Why you should brace for more cost-of-living pain

Every weekday before dawn, Thomas Otieno leaves his home in Nairobi's Tena estate carrying the same backpack—but not the same budget.

Until a few months ago, the office worker spent about Sh140 on a return matatu trip to work, translating to a monthly transport budget of roughly Sh3,500.

Today, that budget has ballooned to between Sh5,000 and Sh6,000 as fares continue rising, forcing him to rethink household spending.

Morning fares that averaged Sh70 one way now cost at least Sh100, with commuters paying even more during rainy days or peak traffic hours.

"My income has not changed, only my expenses," Otieno says. "Transport alone is taking a much bigger share of my salary. When you add food, electricity and other household bills, there is very little left."

His predicament mirrors that of millions of Kenyan households grappling with rising living costs despite official data showing inflation remains relatively subdued.