Compare today's KES to UGX (Kenyan Shilling to Ugandan Shilling) exchange rates
📈 Kenya to Uganda Money Transfer Snapshot Today
- Best KES to UGX exchange rate today: UGX 29.0393, offered by Regency FX
- Number of money transfer providers compared: 5
- Exchange rate range: UGX 27.8541 to UGX 29.0393
- Potential savings on KES 1000: UGX 1,185.20
- Number of deals and promo codes: 0
- Mid-market
ⓘThe mid-market exchange rate (also called the interbank rate) is the real KES to UGX exchange rate before providers add their margin or fees. exchange rate: 1 KES = UGX 29.0689 (Updated about an hour ago)
See detailed Kenya to Uganda money transfer comparison below.
Money Transfer Providers that matched the search criteria
📢 B2B transfers only
If you are making international business money transfers or payments, RemitFinder can assist by matching you with the best options to suit your unique business needs. Get in touch now to see how we can help protect your business revenue by getting you higher exchange rates and lower transfer fees on international business FX.
💡What today's KES-UGX exchange rates mean for you
Compare today's KES-UGX exchange rates and send money from Kenya to Uganda after comparing numerous money transfer providers. Check the latest exchange rates, read detailed provider reviews, and discover deals and promo codes — all in one place.
RemitFinder compared 5 providers that you can rely on for Kenya to Uganda money transfers today. Here is a summary of how the competition looks like right now:
Today's Most Competitive Kenya to Uganda Providers
🥇 Regency FX with 1 KES = 29.0393 UGX (best KES to UGX exchange rate today).
🥈 Key Currency offering 1 KES = 29.0393 UGX.
🥉 Cambridge Currencies & Verto are also providing good FX rate today.
The exchange rate provided by these 5 providers ranges from UGX 27.8541 to UGX 29.0393. For a KES 1000 money transfer from Kenya to Uganda, that could mean up to UGX 1,185.20 saved on FX alone.
KES-UGX exchange rates fluctuate throughout the day, and top positions can change quickly. This volatility can significantly impact the final UGX payout that your recipient gets in Uganda.
That's why we recommend comparing money transfer providers to ensure you can maximize the value of your Kenya to Uganda remittances.
🔄 Looking for the reverse corridor? Send money from Uganda to Kenya instead.
Looking for a different option? You can browse all sending countries on our send money from hub, or view all destinations available when sending money from Kenya.
👇 We also suggest looking beyond today's KES-UGX exchange rate — historical pricing trends show many factors that can affect the overall transfer cost of your transfer.
Whilst KES-UGX exchange rate is crucial, historical data shows that transfer fees, KES amount sent and payment and delivery methods can also significantly influence your final payout.
Below, we analyze Kenya to Uganda historical remittance data to help you understand where costs may arise and share some best practices to try to maximize your UGX payout.
Data-driven cost insights for Kenya to Uganda money transfers
When you send money internationally from Kenya to Uganda, the key factors that will influence the overall cost of your transaction are:
- KES-UGX exchange rate
- Transfer fee
- Payment method
- Delivery method
Ideally, you would want to optimize these 4 factors to try to get the maximum UGX payout for your overseas recipient in Uganda.
Another counter-balancing aspect is money transfer speed. If you need to rush money from Kenya to Uganda, you may have to compromise on some of the above factors whilst optimizing for speed.
To put this into a better perspective using a data-driven approach, we analyzed historical remittance pricing1 for Kenya to Uganda money transfers to compare transfer costs, FX margins, fees, and payment and delivery methods across providers.
This analysis is based on 422 actual Kenya to Uganda money transfers handled by 19 providers over the last 5 years (for a KES 18000 remittance benchmark).
This data-driven approach using real KES-UGX transfer data provides useful insights into identifying the lowest-cost payment and delivery combinations, thereby helping you reduce costs and maximize the amount received.
Before we deep dive, here are the key trends from our analysis, summarized in an easy to read format.
📌 Key insights for Kenya to Uganda money transfers
- Average total cost: 10.86% (range -1.99% to 35.35%, spread 37.34 percentage points)
- Potential payout difference: On a KES 18000 transfer, the above variation can save you up to KES 6,721.20.
