House Help Salary Calculator Kenya: Payslip, NSSF, SHIF and Contract
Pay your house help, nanny or gardener the right way, with the deductions the law requires.
Checked 20 Oct 2026 against the sources listed below.
1. The job and pay
2. Who and when (for the contract)
Leave anything blank to fill in by hand.
Take-home pay
KES 16,245
a month, after the deductions the law requires
- Gross pay
- KES 18,100
- NSSF
- − KES 1,086
- SHIF
- − KES 498
- Housing levy
- − KES 272
- PAYE
- KES -0
Your total cost a monthKES 19,458
Gross pay plus your share of NSSF (KES 1,086) and the housing levy (KES 272).
🔒 Employment contract
Written for the Employment Act: duties, pay, rest day, leave, notice and fair dismissal. Word and PDF.
🔒 12 monthly payslips
Ready to print and sign each month, as the law requires.
🔒 Payroll and leave record (Excel)
Every payment and the 21 days' leave balance, month by month.
Rates are the ones in our PAYE calculator, checked against KRA, NSSF and SHA. A template based on the Employment Act, not legal advice.
About this tool
Type in the monthly pay and whether they live in. You'll see their take-home pay after NSSF, SHIF, the housing levy and PAYE, what they cost you including your own NSSF and housing levy share, and whether the pay meets the minimum wage for domestic workers.
The calculation is free. For a small M-Pesa payment you get an employment contract written for the Employment Act (Word and PDF), 12 monthly payslips and an Excel payroll and leave record.
Example: a live-in house help on KES 18,100 a month takes home about KES 16,245 and costs the employer about KES 19,458.
What you must deduct from a house help's pay
Household employees are covered by the same laws as any other worker, so these apply even on a small salary:
| Deduction | Employee pays | Employer adds |
|---|---|---|
| NSSF | 6% of pay (up to the upper earnings limit) | The same amount again |
| SHIF | 2.75% of gross pay, at least KES 300 | Nothing |
| Housing levy | 1.5% of gross pay | The same amount again |
| PAYE | Only if pay is high enough after reliefs | Nothing |
At typical house help wages, PAYE works out to nothing once personal relief (KES 2,400 a month) is applied, but NSSF, SHIF and the housing levy still apply. The calculator uses the same rates as our PAYE calculator.
Minimum wage for a house help in Kenya
From 1 May 2026, the minimum wage for a domestic worker in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret is KES 18,047.40 a month, not counting housing. Lower rates apply in other towns and rural areas. If your worker doesn't live in, the law expects a housing allowance on top of basic pay; the calculator adds 15% by default.
What the contract covers
Written for the Employment Act, 2007: job and duties, probation, pay and deductions, hours and a weekly rest day, 21 days' annual leave, sick leave, maternity and paternity leave, the employer's duties (including registering with NSSF and SHA), 28 days' notice, fair dismissal, and a certificate of service when they leave.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register my house help with NSSF and SHA?
Yes. As their employer you register them, deduct their share each month, add your own share, and pay it in. Keeping payslips and a payroll record protects you if there's ever a dispute.
Does a house help need a written contract?
The Employment Act requires written particulars of employment for anyone employed for three months or more. A signed contract also settles pay, leave and notice before there's a disagreement.
How much leave does a house help get?
At least 21 working days of paid annual leave for every 12 months worked, one rest day every week, sick leave with a doctor's note, and three months' paid maternity leave.
Is a house help's pay taxed?
Pay is subject to PAYE like any salary, but at typical house help wages the tax is wiped out by personal relief. NSSF, SHIF and the housing levy are still deducted.