Overall inflation reached 6.7 per cent in May 2026, marking an increase from the 5.6 per cent recorded in April 2026.
Data sourced from the Central Bank of Kenya highlights distinct trajectories between core and non-core baskets, which drive these shifting consumer costs.
The core Consumer Price Index basket, reflecting long-term trends rather than local or temporary increases, accounts for 81.1 percent of the overall Consumer Price Index and saw an inflation rate of 3.2 per cent.
Meanwhile, non-core inflation, frequently driven by transient or supply-side factors like seasonal weather and international oil prices, stood at 16.0 per cent.
A detailed look at the core basket reveals that city bus and matatu fares experienced the sharpest surge at 25.0 per cent, followed by an 11.0 per cent increase for beef with bone.
Cooking oil (salad) and sifted maize flour registered modest increases of 2.0 per cent and 1.4 per cent, respectively. In contrast, non-aromatic white rice decreased slightly by 0.1 per cent, and sugar prices dropped by 5.0 per cent.
Within the non-core sector, volatile commodities saw the most dramatic upward shifts. Tomato prices spiked by 45.7 per cent, while diesel and petrol surged by 41.2 percent and 22.7 percent, respectively.
Cabbages also climbed significantly by 37.8 per cent. On the downward trend, electricity costs provided some relief, with the price for 50 Kilowatts falling by 3.4 per cent and 200 Kilowatts dropping by 5.0 per cent.