- Average FX markup: 3.07% (range -3.52%
ⓘA negative markup generally represents a promotional exchange rate whereby a provider offers an exchange rate that is even higher than the mid-market rate, often on smaller amounts. to 8.99%, spread 12.51 percentage points) - Average transfer fee: KES 1,401.54 (range KES 0.00 to KES 6,078.90)
- Cheapest payment/delivery method combo: Credit Card → Mobile Wallet (3.31% avg cost); most expensive is Bank Account Transfer → Bank Deposit (14.05%)
- Payment/delivery method choice impact: Cheapest vs most expensive combo saves 10.74% (KES 1,933.67 on KES 18000 transfer).
- Market coverage: ~19 providers on average (competition level: competitive)
- Average speed: About 23 hours
🛠️ Key takeaway: Compare providers using both exchange rate and fees, then optimize your payment and delivery methods to reduce total cost.
Below, we provide detailed data-driven insights on various factors that influence the total cost of your Kenya to Uganda money transfers.
📈 KES to UGX exchange rate is often the biggest driver of both cost and payout
The exchange rate on your Kenya to Uganda money transfers is usually the single biggest factor that will determine your overall KES cost and your recipient's UGX payout.
To analyze exchange rates, we will rely on the exchange rate markup (also called FX margin) which is the difference between the mid-market exchange rate
Based on historical pricing data for a KES 18000 money transfer benchmark, we see the following FX markup ranges for Kenyan Shilling to Uganda transfers:
- Average markup: 3.07%
- Median markup: 2.87%
- Lowest markup: -3.52%
ⓘA negative markup generally represents a promotional exchange rate whereby a provider offers an exchange rate that is even higher than the mid-market rate, often on smaller amounts. - Highest markup: 8.99%
That is a spread of 12.51 percentage points between the lowest and highest observed FX markups.
To put this into perspective, on a KES 18000 transfer, the above markup range is equivalent to roughly UGX 2,251.80 purely from differences in the exchange rate. That incremental saving increases to UGX 5,629.50 for a KES 45000 transfer.
🛠️ How to use this insight: When comparing providers for Kenya to Uganda remittances, pay close attention to the exchange rate you receive. A small difference in the FX markup can quickly outweigh other factors like fees, and the gap generally grows as transfer amounts increase.
KES to UGX exchange rate can be the single most critical factor that determines the cost of your transfer. When comparing providers, keep an eye on the rate you will get.
💰 Transfer fees affect your total Kenya to Uganda remittance cost
Whilst exchange rate is a major factor affecting total transfer cost, the transfer fee can also have a big impact on how much of your Kenyan Shilling reaches your recipient in Uganda.
Based on data from last 5 years, we notice the below about Kenyan Shilling to Uganda money transfer fees:
- Average fee: KES 1,401.54
- Median fee: KES 1,650.00
- Lowest fee: KES 0.00
- Highest fee: KES 6,078.90
The average fee amount of KES 1,401.54 noted above represents 7.79% of the total amount sent.
Also note that even if two providers provide the same exchange rate, a best vs worst case transfer fee can increase the payout by KES 6,078.90.
🛠️ How to use this insight: For your next money transfer from Kenya to Ugandan Shilling, look for providers that provide lower (or even 0) fees.
One caveat to this, though, is something called the hidden fee. Some providers may hide their real fees by offering a 0 or low fee, but providing a lower exchange rate. The money lost due to an inferior FX rate affects your bottom line and is referred to as a hidden fee. Therefore, you should also keep an eye on rates whilst paying attention to fees.
Another point that you should keep in mind is that for larger transfers, fixed fees become a lesser percentage of total amount. But for smaller transfers, fees can be a major part of total cost.
💸 Payment and delivery methods matter for KES-UGX remittances
Based on our detailed analysis of historical Kenya to Uganda data, we see consistent variation in overall cost amongst the payment method and delivery method you choose.
Here is the average cost for popular payment methods used to send money to Uganda from Kenya:
- Mobile Wallet: 4.81%
- Credit Card: 7.00%
- Debit Card: 7.00%
- Cash: 8.00%
- Bank Account Transfer: 13.33%
That is a total spread of 8.52 percentage points.
This means that on a KES 18000 transfer, you could save up to KES 1,534.41 simply by choosing the best priced payment method.
