Solving approach
- We use iterative solving to find the gross salary.
- Starting with your target net, we work backwards.
- All statutory deductions (PAYE, NSSF, SHIF, Housing Levy) applied.
- Result converges to within KES 1 accuracy.
Net to Gross Calculator — Kenya (2026)
Enter your target take-home pay (net) and we solve for the gross salary required. Includes PAYE, NSSF, SHIF, and Housing Levy.
2026 Rates
Last verified: Today
Assumptions & Rates
How we calculate gross from net (2026).
Solving approach
What's included
When to use
How This Net-to-Gross Calculator Works
Understanding the step-by-step process of solving gross salary from your target net pay in Kenya
Step 1: Enter Your Target Net Pay
Input the exact take-home salary you want to receive after all deductions. This is your desired monthly or annual net pay that will actually hit your bank account. Choose whether you want to calculate monthly or annually—both use the same 2026 Kenya tax rates.
Step 2: Configure Advanced Options (Optional)
Add taxable allowances (like housing or transport that increase PAYE), non-taxable allowances (like medical that don't affect PAYE), pension contributions (which reduce taxable income), and insurance premiums (which qualify for tax relief). You can also toggle NSSF, SHIF, or Housing Levy on/off if needed.
Step 3: Calculate Required Gross
Click "Calculate Required Gross" and our iterative solver works backwards from your target net. It applies PAYE progressive bands (10-35%), NSSF (6%), SHIF (2.75%), Housing Levy (1.5%), and personal relief (KES 2,400/month) to find the exact gross salary needed. The algorithm converges to within KES 1 accuracy.
Step 4: Review and Negotiate
See the required gross salary and full breakdown of deductions. Use this information in salary negotiations with employers or recruiters. Share the calculation link with HR to show exactly what gross salary you need to achieve your target take-home pay.
Understanding Your Net-to-Gross Results
What each calculation component means and how to use the results effectively
Required Gross Salary
The gross salary amount you need to request from your employer to achieve your target net pay. This is the figure that should appear in your employment contract or offer letter. It includes all deductions that will be made before you receive your take-home pay.
PAYE Tax Amount
The Pay As You Earn tax calculated using Kenya's 2026 progressive bands (10%, 25%, 30%, 32.5%, 35%). This is computed on your taxable income after deducting NSSF, SHIF, Housing Levy, and pension contributions. Personal relief of KES 2,400/month is automatically applied to reduce your PAYE.
NSSF Contribution
Your 6% National Social Security Fund contribution calculated on pensionable pay. For 2026, Tier I is capped at KES 9,000/month and Tier II at KES 108,000/month. This is deducted before PAYE calculation, reducing your taxable income and thus lowering your tax burden.
SHIF Deduction
Social Health Insurance Fund contribution at 2.75% of gross salary with a minimum of KES 300/month. Since December 27, 2024, SHIF is tax-deductible, meaning it reduces your taxable income before PAYE calculation, lowering your overall tax.
Housing Levy
Affordable Housing Levy at 1.5% of gross salary. Like SHIF, this is tax-deductible from December 27, 2024 onwards, reducing your taxable income. Your employer also contributes a matching 1.5%, though that doesn't affect your net pay calculation.
Effective Tax Rate
The percentage of your gross salary that goes to all deductions combined (PAYE + NSSF + SHIF + Housing Levy). This shows your true tax burden. Lower gross salaries have lower effective rates due to progressive taxation, while higher salaries face higher effective rates.
When to Use This Net-to-Gross Calculator
Common situations where knowing the required gross salary helps you make better financial decisions
1 Salary Negotiations
When negotiating a new job offer and you know exactly what take-home pay you need to cover your expenses. Calculate the required gross salary to request from your employer. This ensures you don't accept an offer that seems good on paper but leaves you short after deductions.
2 Budgeting from Expenses
Start with your monthly living expenses (rent, food, transport, savings) to determine your required net pay. Then use this calculator to find what gross salary you need to earn. This bottom-up approach ensures your salary actually covers your lifestyle needs.
3 Comparing Job Offers
When evaluating multiple job offers with different gross salaries and benefit structures. Calculate the net pay for each offer to see which provides the highest take-home. Sometimes a lower gross with better allowances results in higher net pay.
4 Raise Requests
Before requesting a salary increase, determine what gross raise you need to achieve your desired net pay increase. A KES 10,000 gross raise might only give you KES 6,500 net after taxes. Calculate the exact gross increase needed to hit your target.
5 Career Planning
When planning career moves or promotions, set target net pay goals for different career stages. Calculate what gross salaries you need to achieve at each stage. This helps you set realistic salary expectations and negotiate effectively throughout your career.
6 Freelance to Employment
Transitioning from freelance to employment? Calculate what gross salary you need to match your current freelance net income. Remember that employment includes benefits like NSSF and SHIF that freelancers pay separately, so factor those into your comparison.
Official Data Sources
Our net-to-gross calculations use official 2026 Kenya tax rates and statutory deduction regulations
- Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) — Provides official PAYE tax bands and rates. The 2026 progressive bands are: 10% (0-24,000), 25% (24,001-32,333), 30% (32,334-500,000), 32.5% (500,001-800,000), and 35% (above 800,000) monthly. Personal relief is KES 2,400/month.
