USD → KES
Cheapest way to send money to Kenya
Kenya is the country mobile money was built in. M-Pesa is the normal way people pay for things. I recently spent 2 months in Kenya and I didn’t encounter anyone who didn’t accept M-Pesa. It’s accepted at every hotel, restaurant, and supermarket. Every street food stand and tuk-tuk driver accepts it. Nearly every remittance provider can deliver into an M-Pesa wallet directly in minutes. It’s extremely convenient.
There is quite a bit of competition in the remittance market. More providers cover Kenya than any other East African country, so it is worth comparing two or three rather than defaulting to whichever app you already have.
Most remittance services offer transfers to Kenyan bank accounts as well. Cash pickup is also available. These services often have higher fees.
If you’re sending money to a Kenyan from abroad, the cheapest option is usually to send from your debit card or bank account to a Kenyan M-Pesa account. On average, there will be a flat fee of around $2 and a markup of around 2%. If you shop around, you can find better rates.
If you’re traveling in Kenya, I highly recommend you get a Safaricom SIM card when you arrive and set up M-Pesa. The fees for sending money are extremely low. There is a tiered system. For purchases less than 100 shillings, there is no fee. The maximum fee is 108 KES for large purchases. You can send money to yourself through one of the remittance services to top up your M-Pesa account. I used Western Union last time I was in Kenya.
You can also use your debit card to withdraw cash from an ATM. ATM fees average around $4 per transaction but you can find some fee free options.
Checked . Fee figures are typical estimates, not live quotes. Change them in the calculator if you know your exact fees.
01
The transfer
How much, and which two currencies.
Not in the list? Choose “Enter my own…” and type the 3-letter code (GEL, VND, COP…).
02
How the money moves
Sending to someone else and spending your own money there are different questions. Pick one from the matching group.
To someone else
Your own money there
Loading live rate…
After fees · Wise
1 USD = 128 KES
Mid-market is 129.
Adjust feesThese are typical estimates, not official numbers from the company›
Sending $1,000 to someone in Kenya
Money leaves you and arrives with them in Kenyan shillings. Sorted cheapest first. “Cost” is the fee plus whatever the rate is worse than mid-market, which is the part most comparisons leave out.
| Method | Cost | They receive |
|---|---|---|
| WisecheapestWise works for sending money to Kenyan bank accounts and M-Pesa accounts. Accounts for Kenyan residents are restricted due to anti-money laundering regulations. Wise charges a flat fee of $1.20 and a variable percentage fee that is usually around 0.43%. There is also a charge to fund your Wise account. If you use a debit card, it costs around 1.2%-2.4%. If you use a credit card, it costs 3-4%. If you do a bank transfer, you just pay the baseline fee. | $5.500.6% | 128,291KES |
| RevolutRevolut works for sending money to Kenyan bank accounts and M-Pesa accounts. Accounts for Kenyan residents are restricted due to anti-money laundering regulations. The exact fee will depend on the type of account you have. There is a fee-free allowance on all plans. After that, you're charged 0.5-1% fee. There is also a fee for sending to non-Revolut bank accounts and M-Pesa accounts. The fees can be up to 5%. This is a variable fee depending on the destination and amount being sent. Check the app to view the exact fee. | $15.001.5% | 127,065KES |
| Taptap SendThis is often the cheapest option for sending small amounts to Kenya. TapTapSend does not charge a percentage fee to send to Kenyan M-Pesa accounts. They have a markup of 0.8%-1.5% on the exchange rate. You can also send to Kenyan bank accounts. | $15.001.5% | 127,065KES |
| RemitlyRemitly charges a flat fee of $1.99-$4.99 depending on how you're sending money (credit card, debit card, or bank transfer). They also charge a markup of 1.5%-2.5% on each transfer. You can send to M-Pesa accounts, Kenyan bank accounts, and they offer cash pickup. Remitly is a good option if you only need to send money once. They offer a promotional exchange rate for your first send. It's basically better than the mid-market rate. For repeat sends, their rates are about average. | $26.942.7% | 125,525KES |
