Are you paying your domestic worker enough?
At this rate, you are paying the equivalent of KSH0 per month.
This covers 0% of your domestic worker's contribution to their household's minimal need of KSH0.
Our calculations are based on 9 assumptions.
Domestic workers are often consulted for important decisions within the family with 60% of them providing financial assistance for their households.
Source: Domestic Workers
Using consumer price index data on food (January 2019) and a selected basket of goods, we estimate that the daily average cost per person for attaining 2000 calories is Ksh 180 (KSH 5,400 per month per person).
We have not incorporated the food nutrition program or child support grants in our assessment. We feel our values are still quite conservative.
Source: CPI January 2019, KNBS
Travel costs are known to be high for domestic workers. We assume a need of KSH50 one way to get to work, based on the Consumer Price Indices and Inflation Rates for January 2019
We assume the cost of getting from Kawangware to a Nairobi suburb as the base. It is true it can take up to two minibus taxi trips to leave home and arrive at work. These trips combined cost between KSH30-50. Daily this can then be KSH60-100.
Transportation is not cheap in Nairobi (public or private) and this is likely true through Kenya. Of course if the tariff or the number of trips from poorer areas to urban employer centres were lower then the cost would be lower. But it can also be higher depending on the distance.
Generally speaking, higher rents are associated with better provision of sanitation services and lower crime rates.
Associations with violence and sanitation taken from this data as well. Where rent was not paid (or reported), the assumption was that the household lived in informal risky settings. We don't want to highlight that as a residential option.
Source: CPI January 2019, KNBS
Estimate a reasonable monthly health allowance (per person):
Setting up a health budget for the household is very important. Public consultancies cost KSH550 per visit and for medicines. Healthcare costs could also be covered through health insurance which can cost at least KSH 150 per month per person.
Sources:
Choosing Interventions that are Cost Effective (WHO-CHOICE)
NHIF Contribution Rates
Estimate the cost per school aged child:
Expenses include stationery, uniform, textbooks, and even transportation costs.
We assume three individuals in the household are in school.
Median expenditure on education is between kSH1000 and KSH5000 per month per kid. There isn't a clear determination of costs per month for a family sending kids to school. It's likely on transportation, stationery, etc - but there are some definite costs.
We limit the slider to KSH10000 because households are unlikely to be willing to pay more than that for kids. Public schools with fees and private schools can cost at KSH1000 and be upwards of KSH5000/month.
Source: CPI January 2019, KNBS
Estimate the monthly cost per person in the household:
Communications are necessary for staying in touch with families, friends, accessing news, and for emergencies.
Estimate a monthly recreation cost per person in the household:
It is always good to take time out from work and managing a household. Everyone needs a break!
These include clothing, household items, personal care, and emergency expenses. Estimate other costs incurred per person in the household.
This should include for emergencies and procurement of durable goods, transportation of goods (gas cylinders, groceries, etc), implicit and explicit costs of running a household.