This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
According to official data, the average inflation for low-income homes in Nairobi was 6.08 percent in May, significantly higher than the national average of 5.33 percent for the past 11 months.
Lower-income families in Nairobi have been hardest-hit by the rising cost of living in the past year, with their inflation rate remaining above the national average for 11 straight months.
While the national average inflation rate has been declining, the inflation rate for low-income homes in Nairobi has been stubbornly high, peaking at 8.36 percent in February.
However, the difference in inflation levels among Nairobi's income segments is linked to their different consumption habits, with the rich spending a larger share of their budget on transport, the middle class on utilities and rent, and the poor on food.
As a result, a basket of goods classified as food and non-alcoholic beverages saw the highest year-on-year rise (8.15 percent) in May, further hitting low-income households.
KNBS' second survey on the impact of Covid-19 on households showed that 78.8 percent of respondents reported an increase in food prices last month, and 61.9 percent were out of work due to coronavirus-related challenges.