These savings will only multiply for higher KES amounts.
Here is the average cost of popular delivery methods used to send money from Kenya to Uganda:
- Mobile Wallet: 5.08%
- Cash Pickup: 7.66%
- Bank Deposit: 14.05%
The cost difference between the above delivery methods is 8.97 percentage points.
Once again, this means that you could save up to KES 1,614.67 on a KES 18000 transfer to Uganda by choosing Mobile Wallet versus Bank Deposit.
As you can imagine, the possible combinations of Kenya payment methods and Uganda delivery methods will all have disparate cost. Let us look at that next.
Here is a summary of the average cost of payment and delivery method combinations for Kenya to UGX money transfers.
| Payment Method | Delivery Method | Average Cost (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Card | Mobile Wallet | 3.31 |
| Debit Card | Mobile Wallet | 3.31 |
| Mobile Wallet | Cash Pickup | 4.79 |
| Mobile Wallet | Mobile Wallet | 4.84 |
| Cash | Mobile Wallet | 5.39 |
| Bank Account Transfer | Cash Pickup | 8.01 |
| Cash | Cash Pickup | 8.23 |
| Credit Card | Cash Pickup | 8.84 |
| Debit Card | Cash Pickup | 8.84 |
| Bank Account Transfer | Bank Deposit | 14.05 |
Sorted by Average Cost % (cheapest to most expensive).
As you can see, the difference between these KES-UGX payment and delivery options is significant. Here are some observations:
- Credit Card → Mobile Wallet has the lowest average cost at 3.31%.
- Bank Account Transfer → Bank Deposit has the highest average cost at 14.05%.
- Credit Card → Mobile Wallet average cost is 10.74 percentage points lower than that of Bank Account Transfer → Bank Deposit.
- This means that on a KES 18000 money transfer, you could save up to KES 2,529.47 simply by choosing the best payment and delivery method combo.
- Further, on a KES 45000 money transfer, the savings increase to KES 6,323.67.
Here is a quick summary of the average historical cost of various payment and delivery methods for KES to Uganda money transfers.
💸 Cheapest payment and delivery methods (data-backed)
- Cheapest payment method: Mobile Wallet averaged 4.81%, compared to 13.33% for Bank Account Transfer, a difference of 8.52 percentage points.
- Cheapest delivery method: Mobile Wallet averaged 5.08%, compared to 14.05% for Bank Deposit (8.97 percentage points higher).
- Cheapest combo: Credit Card → Mobile Wallet averaged 3.31%, which is 10.74 percentage points lower than Bank Account Transfer → Bank Deposit (14.05%).
🛠️ How to use this insight: As you compare money transfer providers for your next Kenya to Uganda international money transfer, strive to pair the lowest-cost payment method with the lowest-cost delivery method.
This can help you avoid the pitfall of "great exchange rate, expensive methods".
You can save money on your Kenya to Uganda remittances by carefully choosing the most economical payment and delivery methods.
🏦 Are banks more expensive than money transfer providers for KES-UGX remittances?
When we compared Kenya banks with money transfer providers based on 5 years of remittance data, we noticed some patterns.
We observed that traditional banks charged 6.66 percentage points more on average than money transfer providers for Kenya to Uganda remittances.
This means banks tend to be approximately 1.92x more expensive than money transfer companies.
Here are the key stats behind this comparison:
| Banks | MTOs^ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average transfer fee | KES 1,943.71 | KES 758.23 | KES 1,185.48 |
| Exchange rate markup | 3.10% | 3.03% | 0.07 pp* |
| Average total cost (%) | 13.90% | 7.24% | 6.66 pp* |
^MTO: Money transfer operator, a commonly used term for a money transfer provider
*Percentage points
🛠️ How to use this insight: Whilst banks in Kenya may offer convenience and familiarity, money transfer providers often deliver lower overall cost due to their better exchange rates and lower fees. Even if you want to send money overseas with your bank in Kenya, we recommend comparing with money transfer companies to find your best options.
📊 Does sending more money reduce the cost of KES-UGX money transfers?
To see if transfer cost varies based on the amount sent, we compared the average cost of sending KES 18000 vs KES 45000 from Kenya to Uganda.
We found that sending a higher amount (KES 45000) tends to be cheaper - average cost drops from 10.86% to 6.68%, a reduction of 4.18 percentage points.
