If you're a contractor, developer, or project manager in Kenya, one question dominates your pre-construction planning: "How much will it cost to hire the equipment I need?"
Whether you're breaking ground on a high-rise in Upper Hill, grading a road in Nakuru, or clearing bush in Laikipia, equipment rental costs can make or break your project budget. And in 2026, with Kenya's construction sector booming and equipment demand at an all-time high, knowing the real market rates isn't just helpful โ it's essential.
At Trust Partners Geo-Group Ltd, we operate one of Kenya's most diverse heavy equipment fleets, with machines working daily across Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, and beyond. This guide distills everything we've learned about 2026 rental pricing into one authoritative resource.
20 TON EXCAVATORS (bucket)
- KSH 4,500 - 5,000ย PER HOUR
- KSH 36,000 - 40,000 PER DAY
- KSH 936,000 - 1,040,000 PER MONTH
WITH ROCKBREAKER ATTACHMENT
- KSH 6,500 - 7,000 PER HOUR
- KSH 52,000ย - 56,000ย PER DAY
- KSH 1,352,000ย - 1,456,000ย PER MONTH
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: Hitachi zx 220
30 TON EXCAVATORS (bucket)
- KSH 7,000ย - 7,500ย PER HOUR
- KSH 56,000 - 60,000 PER DAY
- KSH 1,400,000 - 1,500,000 PER MONTH
WITH ROCKBREAKER ATTACHMENT
- KSH 7,500ย - 8,000ย PER HOUR
- KSH 60,000 - 64,000ย PER DAY
- KSH 1,560,000 - 1,664,000ย PER MONTH
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: DOOSAN DX 300
35 TON EXCAVATORS (bucket)ย
- KSH 7,000ย - 7,500ย PER HOUR
- KSH 56,000 - 60,000 PER DAY
- KSH 1,400,000 - 1,500,000 PER MONTH
WITH ROCKBREAKER ATTACHMENT
- KSH 7,500 - 8,000 PER HOUR
- KSH 60,000 - 64,000 PER DAY
- KSH 1,560,00 - 1,664,000 PER MONTH
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: HYUNDAI HXย 330
18 TON TATA TIPPERSย
- KSH 14,000ย -15,000ย PER DAY
- KSH 364,000ย - 390,000 PER MONTH
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: TATA LPK 2518
3 TON WHEELLOADERS
- KSH 3,500ย - 4,000ย PER HOUR
- KSH 28,000 - 32,000 PER DAY
- KSH 728,000 - 832,000 PER MONTH
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: SDLGย 936
5-7 TON WHEELLOADERS
- KSH 4,500ย - 5,500ย PER HOUR
- KSH 36,000 - 44,000 PER DAY
- KSH 936,000 - 1,144,000 PER MONTH
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: SDLGย 959
GRADERS
- KSH 5,000ย - 6,000ย PER HOUR
- KSH 40,000 - 48,000 PER DAY
- KSH 1,040,000 - 1,248,000 PER MONTH
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: CAT 140 H / G
37 TON BULLDOZERS
- KSH 8,500ย - 9,500ย PER HOUR
- KSH 68,000ย - 76,000 PER DAY
- KSH 1,768,000 - 1,976,000 PER MONTH
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: CAT D8
25 TON BULLDOZERS
- KSH 6,500ย - 7,500ย PER HOUR
- KSH 52,000ย - 60,000 PER DAY
- KSH 1,352,000 - 1,560,000 PER MONTH
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: CAT D8
20 TON SINGLE DRUM ROLLER
- KSH 25,000ย - 30,000ย PER DAY
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: CASE SV207Eย
15 TON SINGLE DRUM ROLLER
- KSH 20,000ย - 25,000ย PER DAY
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: ESCORTS
PADFOOT/SHEEPFOOT ROLER
- KSH 25,000ย PER DAY
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: SDLG
10,000 LITERS WATER BOWSER
- KSH 15,000ย PER DAY
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: ISUZUย
ASPHALT PAVERS
- KSH 50,000ย PER DAY
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: BLAW KNOX BK95 or equivalent
PTR (PNEUMATIC TYRE ROLLERS) - 18T to 25T
- KSH 40,000ย - 50,000 PER DAY
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: SPR-260C-B, DYNAPAC CP201, S YL25C or equivalent
DOUBLE DRUM ROLLERS - 10T to 20T
- KSH 10,000ย - 35,000 PER DAY
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: DYNAPAC, ESCORTS, HAMM or equivalent
BITUMEN DISTRIBUTOR - 8,000- 10,000 LITERS
- KSH 40,000ย - 50,000ย PER DAY
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: HOWO 4*2, 6*2ย
CHIP SPREADER 3-4 METERS WIDTH
- KSH 40,000ย - 50,000ย PER DAY
Total price exclusive of VAT, FUEL AND TRANSPORT
BRAND: PHOENIXย
TOWER CRANES FOR HIREย
- KSH 800,000 - 850,000ย PER MONTH
Total price exclusive of VAT, TRANSPORT AND INSTALATION
BRAND: ZOOMLION, LIEBHERRย
Rates are estimates based on January 2026 market data and may vary by location, equipment condition, operator inclusion, and seasonal demand.
1. ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ (22๐ - 35๐)
Excavators are the workhorses of Kenyan construction. From basement digs in Kilimani to trenching in Industrial Area, they're indispensable.
๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐?The 22T is ideal for standard residential basements and utility trenches. The 30T is your go-to for bulk excavation, deep basements exceeding 15 metres, and rocky terrain in areas like Athi River or Ruiru where you need the extra breakout force.
2. ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ณ๐๐ซ๐ฌ (๐6 & ๐8)
Bulldozers dominate site preparation, land clearing, and rough grading โ especially on large plots in Karen, Syokimau, or agricultural developments.
D6 vs. D8: The D6 handles standard bush clearing and light grading. The D8 is built for heavy earthmoving, ripping through cotton soil in Parklands, or pushing massive volumes on dam embankment projects. The 33% price premium for the D8 is justified when productivity matters more than hourly cost.
3. ๐๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ
Graders are essential for road construction, finishing, and precision grading.
Graders are typically billed hourly because road work is measured in linear metres and surface area, not time blocks. For a 5-kilometre murram road in Bomet or Vihiga, expect 40โ60 hours of grading time depending on terrain.
4. ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ
Wheel loaders (shovels) handle material handling, loading tippers, and site cleanup.
At KSh 3,000/hour, wheel loaders are among the most cost-effective machines for high-volume, repetitive tasks. A single loader can keep 3โ4 tippers cycling continuously on a busy excavation site.ย
5. ๐๐๐๐ค๐ก๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ
Backhoes are the Swiss Army knives of construction โ digging, loading, trenching, and light demolition in one machine.
Backhoes excel on smaller sites where space is tight โ think residential plots in Lavington or Kileleshwa where a full-size excavator can't maneuver. The dual functionality (front loader + rear excavator) saves you from hiring two machines.ย
6. ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ & ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ค๐ฌ
Moving spoil is where your excavation budget lives or dies.
๐ช๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐:ย On bulk excavation projects, negotiate a "per-trip" rate instead of daily hire. In Nairobi, a 20-tonne tipper making 4โ5 trips per day to a licensed dumping site costs roughly KSh 4,000โ5,000 per trip including fuel. Daily hire only makes sense if you're moving less than 3 trips per day
7. ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฌ
Compaction is non-negotiable for road bases, backfill, and embankments.
Rollers are almost always hired daily or weekly because compaction work happens in concentrated phases. A typical road project needs 3โ5 days of compaction after grading and before paving.
8. ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ
Asphalt and concrete pavers are specialized machines with limited rental availability.
Pavers command premium rates because:
- Fewer rental companies stock them
- They require skilled operators
- Downtime is expensive โ a paver sitting idle costs KSh 40,000+ per day in lost productivity
For road resurfacing projects in Nairobi or Mombasa, book pavers 2โ3 weeks in advance during peak season (JanuaryโMarch and SeptemberโNovember).
9. ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ
Tower cranes are the most expensive equipment to rentย and the most project-specific.
ย 25-Tonne Tower Crane: KSh 1,100,000+ per project (typically 3โ12 month contracts)
Unlike other equipment, tower cranes aren't billed as a monthlyย project package that includes:
- Delivery and installation
- Foundation anchoring
- Certified operator
- Monthly maintenance
- Dismantling at project completion
For a 15-storey building in Upper Hill requiring 8 months of crane time, expect KSh 8,000,000โ12,000,000 total. The key variable is height โ taller buildings need larger cranes with longer jibs, which increases both rental and installation costs.
