The unit mix for rental apartments in Kenya – how many studios, bedsitters, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units you put in the block – is one of the biggest decisions an investor makes. It is fixed once the structure goes up, and it decides who your tenants are, how quickly the units fill, how often tenants move out and how much rent the building earns every month.

Many stalled or half-empty blocks have a good structure and a poor mix: too many large units in a student area, or only bedsitters where young families are looking for two bedrooms. This guide shows you how to choose the mix before you commission drawings. It builds on our apartment construction in Kenya beginner guide.

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What “unit mix” means and why it matters

Unit mix is the combination of unit types in one building. A 12-unit block could be twelve 1-bedroom units, or six studios plus six 2-bedroom units, or any other combination. The same floor area can be divided in very different ways, and each choice changes:

• Total rent – smaller units usually earn more rent per square metre, but they also cost more per square metre to build because every unit needs its own kitchen, bathroom, door and meters.
• Occupancy – a mix that matches local demand fills faster and stays full.
• Tenant turnover – students and single workers move more often than families, which means more vacancy gaps and repainting between tenancies.
• Management effort – more units mean more rent collection, more repairs and more water and electricity accounts to manage.
• Approvals and services – the number of units affects parking, water storage, sewer or septic sizing and, for larger projects, environmental requirements. NEMA issues the environmental licences and permits that bigger developments may need, so check early with your consultant.

The main unit types and who rents them

Unit type	Typical tenants	Strengths	Watch out for
Bedsitter / studio	Students, young single workers	Highest number of units per floor; quick to let near colleges and busy towns	Higher turnover; more kitchens and bathrooms per m²
1-bedroom	Young professionals, couples	Steady demand in most towns; tenants stay longer than in studios	Must be well laid out – a cramped 1BR competes badly with a good studio
2-bedroom	Small families, sharers	Long tenancies; strong demand near schools and estates	Fewer units per floor; rent must justify the extra space
3-bedroom	Larger families, mid-market	Very stable tenants	Smaller tenant pool in many towns; slower to let

For design ideas for the smallest units, see our guides to bedsitter designs that maximise space and 1-bedroom apartment plans in Kenya.

How to choose the right unit mix for rental apartments in Kenya: 6 steps

1. Study who lives within walking distance. Within about one kilometre, what is near your plot – a university or college, factories, offices, a hospital, primary schools, a bus stage? Students point to studios; schools and estates point to 2-bedroom units.
2. Count what is already there and what is empty. Walk the area. Ask caretakers which unit types have vacancies and which have waiting lists. Note the asking rents for each type. This free fieldwork is the most valuable data you will collect.
3. Check what the plot and approvals allow. Plot size, plot ratio, ground coverage, parking and the number of floors the county will approve set the total floor area. The unit mix divides that area.
4. Test two or three mixes on paper. For each option, list the number of units, the estimated rent per unit (from your fieldwork) and the total monthly rent. Then apply a realistic occupancy rate rather than assuming 100%.
5. Compare against build cost. More units means more plumbing, electrical points, doors, kitchen fittings and meters. Your quantity surveyor can price each option from the drawings so you compare net returns, not just gross rent.
6. Keep some flexibility. A layout where two studios can later be joined into a 2-bedroom (or a 2BR split into two units) protects you if demand shifts.

These steps form part of a wider check of whether a project will pay. Our apartment feasibility study guide walks through the full process, including financing and timelines.

An illustrative example: one floor, three ways

Imagine a floor with about 150 m² of lettable space after stairs and corridors. Purely as an illustration of how the same area divides:

• All studios: 5 units of about 30 m² each (5 × 30 = 150 m²).
• All 1-bedroom: 3 units of about 50 m² each (3 × 50 = 150 m²).
• All 2-bedroom: 2 units of about 75 m² each (2 × 75 = 150 m²).

Multiply each option by the rents you found in your fieldwork and by a realistic occupancy rate, and the better choice for your location usually becomes clear. Many successful blocks end up with a blend – for example, studios and 1-bedroom units on the upper floors and 2-bedroom units lower down for families who prefer fewer stairs.

What the building itself costs (2026 indicative)

Whatever the mix, the starting point for budgeting is the total floor area. Integrum’s 2025 construction cost rates (updated October 2026) put a standard low-rise apartment block at about KSh 61,610 per m² in Nairobi and KSh 66,510 per m² in Western and Nyanza. A block with 600 m² of total floor area would therefore cost roughly KSh 36,966,000 in Nairobi or KSh 39,906,000 in Western and Nyanza at those indicative rates, before land, approvals, external works and fees. A mix with many small units will usually sit towards the higher end once fittings are priced. For a full breakdown, see our guide to the cost of building apartments in Kenya.

Watch: a 12-unit apartment with a mix of 1BR and 2BR

If you want a ready layout to start from, our apartment plan for 1 and 2 bedroom units shows how a mixed block can be arranged, and the rental apartment house plans with 2BR and 1BR units offer another option. Either can be adapted to your plot.

Common unit-mix mistakes

• Copying the block next door. If the neighbour already has 40 bedsitters with vacancies, adding 40 more is a risk. Fill the gap instead.
• Designing for your own taste. You are not the tenant. Large master en-suites and big balconies may not earn extra rent in your area.
• Ignoring parking and water. More units mean more cars and higher water demand. Tenants leave buildings with chronic water shortages.
• Fixing the mix after the structure is up. Changing unit layouts once columns, beams and plumbing stacks are built is expensive. Decide at the drawing stage.
• Assuming full occupancy. Always test your returns at a lower occupancy rate to see if the loan or the investment still works.

Questions to ask your designer or contractor

• How many units of each type can this plot hold within the county’s rules?
• Can you price two different mixes so I can compare cost per unit?
• Where are the plumbing stacks, and can units be combined or split later?
• How will water storage, parking and waste handling work for this number of units?
• If I need a bank loan, will the lender’s valuer accept this mix? (Our property valuation in Kenya guide explains how valuers look at a project.)