Relocation intelligence
🇰🇪 Moving to Kenya: tax, residency and cost of living
Progressive 10-35% on worldwide income, with deductible NSSF, SHIF and housing levy and a personal relief of 28,800. Corporate tax 30%, VAT 16%. Strong growth market but a heavy stack of levies.
Thinking of moving to Kenya? Here is the tax, residency, property and quality-of-life picture in plain numbers, with sources.
Key facts
- Top income tax
- 35%
- Corporate tax
- 30%
- Capital gains
- 15%
- Wealth tax
- No
- Inheritance tax
- No
- Cost of living index
- 28
- Safety
- 4/10
- Internet quality
- 6/10
- Visa-free destinations
- 76
- Foreigners can own property
- Yes
- Residency in
- 6 months
- Citizenship in
- 5 years
Taxes
Progressive 10-35% on worldwide income with deductible NSSF, SHIF and housing levy and a personal relief of 28,800. On top of payroll tax comes a stack of social levies.
Residency and visas
Permanent residence requires seven years on a work permit plus three years continuous residence; naturalisation after about seven years.
Property ownership
Foreigners may not own freehold or agricultural land and are limited to leasehold up to 99 years.
Cost of living and quality of life
A regional hub with a growing economy and low cost level, but moderate safety (Nairobi), largely private out-of-pocket healthcare and very high housing costs relative to income.
Passport and mobility
The Kenyan passport is weak, with about 76 destinations visa-free or visa on arrival.
Why people move to Kenya
Growth market and regional hub with a low cost level
A fast-growing East African economy, low costs and a personal tax relief of 28,800.
A stack of levies and weak property rights
On top of payroll tax come NSSF, SHIF and housing levy, and foreigners may not own freehold or agricultural land.
Honest trade-offs
- Fiscaal inwoners worden belast op hun wereldwijde arbeidsinkomen tegen tarieven tot 35 procent, met daarbovenop verplichte inhoudingen voor NSSF, SHIF en de huisvestingsheffing.
- Permanente verblijfsvergunning vereist zeven jaar op een werkvergunning plus drie jaar aaneengesloten verblijf, en naturalisatie duurt ongeveer zeven jaar.
- Het Keniaanse paspoort is zwak met ongeveer 76 bestemmingen visumvrij of visum bij aankomst, wereldwijd rond plaats 65 tot 67.
- Buitenlanders mogen geen eigendom (freehold) of landbouwgrond bezitten en zijn beperkt tot erfpacht van maximaal 99 jaar volgens de grondwet van 2010.
- De veiligheidsindex is matig rond 45 met hoge criminaliteit in Nairobi en terreurdreiging nabij de grens met Somalie, plus aanzienlijke luchtvervuiling.
- Goede zorg is vrijwel alleen privaat en uit eigen zak, en de verhouding tussen woningprijs en inkomen is zeer hoog waardoor kwaliteitswoningen duur zijn.
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