Construction cost guide
Cost of building a 2-bedroom house in Kenya
The short answer: the cost of building a 2-bedroom house in Kenya depends on the floor area and the specification. This site already publishes three totals, and they are not the same house.
A basic 2-bedroom bungalow is described as starting from around KSh 2 million. A modern bungalow of about 75 m² is stated at KES 3.2 million to 4.8 million for construction only. A 2-bedroom flat-roof bungalow of 80–100 m² is stated at KSh 2.5 million to 3.8 million for standard finishes.
Which 2-bedroom costs are already published?
These totals come from other Aalis Studios guides. They are planning figures, not a quotation for your plot.
| What the guide describes | Size | Published total | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-bedroom bungalow, basic specification | Not stated as a single area | Starts from around KSh 2 million | Cost of building a house in Kenya |
| 2-bedroom modern bungalow | About 75 m², within a 70–80 m² band | KES 3.2 million to 4.8 million, construction only. The same page says the build starts at KES 3.2 million | Modern house designs in Kenya |
| 2-bedroom flat-roof bungalow, standard finishes | 80–100 m² | KSh 2.5 million to 3.8 million | Flat roof house designs in Kenya |
| Basic construction that can fit 2 bedrooms | About 60–75 m² | About KSh 3 million, described as a stretch | Cost of a 3-bedroom house in Kenya |
The low-cost flat-roof guide describes a smaller house again: 2 bedrooms, open-plan living and kitchen, one bathroom, at 60–80 m². That page does not give this plan its own total. Read it at low-cost flat roof house design.
How do the 2026 per-square-metre rates apply?
The construction cost per square metre in Kenya guide, updated for 2026, gives these residential bands:
- Basic: KSh 50,000–65,000 per m²
- Standard: KSh 65,000–90,000 per m²
- Premium: KSh 90,000–120,000 per m²
The table below multiplies those bands by the floor areas already used for a 2-bedroom bungalow on this site: 70, 75 and 80 m². It is arithmetic, so you can check it. It is not a new price list, and it is not a contractor’s tender.
| Floor area | Basic, KSh 50,000–65,000 | Standard, KSh 65,000–90,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 70 m² | KSh 3.50 million – 4.55 million | KSh 4.55 million – 6.30 million |
| 75 m² | KSh 3.75 million – 4.875 million | KSh 4.875 million – 6.75 million |
| 80 m² | KSh 4.00 million – 5.20 million | KSh 5.20 million – 7.20 million |
One check: 75 × 50,000 = 3,750,000, and 75 × 65,000 = 4,875,000. The modern house guide’s published band of KES 3.2–4.8 million for about 75 m² sits at the lower end of that basic arithmetic. The “from around KSh 2 million” figure, and the flat-roof total of KSh 2.5–3.8 million, sit below it. They describe a simpler specification than the 2026 basic band of KSh 50,000 per m². Use the band that matches the house you actually want, and ask for a bill of quantities before you treat any of them as a budget.
Premium rates of KSh 90,000–120,000 per m² on 75 m² would be KSh 6.75 million to 9.00 million. That is the same rate band the per-square-metre guide uses for premium residential work. Most 2-bedroom briefs on this site are described at basic or standard specification, not premium.
How big is a 2-bedroom house?
On this site, a 2-bedroom house is a small single-storey bungalow, not a reduced 3-bedroom plan.
- The low-cost flat-roof guide: 2 bedrooms, open-plan living and kitchen, one bathroom, 60–80 m². It can be a starter home, a rental, a staff cottage, or a house planned so a third bedroom can be added later.
- The modern house guide: 70–80 m², with a master ensuite and open-plan living. It also mentions an optional servant’s quarter.
- The house plans page describes a compact 2-bedroom bungalow, The Kiambu, with a master ensuite, open-plan living, a covered veranda and a solar-ready roof, drawn for a 40 by 80 plot. That is a design in the plan library, and the page prices the drawings separately from the build.
Two bedrooms means two sleeping rooms. A plan with an ensuite and a second bedroom is a different brief from a plan with one shared bathroom. The floor area has to be measured from the drawings, not assumed from the bedroom count.
What plot does it fit?
The modern house designs guide says a compact 2-bedroom bungalow fits on a 40 by 80 plot. It gives typical county setbacks of 3 metres at the front, 1.5 metres at the sides and 3 metres at the rear. A 3-bedroom bungalow with a servant’s quarter is described on that page as needing a 50 by 100 plot, so a 40 by 80 plot is the size that guide gives for the compact 2-bedroom plan.
Bungalow house plans in Kenya and house plans in Kenya show how the plan is set out. If the next step is a third bedroom, say so before the foundations are designed. The house extension and renovation guide covers adding space later.
What about a 2-bedroom house in rural Kenya?
There is no separate rural total for a 2-bedroom house on this site. Location changes the rate in two directions, and both are already written down.
- The 2026 per-square-metre guide uses Nairobi as the baseline. It says Kisumu and Nakuru are typically 5–10% cheaper, Mombasa adds about 5–10%, and a remote site can add 15–25% because materials and skilled labour have to travel.
- The 3-bedroom cost guide discusses rural builds at more length: lower labour in many counties, and extra haulage when the site is far from a hardware town. Its rural section is about a 3-bedroom bungalow. A 2-bedroom house follows the same logic, at a smaller floor area.
