Demand For Better Housing By Kenya’s Middle Class Spurs Uptake of Built-In Kitchens

The demand for better-built apartments with modern amenities is rising in Kenya as tenants place greater emphasis on quality, functionality, and long-term living standards rather than rent alone, according to housing market data and industry players.

The shift comes as the country’s real estate sector continues to expand, growing by 33.7% between 2019 and 2023, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), driven by rapid urbanisation and sustained housing demand.

Market observations indicate tenants are increasingly prioritising factors such as construction quality, security, reliable utilities and fitted interiors, prompting developers to incorporate built-in features at the design stage to improve property competitiveness.

More than 77% of rental housing in Kenya consists of flats and apartments, reinforcing demand for space-efficient designs and integrated layouts suited to urban living. Built-in kitchen appliances, including hobs, ovens, extractor hoods and microwaves, are increasingly being installed during construction rather than after occupation.

Developers say this approach helps standardise unit quality, reduce modification costs and improve tenant appeal in a market where renters are becoming more selective.

“There is a growing preference for housing that is delivered as a complete product rather than unfinished space,” said Eric Otieno, Regional Product Manager for Cooking at LG Electronics East Africa.

“Built-in kitchens are becoming important because they allow developers to optimise space and deliver consistency across units while responding to changing tenant expectations.”

Industry players say cost efficiency remains central to adoption, particularly within Kenya’s price-sensitive housing market. LG’s entry-level built-in kitchen packages are increasingly positioned as cost-efficient additions when installed during construction, typically ranging between about KES 90,000 and KES 120,000 depending on configuration. Such pricing, developers say, is becoming viable even within mid-market and affordable housing segments when factored into overall project costs.

The approach reflects a growing strategy among developers to use standardised fittings to balance quality improvements with cost control, particularly as competition increases within the expanding apartment sector in Kenya’s urban areas.

Kenya faces an estimated annual housing demand of about 200,000 units, which continues to drive construction of multi-family developments, student housing and mixed-use residential projects where standardisation of fittings is becoming more common.

Industry data also shows that tenants are increasingly evaluating properties based on overall living costs, including maintenance reliability and infrastructure availability, rather than monthly rent alone.

Alongside fitted kitchens, developers are also investing in shared amenities such as commercial laundry facilities as part of efforts to differentiate properties and improve tenant retention.

LG said it has supported the installation of more than 200 laundromat facilities across Kenya, with expansion expected in cities including Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret as developers incorporate shared services into residential projects.

While still concentrated in Nairobi, such facilities are increasingly being viewed as complementary infrastructure in high-density developments, where convenience services can improve occupancy performance.

Read Also: Mi Vida Expands Into Kiambu With 453-unit Ruaka Housing Project