A truck on the road at Namanga with hills behind.

Photo: KeyoT, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How each country sets minimum wages

Kenya sets minimum wages by occupation and zone. Under the 2026 general order, as corrected by Legal Notice 108, a general labourer in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru or Eldoret earns at least KES 18,047.40 a month, a figure that excludes housing allowance. Tanzania Mainland sets private-sector minimums by sector: from 1 January 2026 they range from TZS 80,000 for some domestic workers to TZS 765,900 in international energy companies.

What leaves a Kenyan payslip

A Kenyan employee pays NSSF at 6% on pay up to KES 108,000, SHIF at 2.75%, the housing levy at 1.5%, and PAYE after a personal relief of KES 2,400. At KES 30,000 a month that leaves KES 26,193.75. At the general labourer minimum of KES 18,047.40 no PAYE is due and KES 16,197.55 remains. Try the Kenya calculator on Work.ke.

What leaves a Tanzanian payslip

In Tanzania, NSSF describes a joint 20% contribution with an employee share of no more than 10%. PAYE is zero on taxable pay up to TZS 270,000 and 8% on the part above it up to TZS 520,000. With a 10% pension share, TZS 375,000 leaves TZS 332,100 and TZS 500,000 leaves TZS 435,600. Use the Work.tz take-home pay calculator.

Compare like with like

Convert on the same day with an official exchange rate, and add the costs that change with the country: rent, the daily commute and whether meals or housing are provided. A higher gross figure can still leave less once these are paid. For the full Kenyan tables see minimum wages in Kenya on Work.ke.

Sources and checks

Checked . Follow the original source for amendments.

General guidance. Confirm the employer’s current requirements and your own pay arrangements before making an application or accepting an offer. Report a correction