Caretakers Among Highest-Paid Domestic Workers, KNBS Data Shows

Caretakers in Kenya now earn some of the highest wages in the domestic and general labour sector, according to the latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). 

The Statistical Abstract 2025 reveals a significant pay gap between caretakers and other household-based employees. In major urban centres, caretakers are guaranteed a minimum monthly wage of KSh 33,416.8, significantly surpassing the earnings of most domestic workers. 

In smaller towns like Ruiru, Mavoko, and Limuru, caretakers earn an average of KSh 31,203.5, while those in other municipalities receive KSh 29,068.7. The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection defines caretakers as individuals tasked with maintaining and managing buildings, a role distinct from that of security guards, whose responsibilities focus on protection rather than upkeep.

Security personnel, in contrast, earn far less. In Nairobi, watchmen received a basic wage of KSh 16,113.8 in 2024, with wages dropping to KSh 8,596.5 in smaller towns. The disparity in pay underscores the premium placed on caretaking duties compared to security roles, despite both positions being essential for the functioning of residential and commercial spaces.

Other categories of domestic workers, such as cleaners, gardeners, and house servants, earn similarly low wages. Their monthly earnings average KSh 16,113 in major cities, falling to KSh 14,866.9 in smaller towns. 

The sector, which employed 120,153 people in 2024, generated KSh 42.5 billion in annual wages, an increase from KSh 34.2 billion five years earlier. Caretakers’ higher earnings are notable even when compared to other occupations outside the domestic sphere. 

Drivers of medium-sized vehicles earn an average of KSh 27,352, while salespersons in urban areas receive KSh 30,196.6, both below caretaker wages. These figures do not include housing allowances, meaning the actual compensation could be higher when accommodation or other benefits are provided by employers.

Although caretakers benefit from better pay, most domestic workers remain near the bottom of the pay scale, often earning less than half of their caretaker counterparts. Earlier this year, KNBS reported that employees of foreign non-governmental organisations and multilateral bodies, including the United Nations, remain the highest-paid private sector workers in Kenya.