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Principal Software Engineer salary in Kenya

Average Yearly Salary of Principal Software Engineer in Kenya is approximately 2,680,513 KES (16,961 USD). Data is for 2025 and indicates a pre-tax value. The salary itself depends on multiple factors such as seniority, job performance, certifications, experience or any other bonuses. The value indicated is an average amount based on records we have in database. Real values may vary. The data is for orientational purposes.

What does Principal Software Engineer do?

occupation personasThe occupation of a Principal Software Engineer involves leading and managing the development of software systems. They are responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining complex software solutions. This role requires strong technical expertise and leadership skills to guide a team of software engineers. Principal Software Engineers also collaborate with other stakeholders such as product managers and designers to understand requirements and ensure that the software meets the desired specifications. They are responsible for making critical decisions related to architecture, scalability, and performance optimization. Additionally, they stay updated with the latest technologies and industry trends to continuously improve the software development process. Overall, a Principal Software Engineer plays a crucial role in driving innovation, ensuring code quality, and delivering high-quality software products to meet business objectives.

Skills: Principal Software Engineer, Software Development, Technical Leadership, Software Architecture, Team Management, Software Solutions
Job industry: Technology


How much does Principal Software Engineer make?

Salary details
How much does Principal Software Engineer make?
Estimated Yearly Salary: 2,680,513 KES
Estimated Monthly Salary: 223,376 KES
Estimated Weekly Salary: 51,548 KES per week
Estimated Hourly Salary: 1,289 KES per hour
Values are pre-tax
Last revision of data: 2025-01-04

Comparing salary to last year:
Estimated Yearly Salary: 2,583,300 KES
Estimated Monthly Salary: 215,275 KES
Estimated Weekly Salary: 49,679 KES per week
Estimated Hourly Salary: 1,242 KES per hour
Last revision of data: 2024-01-03



Principal Software Engineer estimated salary in USD
For easier comparison here is an estimated salary in USD:
Estimated Yearly Salary: 16,961 USD
Estimated Monthly Salary: 1,413 USD
Estimated Weekly Salary: 326 USD per week
Estimated Hourly Salary: 8 USD per hour


Difference in salary year over year or average salary increase is approximately up arrow 4 %

About these results Data confidence is - relatively high
Data fetched from dabase: 14 submissions.
Results are anonymized. Amounts indicated are pre-tax, meaning no deductionts yet have been made to the basic salary. Salaries where there are less than 3 entries are not displayed.

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Salary comparison to National average

Kenya is a country located in East Africa. It has a diverse population of approximately 53 million people. The land area of Kenya is around 580,367 square kilometers, making it the 48th largest country in the world. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the northeast, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and South Sudan to the northwest.

Estimated national average yearly salary is 869,520 KES (6,000 USD). Value indicated is pre-tax. Below graph shows estimated Principal Software Engineer job salary compared to average salary in Kenya.
Comparison shows that a person working as Principal Software Engineer in Kenya earns on average:
3.08 times the average salary (or 308% of average salary).

Is Principal Software Engineer a well paid job?

Yes, our data show that Principal Software Engineer is a very well paid job. With years and experience the salary might increase even further, resulting in higher satisfaction.

What is considered a high salary for Principal Software Engineer?

High salary for Principal Software Engineer would be somewhere between 2,948,564 KES and 3,886,744 KES. However this is an estimation based on Gaussian Distribution.

How much can you save working as Principal Software Engineer in Kenya?

Living in Kenya the approximate monthly expenses are: 240 USD. This amount covers basic needs such as food, housing, clothing, healthcare and education costs for a single person. No luxury expenses such as traveling, leisure, hobbies are included in the estimation.

Estimated Yearly Salary: 2,680,513 KES
Estimated Monthly Salary: 223,376 KES
Estimated Weekly Salary: 51,548 KES per week
Estimated Hourly Salary: 1,289 KES per hour
By working as Principal Software Engineer a person can save up to 1,173 USD per month or 14,081 USD yearly. Values are pre-tax.

NOTE: These values are estimates and are averaged for the whole country. Furthermore the value is likely exaggerated as no other expenses are taken into account in the projection. Unessential expenses are very subjective and are difficult to assess. Most likely the previously estimated number is significantly lower for majority of people. Expenses in different cities across the country may vary. Above values accuracy is low and is based on limited set of data obtained.

For more information regarding expenses in Kenya, see costs of living in Kenya.

Salary comparison to region and neighbouring coutries

Country's neighbours are: Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda..
To make it easier for comparison a conversion from local currency to USD has been made (conversion rates may vary).

Estimated Yearly Salary for Principal Software Engineer

Ethiopia is 5,428 USDdown arrow 68%
Details on Principal Software Engineer salary in Ethiopia
Last revision of data: 2025-01-04

Salary increase per years of experience

Based on data available the salary increase per years of experience is as following

    0 years (beginner) equals base salary
    1 to 5 years of experience yields up arrow+12% salary increase
    6 to 10 years of experience yields up arrow+25% salary increase
    11 to 15 years of experience yields up arrow+16% salary increase
    16 to 25 years of experience yields up arrow+9% salary increase
    more than 25 years of experience yields up arrow+10% salary increase
NOTE: Details based on limited set of data. Percentages may vary. The salary increase over years of experience can vary widely based on factors such as job industry, job role, location, company size, and individual performance. To gain even larger increase in salary one is advised to switch jobs and / or employer.

Top 10 highest salaries in Kenya

(9,866,711 KES per year, pre-tax.)
(8,249,858 KES per year, pre-tax.)
(7,939,285 KES per year, pre-tax.)
(7,706,816 KES per year, pre-tax.)
(7,676,980 KES per year, pre-tax.)
(7,545,448 KES per year, pre-tax.)
(7,519,239 KES per year, pre-tax.)
(7,514,557 KES per year, pre-tax.)
(7,503,914 KES per year, pre-tax.)
(7,503,863 KES per year, pre-tax.)

Data as of 2025

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