Africa-Press – Kenya. Kenya’s overall inflation rate remained unchanged at 4.6 per cent in October 2025, as slight drops in the prices of key household food items helped offset increases in others, according to the latest Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) report.
The cost of living rose marginally by 0.2 per cent month-on-month, with food and non-alcoholic beverages which are Kenya’s largest expenditure category recording a 0.2 per cent increase.
On an annual basis, however, food inflation remained elevated at eight per cent, underscoring ongoing pressure on household budgets.
“The overall index increased from 146.56 in September 2025 to 146.84 in October 2025, resulting in a monthly inflation rate of 0.2 per cent. The increase in the general price level in the economy was the same during the month of September 2025 and October 2025 at 4.6 per cent,” KNBS said in its monthly update.
KNBS data shows that while staples such as maize flour and sugar became slightly cheaper, prices of fresh produce and animal products rose, keeping the overall food basket relatively stable.
A two-kilogram packet of sifted maize flour dropped 2.3per cent from Sh152.28 in September to Sh148.79 in October.
Similarly, fortified maize flour fell 2.2per cent to Sh168.56, while prices of kale (sukuma wiki) and beans eased by 1.0per cent and 0.6per cent respectively. The price of sugar slipped by 0.5per cent to Sh184.35 per kilogram.
In contrast, consumers paid more for fresh produce. Tomato prices climbed 1.2per cent to Sh87.88 per kilogram, while cabbages and potatoes rose by 1.4per cent and 1.6per cent, respectively.
Oranges saw the sharpest month-to-month jump up 4.2per cent to Sh115.54 per kilogram marking the highest increase among all tracked food items.
Non-food costs also influenced the inflation picture. Electricity tariffs for households rose significantly, with the cost of 200 kWh increasing 3.0per cent to Sh5,764.15, while 50 kWh consumption rose 3.3per cent to Sh1,315.80.
The price of petrol and diesel remained unchanged at Sh185.59 and Sh172.64 per litre, respectively.
Despite the month’s mixed price movements, KNBS said inflationary pressures remain contained, supported by stable transport and energy prices.
The agency attributed most of the inflation to the food, transport, and housing categories, which together account for over half of the consumer basket.
Core inflation—which excludes volatile items like food and fuel eased to 2.7per cent in October from 2.9per cent in September, signaling stable underlying price trends.
Although food prices have moderated slightly, the overall cost of living remains high for many households, with double-digit annual increases in key staples such as tomatoes (37.3per cent), sugar (22.6per cent), and cabbages (20.3per cent) compared to October last year.
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