NAIROBI, Kenya, May 12 – Land prices in Kenya’s coastal towns of Diani and Watamu have risen by more than 70 percent since the COVID-19 pandemic, driven largely by demand for scenic beachfront locations and lifestyle living, according to a new HassConsult Coastal Land Price Index.
The report covering 12 coastal towns from Lamu to Diani shows that Diani recorded the highest growth, with land prices rising by 79.1 percent between the fourth quarter of 2020 and Q4 2025, while Watamu prices jumped by 70 percent over the same period.
Other strong-performing areas included Lamu, where prices rose by 59.1 percent, and Bamburi at 56.6 percent.
“Coastal land has delinked from general economic trends in Kenya on new dynamics during the 2020s,” said Sakina Hassanali.
“Across remote working, retirement relocation, and the long tail of international and domestic buyers who first discovered the Coast as tourists, it has developed its own, distinct land dynamics.”
The report noted that Nyali remains the Coast’s most expensive location, with land averaging Sh114 million per acre compared to Sh91.3 million in Mombasa City, although investor attention has increasingly shifted to areas with wider beaches and stronger natural appeal.
HassConsult added that some parts of Kilifi and Kwale continue to face depressed prices due to land title delays, poor infrastructure and water shortages, factors that continue to discourage investors and retirees seeking long-term relocation options.
