Apartment prices in Kenya continued to decline in the first quarter of 2026 even as the overall residential property market recorded steady growth, according to the latest Residential Property Price Index (RPPI) released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
The report shows that the average asking price of residential properties increased by 4.8 percent compared to the same period last year, largely driven by strong growth in the prices of standalone houses.
Prices of standalone homes rose by 8.5 percent over the year, while apartment prices fell by 3.0 percent. The apartment price index dropped to 88.7 in the first quarter of 2026 from 91.5 a year earlier. On a quarterly basis, apartment prices also declined slightly by 0.2 percent.
The figures indicate that more homebuyers are opting for standalone houses, while demand for apartments remains weak in some urban areas.
The decline was most noticeable in Nairobi’s established apartment markets. In Upper Nairobi, the apartment price index fell to 90.1 from 94.6 a year earlier, while Nairobi Middle recorded a decline to 85.3 from 88.2.
However, apartment prices increased in Nairobi’s outer areas and other parts of the country. The Nairobi Other index rose to 107.5 from 103.2, while the Other Regions index increased to 106.9 from 99.4 over the same period.
Despite the slowdown in the apartment segment, the overall residential property market remained resilient. The national Residential Property Price Index rose to 118.4 in the first quarter of 2026 from 113.0 a year earlier, reflecting annual property price growth of 4.8 percent. On a quarterly basis, overall residential property prices increased by 0.6 percent.
Standalone houses continued to record the strongest performance among residential properties. Their price index climbed to 133.6 from 123.2 a year earlier, while prices rose 1.0 percent compared to the previous quarter, highlighting sustained demand for detached homes across the country.
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