Kenya PAYE & Net Pay Calculator 2026 — Take-Home Salary ☆ Save
Loan Balance Paydown Curve
Amortization & Payment Schedule
| Period | Payment | Principal | Interest | Total Interest | Balance |
|---|
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Four deductions, not one
A Kenyan payslip carries more statutory deductions than most, and the calculator above applies all of them. Understanding each is what lets you check your own payslip.
1. PAYE — the monthly bands
| Monthly taxable pay | Rate on that slice |
|---|---|
| First KSh24,000 | 10% |
| Next KSh8,333 (to KSh32,333) | 25% |
| To KSh500,000 | 30% |
| To KSh800,000 | 32.5% |
| Above KSh800,000 | 35% |
Bands are progressive — only the slice inside each is taxed at that rate, so a raise always leaves you better off.
2. Personal relief — KSh2,400 a month
A flat KSh2,400 per month (KSh28,800 a year) is deducted from the tax itself, not from your income. Because it is a credit rather than a deduction, it is worth the same to every taxpayer — and it is why low earners often pay no PAYE at all.
3. SHIF — 2.75%
The Social Health Insurance Fund takes 2.75% of gross pay, replacing the former NHIF structure. Note it is a percentage rather than a banded amount, so it rises with your salary without a ceiling.
4. NSSF — 6%, capped, and AHL — 1.5%
NSSF is 6% of pensionable pay, applied up to an upper limit of KSh108,000 — so the employee contribution tops out at KSh6,480 a month. Your employer matches it.
The Affordable Housing Levy is 1.5% of gross pay, again matched by your employer.
Checking your payslip
- Run your gross through the calculator and compare each line;
- Confirm personal relief of KSh2,400 has been applied — its absence is a common payroll error and it costs you every month;
- Check NSSF against the KSh108,000 ceiling if you earn above it;
- Confirm SHIF at 2.75% and AHL at 1.5% of gross;
- Keep your payslips — they are required for loan applications and are your evidence in a dispute.
What else takes a share
VAT is 16% on most goods and services — see the VAT calculator. On investments, capital gains are taxed at 15% (CGT calculator) and dividends carry 5% withholding tax for residents (dividend calculator). If you buy property, stamp duty is 4% in urban areas and 2% rural.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my PAYE different from this estimate?
Usually an allowance treated differently, a pension contribution reducing taxable pay, or relief not applied. Check the lines individually and query differences with payroll in writing.
Does NSSF really stop rising?
The employee contribution is calculated on pensionable pay up to the upper limit of KSh108,000, so it caps at KSh6,480 a month. SHIF and AHL have no such ceiling.
Is personal relief automatic?
It should be applied by your employer, but omissions happen. Check for it explicitly — it is KSh28,800 a year.
Should I refuse a raise to stay in a lower band?
Never. Only the additional slice is taxed at the higher rate.
Do I need to file a return?
Employed taxpayers generally still file an annual return even where PAYE has been deducted. Keep your P9 and confirm your obligations with KRA.
Rates and bands are the current figures held in this site's tax configuration. Tax law changes — confirm with KRA or a registered tax practitioner. General information, not tax advice.