The cost of your transfer usually continues to drop as transfer amount increases. That said, always check the latest exchange rates and fees for your intended transfer amount.
🛠️ How to use this insight: Since it is generally cheaper to send higher Kenyan Shilling amounts to Uganda, consider consolidating smaller, more frequent transfers into fewer, larger ones. Doing so may reduce the total cost you pay.
🏛 How competitive is the Kenya to Uganda remittance market?
Based on data from the last 5 years, KES-UGX money transfers are provided on an average by 19 remittance companies. With around 19 providers serving this market, we consider the level of competition to be competitive.
Traditional banks have represented 63.2% of active providers in this corridor (12 out of 19), suggesting a bank-heavy market structure.
A remittance market with more active providers is typically more competitive. This means you can get a better pricing and more payment and delivery options for your Kenya to Uganda remittances.
⏱️ How fast are KES-UGX money transfers?
If your recipient in Uganda needs funds urgently, you may need to optimize your transfer for speed.
Here is what we see for Kenya to Uganda transfers when it comes to processing time:
- Average transfer time: About 23 hours.
- Fastest transfer time: About less than 1 hour.
- Slowest transfer time: About 48 hours (~2.0 days).
- Average speed at KES 18000: About 23 hours.
- Average speed at KES 45000: About 23 hours.
Banks vs money transfer providers speed comparison: Banks take 25 hours longer on average than money transfer providers.
🛠️ How to use this insight: If you need to send money from Kenya to Uganda in a hurry, compare providers not just on exchange rate, but also on expected speed. Speed also varies based on the delivery method (bank vs cash vs wallet) you choose for Uganda.
Kenya to Uganda transfer speed varies across providers, so compare transfer speed along with cost for time-sensitive money transfers. In addition, pick the fastest payment and delivery methods for faster processing.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kenya to Uganda money transfers
These FAQs use data from RemitFinder's historical analysis of Kenya to Uganda money transfers over several years.
What factors affect the total cost of sending money from Kenya to Uganda?
The total cost of your KES-UGX money transfer depends on how you fund the transaction (payment method), how the recipient receives it (delivery method), the exchange rate you get, and any transfer fee charged by the provider.
To avoid overpaying for your transfer, compare money transfer providers.
How much does the exchange rate affect Kenya to Uganda transfers?
Historical KES to UGX exchange rate markup ranges from -3.52% to 8.99%, a spread of 12.51 percentage points. Even small differences in the exchange rate markup can impact your final payout significantly.
Can KES-UGX exchange rate markup be negative?
Sometimes, money transfer providers may offer promotional exchange rates that are better than the mid-market exchange rate, resulting in a negative KES-UGX exchange rate markup.
Such offers are generally limited by transfer amount, eligibility, or duration. Compare providers to see if you can take advantage of any ongoing special offers.
Is the exchange rate or the transfer fee more important for Kenya to Uganda transfers?
Exchange rate markup ranges from -3.52% to 8.99% (a spread of 12.51 percentage points).
Transfer fees range from KES 0.00 to KES 6078.90, which equals roughly 33.77% on a KES 18000.00 transfer.
At both KES 18000.00 and KES 45000.00, the transfer fee shows larger variation than the other component.
Regardless, our recommendation is that it is important to compare both exchange rates and fees when choosing a provider for Kenya to Uganda transfers.
As the transfer amount increases, the % impact of fees decreases (because the fee gets spread across a larger KES amount), whilst exchange rate markup remains a percentage-based cost that can scale with transfer size.
For smaller transfers, fees can matter more, whilst for larger transfers, exchange rate often becomes the bigger driver. Either way, comparing both helps you get the most UGX for your KES.
How much can Kenya to Uganda transfer costs vary between providers?
Historical transfer cost ranges from -1.99% to 35.35% for KES transfers to Uganda. That is a spread of 37.34 percentage points, meaning significant differences between various money transfer providers.
A major contributor to this variation is exchange rate markup. FX markup alone ranges from -3.52% to 8.99% (a spread of 12.51 percentage points). Thus, even small differences in FX margin can have a big impact on the final UGX payout.
Why do various money transfer providers price KES to Uganda transfers differently?
