The cost of basic food items has risen steadily over the past five years, piling pressure on households already grappling with shrinking incomes and a high cost of living, data from the 2025 Economic Survey shows.
According to the survey conducted by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, prices of commonly consumed goods in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket recorded notable increases between 2020 and 2024, with meat products such as beef with bones and offals (matumbo) among the hardest hit.
Data shows that the average retail price of beef with bones rose from Sh436.76 per kilogramme in 2020 to Sh635.08 in 2024, representing a 14.1 per cent increase over the period.
The steady rise underscores the growing cost of animal protein, a key component of household diets across the country.
Offals, popularly known as matumbo and often considered a cheaper alternative to beef, have also become significantly more expensive.
The price of matumbo increased from Sh260.46 per kilogramme in 2020 to Sh348.92 in 2024, marking a 10.9 per cent rise.
The increase has reduced the affordability of what many low- and middle-income households rely on as a substitute for more expensive cuts of meat.
The upward trend has not been limited to meat products. Bread prices climbed from Sh48.29 for a 400-gram loaf in 2020 to Sh66.46 in 2024, while the cost of wheat flour rose from Sh119.37 for a two-kilogramme packet to Sh180.41 over the same period.
Vegetables also recorded sharp price increases. Cabbages posted the highest rise among the selected items, increasing by 23.4 per cent, from Sh38.52 per kilogramme in 2020 to Sh70.38 in 2024.
Kales (sukuma wiki), a staple in many households, rose by 21.5 per cent, while English potatoes increased by 20.9 per cent.
The only major relief for consumers came from maize grain, whose prices fell by 19.3 per cent over the five-year period, dropping from Sh49.79 per kilogramme in 2020 to Sh62.70 in 2024 after peaking in 2023. Sugar prices also declined slightly in 2024 after hitting a high in 2023.
Economists attribute the sustained rise in prices of most consumables to a combination of factors, including higher fuel and transport costs, increased input prices for farmers, supply chain disruptions and weather-related shocks affecting food production.
With wages largely stagnant, analysts have warned that the steady increase in the prices of everyday items such as beef and matumbo continues to erode household purchasing power, forcing families to cut back on both quantity and quality of food consumed.
The National Economic Survey is a key annual publication compiled and released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the government agency mandated to collect, analyse, publish and disseminate official statistics in Kenya.
The Economic Survey is an annual statistical report that provides a comprehensive overview of Kenya’s socio-economic performance over a review period, typically covering the most recent five years.
It summarises key data and trends across major sectors of the economy, including GDP growth, agricultural performance, industry output, business activity, employment, prices (inflation), trade, and other national economic indicators
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