Guide
Cost to build a 5-bedroom house in Kenya (2026)
6 October 2026 · 4 min read
A 5-bedroom house is a different budget from one country to the next, and from one finish to the next in the same street. These are the figures for Kenya in 2026, worked out from published, dated rates rather than a single price per square metre: the house itself, and everything a real build pays for around it.
A 5-bedroom house of about 170 m², with five bedrooms and four bathrooms, standard finishes, built by a contractor in Nairobi with a boundary wall, costs about KSh 13 million all in — between KSh 11 million and KSh 15 million. Land is extra. Rates checked September 2026.
By the finish you choose
The finish changes two things at once: the size of the rooms, and the rate per square metre, which is for the house alone. A house built by a contractor, from foundations to finishes. It excludes land, professional fees, approvals and anything outside the walls. The all-in figures add what a real build also pays for.
| Finishes | House, per m² | 5-bed, all in |
|---|---|---|
| Basicabout 120 m² | KSh 38,000–48,000 | KSh 7,490,000 |
| Standardabout 170 m² | KSh 50,000–62,000 | KSh 13,300,000 |
| High-endabout 240 m² | KSh 70,000–95,000 | KSh 27,100,000 |
By where you build
The same house with standard finishes, in each part of Kenya the rates cover:
| Where | Likely, and the range |
|---|---|
| Nairobi and surrounds | KSh 13,300,000KSh 11 million to KSh 15 million |
| Mombasa and the coast | KSh 14,300,000KSh 12 million to KSh 16 million |
| Kisumu and the west | KSh 13,900,000KSh 12 million to KSh 16 million |
| Another town | KSh 12,700,000KSh 11 million to KSh 15 million |
| Rural home | KSh 11,700,000KSh 10 million to KSh 13 million |
The coast and the west are Integrum's figures for a standard bungalow; other towns and rural homes are allowances.
Where the money goes, phase by phase
The standard house in Nairobi, split the way it is built. Each phase carries its share of the contingency and of prices rising while it waits its turn.
| Phase | Likely | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Plans, approvals and fees | KSh 552,000 | 4% |
| Site preparation | KSh 312,000 | 2% |
| Foundation | KSh 1,650,000 | 12% |
| Walls up to the roof | KSh 2,600,000 | 19% |
| Roofing | KSh 1,690,000 | 13% |
| Windows and doors | KSh 1,080,000 | 8% |
| Electrical and plumbing | KSh 1,910,000 | 14% |
| Plastering and finishes | KSh 2,400,000 | 18% |
| Boundary wall, drains and paths | KSh 1,160,000 | 9% |
| Total | KSh 13,300,000 | 100% |
The building itself, from the foundation to the last coat of paint, is about KSh 12 million of that. It's the part a builder quotes for, and the figure to hold their quote against.
A bedroom more, or fewer
| House | Floor area | All in |
|---|---|---|
| 2-bedroom house | 100 m² | KSh 8,020,000 |
| 3-bedroom house | 125 m² | KSh 9,930,000 |
| 4-bedroom house | 145 m² | KSh 11,400,000 |
| 5-bedroom house | 170 m² | KSh 13,300,000 |
An extra bedroom usually brings a bathroom with it, which is why the step up is more than the room alone.
What moves the price
- Your own builders instead of a contractor: about 11% less, if someone you trust is on site every day.
- Two storeys instead of one, the same 170 m²: about 4% more. Less foundation and roof, but a concrete slab, a stair and a heavier frame.
- Clay or black cotton soil: about 3% more. Rock near the surface: about 3% more. A sloping site: about 4% more.
- Wet ground or near a wetland: about 16% more, and it needs approval from NEMA, which licenses building near wetlands and riparian land before work starts.
- Prices rising while you build: materials in Kenya are rising about 6% a year. These totals allow for a 12-month build starting now.
What's in the figure, and what isn't
In: the house, site preparation, drains and connections, a boundary wall and gate, plans and approvals, a 15% contingency and prices rising over the build. Not in: the land, a borehole, a septic tank, solar power and furniture. What those extras cost, and where every rate comes from, is in the guide to the cost of building a house in Kenya.
An estimate from published rates is for budgeting, not a quote. Before you sign with anyone, get a bill of quantities priced for your plans and your plot.
Price your own house, then get quotes against it
The building cost calculator for Kenya works from these same rates. Tell it your bedrooms, bathrooms, floors, ground and finish, and it prices your house phase by phase, ready to turn into your budgets in Trace My Build. Then ask service providers where you're building for quotes: each one is set against these rates, phase by phase, so a price far under the range is flagged before you choose. Not sure how to choose? Read how to find a builder or project manager you can trust, from abroad.