shilling/US dollar exchange rate
• Import costs and port handling at Mombasa
• Pipeline transport costs from Mombasa to Nairobi
• Taxes and levies (Road Maintenance Levy, excise duty, VAT)
• Regulated margins for oil companies and petrol station dealers

Why fuel prices change

The two biggest drivers of Kenya fuel prices are the global oil price and the Kenya shilling exchange rate. When global oil prices rise, or when the shilling weakens against the dollar, Kenya pump prices typically increase at the next EPRA review.

Current Kenya fuel prices

You can always check the current EPRA-regulated petrol, diesel and kerosene prices on Legit Index KE — Kenya’s free price tracker. Legit Index pulls from official EPRA data and updates within 24 hours of each review.

The prices on Legit Index cover:

• Petrol (Super PMS) — per litre, Nairobi
• Diesel (AGO) — per litre, Nairobi
• Kerosene (IK) — per litre
• Price history and trend charts for each fuel type

Nairobi vs other towns

EPRA publishes maximum prices for Nairobi as the baseline. Other towns have different prices due to transport costs — Mombasa is typically 2–4 shillings per litre cheaper than Nairobi, while remote towns can be 5–15 shillings higher.

How fuel prices affect the cost of living

Fuel prices ripple through the entire Kenyan economy. When petrol prices rise, matatu fares increase, delivery costs push up retail prices, and food prices rise because it costs more to transport produce from farms to markets.

This is why tracking fuel prices — alongside food, LPG gas, and electricity token prices — gives you a complete picture of Kenya’s cost of living. Legit Index KE tracks all of these in one place, updated regularly.

Is my petrol station overcharging me?

If a petrol station is charging above the EPRA maximum price, this is illegal. Check the current maximum at Legit Index KE and report overcharges to EPRA at epra.go.ke. Under the Consumer Protection Act 2012, you are entitled to pay no more than the regulated maximum.

Track fuel prices with Legit Index KE

Legit Index KE is Kenya’s free community price tracker showing current and historical prices for petrol, diesel, kerosene, LPG, electricity tokens, unga, rice and more — all in one place.