TIFA poll: High cost of living top challenge for Kenyans
The findings, contained in TIFA's latest Ride-Hailing Industry Survey in Kenya, show that rising prices of transport, fuel, food and education are putting pressure on household budgets.
NAIROBI, Kenya - Rising costs of essential goods and services are the greatest challenge faced by Kenyans, according to the latest TIFA poll. The survey, conducted in Kenya, revealed that 62 percent of respondents cited the high cost of living as their main concern.
The price of tomatoes surged from Sh83.88 per kilogramme in 2025 to Sh117.87 in 2026, a 33.99 percent increase. Similarly, beef prices climbed to Sh760.75 per kilogramme from Sh690.15 over the same period. These rising costs have left consumers worried, with 92 percent of respondents expressing some level of concern about escalating prices, while three percent stated they were not worried.
The survey found that constrained incomes, driven by low wages, poor business performance, and high unemployment, ranked second among challenges at 19 percent. High taxes and corruption were also significant concerns, cited by 12 percent and six percent of respondents, respectively.
However, only two percent of those surveyed identified no significant challenges. In Nairobi, 81 percent of households reported experiencing either rising living costs or constrained incomes, leaving little room for them to handle further hikes in essential goods and services. TIFA warned that any policy or market changes that raise prices for essential services like transport, fuel, food, and education could further burden already stretched household budgets.
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