Advertisement
The rise of the homebody: why going out is losing its appeal
30th April, 2026 02:02 PM
There is a new kind of Friday night in Nairobi.
Instead of queuing outside a club in Westlands or splitting a tab at a rooftop bar, more young people are opting for takeaway food, a playlist, and the company of a few close friends. Or none at all.
This is not laziness. It is a shift researchers and trend analysts are beginning to take seriously, and it has a name: the rise of the homebody.
A 2024 peer-reviewed study published in Sociological Science by Princeton University sociologist Patrick Sharkey found that the average time spent at home among adults rose by one hour and 39 minutes per day between 2003 and 2022.
The increase cut across every age group, income level, and demographic tracked. It is a trend that predates the pandemic but accelerated sharply through it and has not reversed since.
The cost
In Nairobi, the numbers tell a familiar story.
A night out with friends can easily cost between Ksh 2,000 and Ksh8,000, once you factor in transport, drinks, and food.
Ride-hailing trips via Uber or Bolt can average between Ksh 400 and Ksh 1,200 depending on distance and traffic. For a young professional on an entry-level salary, that single evening can swallow a meaningful portion of a monthly budget.
The cost-of-living pressure facing young Kenyans (compounded by a difficult economic climate and high youth unemployment) makes staying in less of a choice and more of a reality for many. But what is striking is that even those who can afford to go out are increasingly choosing not to.
Gen Z is redefining what it means to socialise. Rather than spending money on nightclubs and crowded events, many are opting for the comfort of home, prioritising convenience, control, and cost-effectiveness in how they spend time together.
Streaming, sober living, and the pull of home
Beyond money, home has grown more appealing on its own terms.
Streaming platforms now deliver the kind of entertainment that once required a night out. Home dinners, movie marathons, and board game nights have quietly become the social events of choice for a growing number of young adults in Nairobi.
There is also a broader shift in attitudes towards alcohol. Gen Zs are drinking less than previous generations.
Lingering social anxiety following the pandemic has also played a role, with many young adults in their 20s turning instead to smaller, more intimate gatherings as their preferred mode of connection.
None of this means young people are becoming antisocial. A 2024 report by Citizen Relations found that 57% of Gen Zs still consider themselves social or strong connectors, feeling at their best when around others. The difference is simply where that connection is now happening. For a growing number of young Kenyans, home is no longer where you escape the world. It is where you enjoy it.