Understanding why quotes vary helps you negotiate smarter. Here are the five forces shaping 2026 rental rates in Kenya:
1. ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฏ๐ฌ. ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ
Nairobi, Mombasa, and Nakuru have the most rental competition, which keeps prices competitive. In counties like Garissa, Laikipia, or parts of Bomet, fewer operators create regional monopolies -ย expect 15โ30% premiums.
2. ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Longer commitments = lower daily rates. Here's the typical discount structure:
- Daily hire: 100% of base rate
- Weekly hire: ~85% of daily rate (15% discount)
- Monthly hire: ~65% of daily rate (35% discount)
A KSh 48,000/day excavator drops to roughly KSh 31,600/day on a monthly contract.
3. ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ & ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
- Brand new (0โ500 hours): +20โ30% premium
- Well-maintained (500โ3,000 hours): Base rate
- Older fleet (3,000+ hours): -15โ25% discount
The sweet spot is well-maintained machines from reputable brands (CAT, Komatsu, JCB, SDLG) โ they balance reliability and cost.
4. ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Most Kenyan rental companies bundle operators. "Dry hire" (machine only) saves KSh 2,000โ3,000/hour but shifts liability to you. For high-risk work like deep excavation or tower crane operation, always use the rental company's certified operator.
5. ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ & ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ
- Transport: KSh 15,000โ50,000 per machine depending on distance from depot
- Fuel: Usually your responsibility. A 35+T excavator burns 25โ35 litres/hour. At KSh 230/litre, that's KSh 5,750โ8,330/hour in fuel alone โ more than the machine rental itself on some contracts.
1. ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
Peak construction seasons (JanuaryโMarch, JuneโOctober) see 20โ40% price spikes. Book 4โ6 weeks ahead to lock in base rates.
2. ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
If you need an excavator, tipper, and compactor for the same project, negotiate a package deal. Most companies offer 10โ15% discounts on bundled hires.
3. ๐ต๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
A 6-month basement excavation in Kilimani should be on a monthly rate, not daily. The savings compound quickly.
4. ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐
You're paying for every hour the machine sits idle. Coordinate your site logistics so the operator has continuous work โ tipper queues, material delays, and permit holdups are expensive.
5. ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ท๐๐-๐ถ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ต๐๐๐ ๐
If you rent the same machine type for 8+ months per year, buying pre-owned may be cheaper. A used 22T excavator costs KSh 10Mโ13M roughly 8 โ 15 months of rental. We offer both rental and sales with flexible financing. โ
At Trust Partners Geo-Group Ltd, we don't just rent machinesย we deliver project-ready solutions:
โ Nationwide Fleet: Excavators, bulldozers, graders, wheel loaders, backhoes, tippers, compactors, pavers, and tower cranes โ all available for hire or purchase
โ Certified Operators: Every machine comes with trained, safety-certified operators
โ Flexible Terms: Daily, weekly, monthly, or project-based contracts
โ New & Pre-Owned Sales: With financing options and warranty coverage
โ 24/7 Support: Breakdown response across Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, and beyond
๐ Call/WhatsApp: +254 718 68 69 67
๐ง Email: info@trustpartnergeogroupltd.org
๐ Website: www.trustpartnergeogroupltd.org
๐ค: ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ?
A: Some companies allow dry hire, but most include operators for liability reasons. We offer both options with clear liability terms.
๐ค: ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ?
A: Typically no. Most rental agreements hold the lessee responsible for damage caused by operator error, site conditions, or theft. We recommend construction all-risk insurance.
๐ค: ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐'๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ผ๐ฑ?
A: Monthly contracts offer the lowest effective daily rate. For short jobs under 3 days, hourly billing is usually most economical.
๐ค: ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ?
A: Usually not. Transport costs KSh 15,000โ50,000 depending on distance. Some companies like ours offer free delivery within Nairobi for monthly contracts.
๐ค: ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ถ?
A: Yes. We operate nationwideย from Mombasa to Kisumu, Nakuru to Garissa. Transport costs apply based on distance from our nearest depot.
This guide synthesizes market data from multiple authoritative sources including Construction Kenya's 2026 equipment hire rate survey and our own fleet pricing data from active projects across Kenya.ย
