Food and household goods remain the dominant use of cash remittances in Kenya, according to the KNBS 2025 Remittances Household Survey Report.
The survey shows that 73.1 per cent of recipients spend remittance funds on food and other household items, making it the largest category by a wide margin.
Education-related expenses rank second at 31.4 per cent, while medical expenses account for 23.9 per cent.
Other major uses include purchasing clothing at 19.8 per cent, rent and household utilities at 9.3 per cent, and ceremonial expenses such as funerals at 8.8 per cent.
Farming activities account for 8 per cent of remittance spending.
Smaller proportions of recipients use the money for debt repayment at 3.1 per cent, construction projects at 2.6 per cent, and real estate investment at 2.2 per cent.
The findings highlight the critical role remittances play in supporting daily household consumption, education and healthcare, rather than long-term investments.
Analysts say the data underscores how remittance inflows continue to serve as an important social safety net for many Kenyan families.
