Popular content creator Laura Mbatha has sparked debate online after criticizing the high cost of rent in Nairobi, comparing some of the city’s apartments to “foreign jail cells.”
In a viral post, Mbatha questioned why many Nairobi residents pay exorbitant amounts — sometimes as high as KSh 70,000 per month — for small, poorly designed houses that offer little comfort or space.
“These houses look like foreign jail cells, yet people are paying up to seventy thousand shillings for them,” she remarked, sparking widespread reactions from netizens.
Many Kenyans quickly agreed with her sentiments, sharing their own frustrations about skyrocketing rent prices, especially in popular estates such as Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Westlands, and Parklands. Others noted that the situation is even worse in upcoming areas where new apartments are built closer together with minimal natural light or ventilation.
Housing experts say Nairobi’s rent crisis has been fueled by a growing population, limited land, and rising construction costs. Despite the government’s promise of affordable housing projects, many middle-class Kenyans continue to struggle with high monthly rent that consumes a large portion of their income.
Some online users applauded Laura Mbatha for speaking out about an issue affecting millions of city dwellers, while others argued that comfort comes at a cost and that tenants should move further from the city center if they want cheaper options.
The debate has once again highlighted the widening gap between the cost of living and average earnings in Nairobi, where a decent one-bedroom apartment can cost more than what many Kenyans earn in a month.
As conversations on social media continue, Laura Mbatha’s remarks have opened an important discussion about urban planning, rent regulation, and the true meaning of “affordable housing” in Kenya’s capital.
