The brutal arithmetic of long loans
On a 5M mortgage at 14% over 25 years: monthly payment ~KES 60k, but you pay ~13M in interest over the term. The same loan over 15 years is ~KES 67k/mo, only KES 7k more per month, but you save ~6M in interest. That's the lever the amortisation chart makes vivid.
Where to actually compare
- Bank A vs Bank B for the same product (personal loan, mortgage). 100-200 basis points difference is normal, over 5 years on KES 1M, that's KES 30-60k.
- Bank vs SACCO. SACCOs typically come in 200-400 bps cheaper than banks for members, but you need a share-capital balance for eligibility.
- Short term vs long term. Same rate, longer term = more interest. Use compare to quantify.