Are you spending too much on document storage without realizing it? As Kenyan businesses grow in 2025, managing records efficiently is a must—yet it comes with a price tag. Rising office rents, compliance demands from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), and operational headaches make document storage a hidden cost driver. So, what’s cheaper: keeping it in-house or outsourcing archiving to a provider? Let’s break down the document storage costs in Kenya and run a cost-benefit analysis to find out.

What Does In-House Records Management Really Cost?

  • Space: Office rent averages $0.78–$1.16 per square foot monthly. Fifty boxes might take 50 square feet (filing cabinets included), costing $39–$58/month—$465–$698/year.
  • Labor: A part-time clerk to organize and retrieve files could earn $116–$233/month, adding $233–$465/year.
  • Extras: Filing cabinets ($155–$388 upfront), pest control, and repairs pile on costs. Plus, there’s the risk of audit penalties or losses from floods or theft—hard to quantify but real.Total? Around $388–$775/year for space and labor alone, not counting hidden inefficiencies like time wasted searching for misplaced files or space that could house a revenue-generating desk.

Total? Around $388–$775/year for space and labor alone, not counting hidden inefficiencies like time wasted searching for misplaced files or space that could house a revenue-generating desk.

Outsourcing to a provider like The Filing Room flips the script. Here’s the breakdown:

    • Pricing: The Filing Room charges approximately $0.60 per box per month, depending on volume and services like retrieval or digitization. For 50 boxes, that’s $30/month, or $360/year.
    • Add-Ons: One-time pickup fees and retrieval costs (~$1.55–$3.88/file) may apply, but there’s no need for cabinets, staff training, or maintenance.
    • Perks: Scalability means you pay only for what you store, and The Filing Room’s barcode indexing ensures fast retrieval. For 50 boxes, outsourcing costs $360/year—well below in-house expenses—with zero infrastructure investment.

Which Option Saves More in 2025?

Let’s compare the numbers head-to-head for a business with 50 boxes:

Option Upfront Costs Yearly Costs Risks
In-House $775+ (space/gear) $388–$775 Penalties, losses
Outsourcing $0 (no setup) $360 None (secure storage)
  • Short-Term: In-house might edge out for tiny volumes (<10 boxes), but costs skyrocket as you scale.
  • Long-Term: Outsourcing saves 7–54% for mid-sized firms. For 50 boxes, you could save $28–$415/year with The Filing Room, plus reclaim office space and avoid compliance stress.
  • Beyond Money: Outsourcing offers disaster-proof storage (think The Filing Room’s flood defenses) and frees staff for core tasks.
    For most Kenyan businesses, records management pricing favors outsourcing as volumes grow.

Final Thoughts

In 2025, document storage costs Kenya businesses more than they might think. In-house setups bleed money through space and labor, while outsourcing archiving to The Filing Room offers savings, scalability, and peace of mind. Crunch the numbers for your business—then reach out to The Filing Room to see how affordable smart records management can be.