Digital Marketing Prices in Kenya (2026 Rate Card): What Every Service Really Costs
In 2026, digital marketing in Kenya costs KES 30,000 to 60,000 a month for a basic single-channel service, KES 60,000 to 150,000 for a managed multi-channel retainer, and KES 150,000 to 400,000 or more for a full-service growth programme. Ad spend, VAT and one-off website or branding work are billed separately.
Ask five Nairobi agencies what digital marketing costs and you will get five numbers that are impossible to compare. One quotes KES 25,000 for "social media", another KES 120,000, and neither tells you how many posts, which platforms, or whether ad spend is inside the figure.
This is the rate card we wish existed when Kenyan business owners started asking us for prices. It covers every major service, what you get at each budget level in 2026, and the extras that turn a cheap quote into an expensive year.
Why do digital marketing prices in Kenya vary so much?
Three things drive almost every difference you will see between quotes:
- Who does the work. A freelancer working alone, a junior team supervised by an account manager, and a senior strategist with a production crew all call themselves "digital marketing". Their output is not the same product.
- Whether strategy is included. Cheap packages post content. Proper retainers decide what to post, for whom, and how it turns into enquiries. The strategy is usually the part that makes money.
- Whether anything is measured. If the quote does not mention tracking, reporting or lead follow-up, you are paying for activity, not results.
Digital marketing price list for Kenya (2026)
These are realistic monthly ranges from Nairobi agencies and senior freelancers in 2026. They exclude 16% VAT and exclude ad spend, which you should always pay directly to Meta, Google or TikTok.
| Service | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social media management (per month) | KES 25,000 – 45,000 | KES 50,000 – 100,000 | KES 120,000 – 250,000 |
| SEO and AI search (per month) | KES 30,000 – 50,000 | KES 60,000 – 120,000 | KES 150,000 – 300,000 |
| Google Ads management (per month) | KES 20,000 – 40,000 | KES 45,000 – 90,000 | 10–20% of ad spend |
| Meta and TikTok ads management (per month) | KES 20,000 – 40,000 | KES 45,000 – 90,000 | 10–20% of ad spend |
| Email and SMS marketing (per month) | KES 15,000 – 30,000 | KES 35,000 – 60,000 | KES 70,000+ |
| Content writing (per 1,200-word article) | KES 4,000 – 8,000 | KES 10,000 – 20,000 | KES 25,000 – 40,000 |
| Business website (one-off) | KES 35,000 – 80,000 | KES 80,000 – 250,000 | KES 300,000 – 900,000 |
| E-commerce website with M-Pesa (one-off) | KES 80,000 – 150,000 | KES 150,000 – 450,000 | KES 500,000+ |
| Photo or video shoot (per day) | KES 20,000 – 35,000 | KES 35,000 – 90,000 | KES 100,000 – 350,000 |
| Brand identity (one-off) | KES 30,000 – 80,000 | KES 80,000 – 250,000 | KES 250,000 – 1,500,000 |
If a quote sits far below the basic column, ask what has been removed. It is usually strategy, original photography, or anyone senior looking at your account.
What does each budget level actually buy?
KES 30,000 – 60,000 a month: one channel done properly
At this level, pick one channel and do it well. That might be 12 to 16 designed posts a month on two platforms with basic community management, or a focused SEO retainer on a small site. It will not cover content, ads, SEO and reporting together. Agencies that promise all four at this price are spreading one junior person very thin.
KES 60,000 – 150,000 a month: a managed growth retainer
This is where most serious Kenyan SMEs land. Expect a content calendar with original short-form video, paid campaigns on one or two platforms, monthly SEO work, and a report that shows enquiries, not just likes. You should also get a named account lead who knows your business.
KES 150,000 – 400,000+ a month: a full-service programme
Multi-platform content with regular shoot days, Google and Meta campaigns run together, ongoing SEO and AI search optimisation, landing pages for each offer, and lead tracking from first click to paid invoice. This is what growing brands, real estate developers and multi-branch businesses need.
The hidden costs most quotes leave out
- Ad spend. Management fees and ad spend are different things. A KES 50,000 "ads package" that includes spend leaves very little for the platforms.
- VAT on ads. Meta and Google add 16% VAT to Kenyan ad accounts, so a KES 100,000 budget costs KES 116,000.
- Shoot days. Retainers often assume you supply photos and video. Original production is usually extra.
- Software. Scheduling tools, email platforms, premium plugins and hosting add KES 3,000 to 20,000 a month.
- Setup fees. Account audits, pixel and analytics setup, and landing pages are commonly billed once at KES 15,000 to 60,000.
How to compare two digital marketing quotes
- Put both quotes into the same table: deliverables per month, platforms, who does the work, and what is reported.
- Ask for the cost per deliverable. KES 60,000 for 30 low-effort graphics is more expensive than KES 80,000 for 8 videos that sell.
- Check ownership. You should own your ad accounts, website, domain, content and data.
- Ask what happens in month one. A good agency spends it on strategy, tracking and foundations.
- Ask how they will measure success in shillings, not followers. Our guide to digital marketing KPIs for Kenyan CEOs lists the numbers worth tracking.
Is it cheaper to hire in-house?
A capable digital marketer in Nairobi costs KES 60,000 to 150,000 a month in salary before statutory deductions, tools and training, and one person rarely shoots, edits, writes, runs ads and does SEO equally well. For most SMEs below about KES 50 million in revenue, an agency retainer is cheaper per skill. We break the numbers down in in-house marketer vs agency in Kenya.
What Nimus charges
Nimus Creatives publishes starting prices so you can plan before you call. Branding starts from KES 50,000, conversion websites from KES 80,000, shoot days from KES 35,000, content and paid ads from KES 40,000 a month, and social media and website management from KES 30,000 a month. Our full packages are on the pricing page, and every client gets an exact written quote after a free call. The difference is what sits behind the price: every website, post and ad is connected to a lead system, so you see enquiries in shillings, not likes. That is what we mean by a sales engine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does digital marketing cost per month in Kenya?
Most Kenyan SMEs spend KES 40,000 to 250,000 a month on digital marketing services in 2026, excluding ad spend and VAT. Basic single-channel packages start around KES 25,000 to 45,000, while full-service programmes with video production, ads and SEO run from KES 150,000 a month upward.
How much should a small business in Kenya spend on ads?
A practical starting ad budget for a Kenyan small business is KES 20,000 to 60,000 a month on one platform, plus 16% VAT. Below KES 15,000 a month, platforms have too little data to optimise, so results are inconsistent. Scale the budget only after you can track cost per enquiry.
Do Kenyan agencies charge VAT on digital marketing?
VAT-registered agencies in Kenya charge 16% VAT on their fees and must issue eTIMS-compliant invoices. Meta and Google also add 16% VAT to ad spend billed to Kenyan accounts. Always ask whether a quote is inclusive or exclusive of VAT.
Why are some digital marketing packages in Kenya so cheap?
Very cheap packages usually remove strategy, original photography and video, senior oversight and reporting. They post content on schedule but rarely connect it to enquiries. If a package costs less than KES 20,000 a month for several platforms, ask exactly who does the work and how results are measured.
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