2026 Construction Costs
| Build type | Finish level | Cost/m² (KES) | 100 m² total | 120 m² (3-bed) total |
|---|
| Bungalow | Basic | 45,000–52,000 | 4.5M–5.2M | 5.4M–6.2M |
|---|
| Bungalow | Standard | 55,000–70,000 | 5.5M–7.0M | 6.6M–8.4M |
|---|
| Bungalow | Premium | 75,000–90,000 | 7.5M–9.0M | 9.0M–10.8M |
|---|
| Bungalow | Luxury | 100,000+ | 10M+ | 12M+ |
|---|
| Maisonette | Standard | 60,000–80,000 | 6.0M–8.0M | 7.2M–9.6M |
|---|
| Apartment block (3–5 floors) | Standard | 55,000–67,000 | 5.5M–6.7M | — |
|---|
| Apartment block (6–10 floors) | Standard | 60,000–69,000 | 6.0M–6.9M | — |
|---|
Sources: IQSK Construction Cost Handbook 2025/2026, Part C; KNBS Construction Input Price Index (up 5.73% in Q2 2026); Integrum (Nairobi) reports a standard detached house at KES 59,350/m² as of October 2026 including professional fees and contingency. Budgets priced in early 2026 need rechecking.
Estimate Your Build
Estimated build cost
KES 6.6M – KES 8.4M
Indicative range using the 2026 IQSK rates above. Your quantity surveyor's bill of quantities — issued before any work begins — is the real budget baseline.
The hidden costs most diaspora budgets miss
| Cost item | Typical range |
|---|
| County building permit | KES 50,000 – 300,000 (varies by county and size) |
|---|
| NEMA report | KES 15,000 – 50,000 |
|---|
| NCA project registration | KES 10,000 – 30,000 |
|---|
| Planning searches, caveats, consent letters | KES 20,000 – 60,000 |
|---|
| Professional fees (architect + structural engineer + quantity surveyor) | 10–15% of project value |
|---|
| Construction levy (above KES 5M) | 0.5% of contract value |
|---|
| Utility connections (water, electricity, sewer) | KES 50,000 – 200,000 |
|---|
| Contingency (mandatory per IQSK guidance) | 10% of project cost |
|---|