| WorldRemitWorldRemit charges a flat fee between $0.99 and $4.99 for each transfer. The fee depends on where you're sending from, the amount you're sending, and how the money is arriving. They also charge an exchange rate markup of 1%-2.5%. You can send to Kenyan M-Pesa and Airtel Money accounts and to Kenyan bank accounts. They also offer cash pickup. Sending to a bank account can take up to 1 day to settle. | $28.892.9% | 125,273KES |
| PayPalPayPal allows you to send money directly to Kenyan M-Pesa and bank accounts. Their fees are pretty high. PayPal is only a good option if you already have money sitting in your PayPal wallet. | $30.003.0% | 125,130KES |
| Western UnionWestern Union does not charge a percentage fee to send to Kenyan M-Pesa accounts. They charge a markup of about 2.5%-4% on the exchange rate. The exact markup depends on the currency you're sending from and the market conditions. Western Union can also send to Kenyan bank accounts and they offer cash pickup as well. The most expensive option is sending from a credit card to cash pickup, which costs about $10-15 flat fee. Sending from a bank account or debit card to a Kenyan M-Pesa account is the cheapest option with fees of around $2. | $31.933.2% | 124,881KES |
| XoomXoom is typically one of the more expensive options. Xoom (owned by PayPal) does not charge a percentage fee to send to Kenya. They charge a markup of 2.5%-4.5% on the exchange rate. They also charge a flat fee to send from a debit card, credit card, or bank account. The fee is $1.99-$10 depending on the method you use. You can send to Kenyan M-Pesa accounts and bank accounts, and they offer cash pickup. | $36.923.7% | 124,237KES |
| Bank wireA flat wire fee of around $50, plus a markup of roughly 2.5% on the exchange rate. The flat fee makes bank wires especially bad for smaller amounts. A bank wire transfer to Kenya only makes sense for large transactions. | $73.757.4% | 119,486KES |
On $1,000, Wise costs about $5.50 and Bank wire about $73.75. That's a difference of $68.25 for the same money, or $819 over a year if you move this much every month.
Spending your own money in Kenya
For when you are traveling there and the money is already yours. Costs are per $1,000 converted. Remember that some cards and ATMs charge you for every transaction rather than once.
| Method | Cost | You get |
|---|---|---|
| ATM withdrawalcheapestATMs in Kenya often charge a withdrawal fee of around 500 shillings or $4 per transaction. There is often a maximum withdrawal of 40,000 KES or around $300. To withdraw $1000, you would need to make 4 transactions, which would cost around $16. There are some fee-free ATMs for foreign debit cards in Kenya. Look for ATMs from Co-operative Bank, NCBA Bank, Diamond Trust Bank, Ecobank, I&M Bank, GT Bank, and Sidian Bank. Your card may also charge a currency conversion fee. This is usually 1%-3%. Some banks offer a 0% conversion fee. Check with your bank before you travel. | $26.002.6% | 125,646KES |
| CashThe average spread when exchanging USD to Kenyan shillings at a large bank or forex bureau is 1%-3%. You do have to watch the rate you get. Some exchanges will have a spread of 5%-10% below the mid-market rate. You'll get the best rate with $50 and $100 bills in good condition. | $30.003.0% | 125,130KES |
| Card spendThe average spread when paying in Kenyan shillings with a zero-fee travel credit card is 0.1%-1%. With a regular credit card, there may be foreign transaction fees of 1%-3% on top of that spread. Credit cards aren't widely accepted in Kenya. Most large hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets do accept card payments. | $39.704.0% | 123,879KES |
On $1,000, ATM withdrawal costs about $26.00 and Card spend about $39.70. That's a difference of $13.70 for the same money, or $164 over a year if you move this much every month.
Figures use a rate of about 129 KES to 1 USD; the calculator above uses the live rate.
How the money arrives in Kenya
Most common first. Which of these your recipient can actually use usually matters more than a fraction of a percent in fees.
- 1M-Pesa wallet
- 2Bank transfer to a Kenyan account
- 3Cash pickup at an agent
Living in Kenya, not just sending money there
A transfer is one number. These work out a whole month, including what the transfers cost you over a year.
- Cost of living in Nairobi$1,831/mo