“Rural” is not one price. A house near a market town and a house on a remote plot should not be budgeted as the same job. The 3-bedroom guide is the place to read that distinction. The queries for a 3-bedroom house in rural Kenya belong on that page, which is the guide written for them.
Can KSh 3 million build it?
The 3-bedroom guide answers a related question directly. It says a fully finished permanent 3-bedroom house is very unlikely at KSh 3 million, and that KSh 3 million covers about 60–75 m² of basic construction, which can deliver 2 bedrooms at a stretch. Its advice, if KSh 3 million is the whole budget, is to start with a 2-bedroom house designed so it can be extended.
That is a different house from the modern bungalow stated at KES 3.2–4.8 million. KSh 3 million can be a basic compact plan. It is not the top of the modern-bungalow band, and it is not a 3-bedroom house. If the house must grow, the structure and the plan have to allow the next room from the first drawings. Read how to build a house in phases before you commit the foundation to a one-room-deep plan.
What does the construction figure leave out?
The modern house guide says its construction figures exclude land, and that you should add 15–20% for professional fees, county approvals, external works and contingency. The same exclusion applies here.
- Land is not in any of the totals above.
- Professional fees and county approval sit outside the per-square-metre construction rate.
- External works such as a septic tank, driveway, fence, gate and connection to water and power are outside the floor-area rate unless a bill of quantities includes them.
- A servant’s quarter, a carport, or a later third bedroom are extra to the 2-bedroom floor area.
This page does not scale the 3-bedroom cement, sand or mabati quantities down to a 2-bedroom house. Those quantities belong to a measured bill. The quantities are set out on the materials for a 3-bedroom house page, taken from the 3-bedroom cost guide. For a draft bill from your own areas, use the BOQ generator, then have it checked against drawings.
What do the drawings cost?
The house plans page prices architectural drawings at 3% of the estimated construction cost, for the drawings only. Its published example is a 2-bedroom starter estimated at KES 3.2 million, which comes to approximately KES 96,000. A different build estimate changes that fee, because the percentage is applied to the estimate.
If you are not ready to commission drawings, the architect consultation page publishes a free 10-minute fit call, and a Project Exploration Session from KES 20,000 for one hour. The session fee is credited against design fees if you proceed within 90 days. VAT is excluded.
Which cost guide should I read next?
- Cost of building a house in Kenya, for the full range of house types.
- Construction cost per square metre in Kenya, for the 2026 rates used above.
- Cost of building a 3-bedroom house in Kenya, including the rural section.
- Cost of a 3-bedroom bungalow and cost of building a bungalow.
- Cost of a 4-bedroom maisonette, if the brief is larger than two bedrooms.
- 3-bedroom house plans, if you are comparing a two-bedroom start with a three-bedroom plan.
A 2-bedroom total is only as good as the drawings it is measured from. Bring the plot size, the slope, and whether you need a third bedroom later.
Questions about a 2-bedroom house
How much does it cost to build a 2 bedroom house in Kenya?
Aalis Studios has published three different figures, because they describe different houses. The cost of building a house guide says a well-designed 2-bedroom bungalow starts from around KSh 2 million at basic specification. The modern house designs guide states a 2-bedroom modern bungalow of about 75 square metres at KES 3.2 million to 4.8 million for construction only. The flat roof house designs guide states a 2-bedroom flat-roof bungalow of 80 to 100 square metres at KSh 2.5 million to 3.8 million for standard finishes. Applying the 2026 basic rate of KSh 50,000 to 65,000 per square metre to 75 square metres gives KSh 3.75 million to 4.875 million.
How much does a 2 bedroom house cost in rural Kenya?
This site does not publish a single rural total for a 2-bedroom house. The 2026 per-square-metre guide uses Nairobi as the baseline, says Nakuru and Kisumu are typically 5 to 10 percent cheaper, and says a remote site can add 15 to 25 percent for transport. The 3-bedroom cost guide discusses rural builds in more detail, including lower labour rates and extra haulage. A 2-bedroom house follows the same pattern.
Can I build a 2 bedroom house in Kenya for KSh 3 million?
The 3-bedroom cost guide says KSh 3 million covers about 60 to 75 square metres of basic construction, which can deliver 2 bedrooms at a stretch, and recommends designing that house so it can be extended later. The same site's modern-bungalow figure for about 75 square metres is KES 3.2 million to 4.8 million. KSh 3 million is a basic, compact house, not the modern bungalow at the top of that band.
What size is a 2 bedroom house in Kenya?
Published sizes on this site are 60 to 80 square metres for a low-cost 2-bedroom flat-roof house, about 70 to 80 square metres for a modern 2-bedroom bungalow, and 80 to 100 square metres for the 2-bedroom flat-roof bungalow in the flat roof cost table. A compact plan described on the house plans page has a master bedroom with an ensuite, open-plan living and a covered veranda.
What plot does a 2 bedroom bungalow need?
The modern house designs guide says a compact 2-bedroom bungalow fits on a 40 by 80 plot, after county setbacks. It states typical setbacks of 3 metres at the front, 1.5 metres at the sides and 3 metres at the rear.
How much do the drawings for a 2 bedroom house cost?
The house plans page prices architectural drawings at 3 percent of the estimated construction cost. Its published example is a 2-bedroom starter estimated at KES 3.2 million, which is approximately KES 96,000 for the drawings only. A free 10-minute fit call and a Project Exploration Session from KES 20,000 are published on the consultation page. The session fee is credited against design fees if you proceed within 90 days, and VAT is excluded.