USD → KES
Cheapest way to send money to Kenya
Kenya is the country mobile money was built in. M-Pesa is not a fringe option here, it is the normal way people pay for things, and nearly every remittance provider can deliver into an M-Pesa wallet directly.
That competition works in your favour: more providers cover Kenya than cover most of East Africa, so it is worth comparing two or three rather than defaulting to whichever app you already have.
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.
These are typical fees, not Kenya fees. Nobody has checked these particular numbers for Kenya yet, so treat the order as a general rule and the amounts as a rough guide. Get a real quote before you commit.
| Method | Cost | They receive |
|---|---|---|
| Revolut | $5.990.6% | 128,227KES |
| Wise | $7.000.7% | 128,097KES |
| Remitly | $17.931.8% | 126,687KES |
| PayPal | $44.804.5% | 123,221KES |
| Western Union | $45.004.5% | 123,195KES |
| Bank wire | $49.384.9% | 122,631KES |
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.
These are typical fees, not Kenya fees. Nobody has checked these particular numbers for Kenya yet, so treat the order as a general rule and the amounts as a rough guide. Get a real quote before you commit.
| Method | Cost | You get |
|---|---|---|
| ATM withdrawal | $24.002.4% | 125,904KES |
| Card spend | $30.003.0% | 125,130KES |
| Cash | $30.003.0% | 125,130KES |
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$1,855/mo