- National Social Security Fund (NSSF) — Regulates pension contributions in Kenya. The 2026 rates are 6% employee contribution with Tier I capped at KES 9,000/month and Tier II capped at KES 108,000/month on pensionable pay.
- Social Health Authority (SHA) — Administers SHIF (Social Health Insurance Fund) contributions. The rate is 2.75% of gross pay with a minimum contribution of KES 300/month. SHIF is tax-deductible from December 27, 2024 onwards.
- Affordable Housing Act, 2024 — Establishes the Housing Levy at 1.5% of gross pay for employees (with matching 1.5% from employers). The levy is tax-deductible from December 27, 2024 onwards, reducing your taxable income before PAYE calculation.
- Income Tax Act (Cap. 470) — Governs PAYE calculation, allowances treatment, and relief provisions in Kenya. Defines which allowances are taxable and which are exempt, affecting the gross salary needed to achieve target net pay.
- Last Verified: . We verify our calculations against official KRA, NSSF, and SHA publications. All rates and formulas are current for 2026 and match government regulations.
Real-World Salary Examples (2026)
See what gross salary you need to achieve common target net pay amounts in Kenya with 2026 rates
Net → Gross — FAQs
Common questions about reverse salary calculation.
We use iterative solving (binary search) to find the gross salary that, after all deductions (PAYE, NSSF, SHIF, Housing Levy), results in your target net pay. The algorithm converges to within KES 1 accuracy.
Use this when negotiating salary and you know your desired take-home pay, to determine what gross salary to request from your employer. It's essential for budgeting and comparing job offers.
Yes, it uses 2026 PAYE bands (10% to 35%), NSSF Tier I & II (6% with caps at KES 9,000 and 108,000), SHIF (2.75%), and Housing Levy (1.5%) rates to calculate the exact gross needed to achieve your target net.
Yes! Use the Advanced Options to add taxable allowances (which increase PAYE) and non-taxable allowances (which don't affect PAYE but still count toward NSSF, SHIF, and Housing Levy).
Enter your pension contribution in Advanced Options. Pension contributions reduce your taxable income, which means a lower PAYE, so you'll need a lower gross salary to hit your target net.
Yes, in Advanced Options you can uncheck any of these statutory deductions. This is useful for self-employed individuals or special employment categories that may be exempt from certain contributions.
Both work correctly. We compute using monthly bands then multiply by 12 for annual. Choose monthly if you're negotiating a monthly salary, or annual if you're discussing annual packages.
Yes! Personal relief (KES 2,400/month or KES 28,800/year) reduces your PAYE, which means you need a slightly lower gross salary to achieve the same target net pay.
Insurance premiums qualify for relief (15% of premium, max KES 5,000/month). Adding insurance in Advanced Options reduces your PAYE, lowering the gross salary needed to reach your target net.
Absolutely! After calculating, click "Copy share link" to generate a URL with all your inputs. Share it with your employer, HR, or financial advisor to discuss salary negotiations.
Differences occur due to employer-specific deductions not modeled here: union dues, cooperative contributions, loan repayments, or salary advances. The calculator shows statutory deductions only. Add other deductions manually to get your exact required gross.
The iterative solver converges to within KES 1 accuracy. It uses binary search to find the exact gross salary that produces your target net pay after all deductions. This is more accurate than simple formulas because it accounts for progressive tax bands correctly.
Yes, but toggle off NSSF, SHIF, and Housing Levy if you're not required to contribute as a contractor. Contract workers often negotiate higher gross rates to compensate for lack of benefits and statutory contributions.
Non-taxable allowances (like medical or housing up to certain limits) don't increase your PAYE but still count toward NSSF, SHIF, and Housing Levy calculations. They effectively increase your net pay without increasing your tax burden, so you need less gross salary.
There's no practical maximum. The calculator handles any salary amount using Kenya's progressive tax bands. For very high salaries (above KES 800,000/month), the top 35% PAYE rate applies, plus all statutory deductions at their respective caps.
Present the required gross salary to your employer with the breakdown showing all deductions. Explain that you need this gross amount to achieve your target take-home pay. Use the share link to show HR the exact calculation with official 2026 rates.
Yes! Since December 27, 2024, both SHIF and Housing Levy are tax-deductible. The calculator automatically reduces your taxable income by these amounts before computing PAYE, which lowers the gross salary needed to achieve your target net.
Yes, calculate different scenarios by adjusting allowances, pension contributions, or toggling deductions. Save each calculation's share link to compare multiple offers or negotiate different compensation structures with your employer.
Use our Gross-to-Net calculator instead. That tool calculates net pay from a given gross salary. This Net-to-Gross calculator is specifically for finding the required gross when you know your desired net pay.
We update rates immediately when KRA, NSSF, or SHA announce changes. Current rates are valid for 2026. Subscribe to our newsletter to get notified when 2027 rates are released, typically announced in Kenya's annual budget (June).