Corruption is leading contributor to high cost of living

By Newsflash Reporter

Most Kenyans consider corruption the leading contributor to the country’s persistently high cost of living, a new Infotrak survey has revealed, underscoring deep public frustration with governance, rising prices and shrinking household incomes.

According to the End of Year Poll released on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, 31 per cent of respondents identified corruption as the main driver of the high cost of living, placing it above taxation (26 per cent) and government policies (16 per cent). Other factors cited include global economic pressures such as fuel prices and supply chain disruptions (13 per cent), poor agricultural productivity (8 per cent) and lack of employment opportunities (5 per cent).

The findings reflect a growing perception that inefficiencies, misuse of public resources and weak accountability continue to translate directly into higher prices for basic goods and services.

Corruption and the cost of living

The survey suggests that for many households, corruption is no longer viewed as an abstract governance issue but a daily economic burden. Respondents across regions consistently ranked corruption as the top cause of rising living costs, with particularly strong sentiment in Nairobi, where 38 per cent blamed corruption for high prices.

Analysts note that corruption is widely associated with inflated public spending, inefficient service delivery and higher taxes, all of which are ultimately passed on to consumers.

Combined with taxation—ranked second nationally—the perception is that households are paying the price for systemic governance failures.

This sentiment comes at a time when many Kenyans already feel economically strained. The survey found that a majority expect key indicators such as the cost of living, school fees and unemployment to increase over the next year, reinforcing pessimism about short-term economic relief.

Biggest financial challenges facing households

The Infotrak poll paints a stark picture of household financial stress. Unemployment emerged as the single biggest financial challenge, cited by 26 per cent of respondents, followed closely by high food prices at 25 per cent.

Other major pressures include school fees (17 per cent), low wages (14 per cent) and healthcare costs (8 per cent). Smaller but still significant proportions pointed to rent and housing costs (5 per cent) and debt (5 per cent) as their primary financial burden.

The impact of these challenges cuts across age groups and regions. Younger Kenyans are more likely to cite unemployment, while older households feel the strain of school fees and healthcare costs. Regionally, unemployment and food prices dominate concerns in both urban and rural areas, highlighting the breadth of the economic squeeze.

Beyond finances, the economic pressure is taking a toll on well-being. Half of respondents said economic hardship has increased their overall stress and anxiety, while 25 per cent reported negative effects on their mental health, illustrating the human cost behind the statistics.

How families are coping

As the cost of living rises, households are adopting a range of coping mechanisms to survive. The survey shows that 39 per cent of Kenyans are seeking additional employment or alternative income sources, reflecting the urgency to supplement stagnant or insufficient earnings.

About 26 per cent reported cutting back on non-essential expenses, while 22 per cent said they are borrowing money from friends or family.

Another 15 per cent have turned to loans or credit cards, increasing the risk of long-term indebtedness. A similar proportion (15 per cent) rely on community support systems such as food banks, with 11 per cent saying they depend on food rations.

These strategies, while necessary, point to limited resilience among households already stretched by unemployment, high prices and low wages.

Survey methodology

The Infotrak End of Year Poll was conducted between December 19 and 20, 2025, using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI). The survey sampled 1,000 adult Kenyans aged 18 and above across all 47 counties, using population-proportionate sampling based on the 2019 Census. It has a margin of error of ±3.1 per cent at a 95 per cent confidence level, with a 99 per cent response rate. Data was weighted and analysed using SPSS to ensure national representativeness.

Overall, the findings highlight a strong public belief that corruption is at the heart of Kenya’s cost-of-living crisis, even as households struggle daily to cope with mounting economic pressures.