If you send the same Kenyan Shilling amount to Uganda via different providers, the cost of each transfer will be different because of variations in FX markup, fees, and payment and delivery methods.
Even small differences among all the above factors can change the final UGX payout in Uganda in a big way.
How stable are transfer costs in the Kenya to Uganda corridor?
When we analyzed the historical total cost for KES-UGX transfers, we observed a range from -1.99% to 35.35% (37.34 percentage points difference), along with a variability (standard deviation) of 5.61%.
A major driver of cost in this market is exchange rate markup. FX markup ranges from -3.52% to 8.99% (12.51 percentage points difference), with a standard deviation of 1.97%. Fees and payment/delivery method choices can contribute to further volatility.
This is exactly why we recommend comparing money transfer providers to get the most of your KES-UGX transfers.
Which payment method is cheapest for Kenya to Uganda remittances?
Mobile Wallet is the cheapest payment method in Kenya based on its average cost at 4.81% (compared to Bank Account Transfer at 13.33%, a difference of 8.52 percentage points).
Based on this, we recommend paying for your KES transfer with Mobile Wallet, and avoiding Bank Account Transfer if possible.
Is Debit Card cheaper than Credit Card for Kenya to Uganda transfers?
Credit Card is cheaper on average when sending money to Uganda from Kenya since it costs 7.00% (compared to 7.00% for Credit Card payments, a difference of 0.00 percentage points).
As a result, we recommend that you avoid paying for your transfer to Uganda with a Credit Card.
Which delivery method is cheapest for KES-UGX money transfers?
Mobile Wallet is the cheapest delivery method in Uganda as it costs 5.08% (compared to Bank Deposit at 14.05%, a spread of 8.97 percentage points).
If your recipient in Uganda can accept Mobile Wallet, we recommend choosing it as your preferred delivery option for KES-UGX transfers.
Is Bank Deposit cheaper than Cash Pickup for Kenya to Uganda transfers?
Cash Pickup is cheaper for transfers to Uganda given its 14.05% average cost (versus 7.66% for Cash Pickup, a difference of 6.40 percentage points).
To save more, consider choosing the cheapest delivery option for Uganda.
What is the cheapest way to send money from Kenya to Uganda?
We evaluated 10 payment and delivery method combinations for Kenya to Uganda remittances.
Based on historical data, Credit Card → Mobile Wallet is the cheapest combination with 3.31% cost.
At the other end of the spectrum, Bank Account Transfer → Bank Deposit is the most expensive combination at 14.05% cost. That is a difference of 10.74 percentage points between the cheapest and most expensive combinations.
Money transfer providers tend to price payment and delivery methods for Kenya to Uganda remittances differently. As you compare options, look for the cheapest payment-delivery method combo to maximize the value of your KES-UGX transfers.
Does sending more money reduce the cost for Kenya to Uganda transfers?
Larger KES-UGX transfers are cheaper on average.
The cost of a KES 18000 transfer averages 10.86% as compared to 6.68% for a KES 45000 transfer, a difference of 4.18 percentage points.
How long does it take to send money from Kenya to Uganda?
Based on our analysis, the average transfer time for KES-UGX transfers is 23 hours, with the fastest transfers completing in less than one hour and the slowest in 48 hours (~2.0 days).
Are instant transfers available from Kenya to Uganda?
Yes, historical data shows that some transfers to Uganda from Kenya can complete in less than one hour.
Note that the actual speed of your KES-UGX transfer will depend on the chosen provider, payment method, delivery method, and eligibility checks.
Are banks more expensive than money transfer companies for Kenya to Uganda?
Banks in Kenya are more expensive than money transfer providers.
The average cost of banks is 13.90% compared to 7.24% for money transfer providers in Kenya, a difference of 6.66 percentage points.
Why do banks charge more for Kenya to Uganda transfers?
Bank transfers in Kenya cost 13.90% compared to 7.24% for money transfer companies.
The difference is often due to the fact that banks in Kenya provider lower exchange rates and charge high wire transfer fees.
How competitive is the Kenya to Uganda remittance market?
Based on historical data, the competition level in Kenya to Uganda is considered competitive with 19 active providers.
Money transfer providers represent about 36.8% of identified providers in Kenya.
Do I risk overpaying if I do not compare providers for Kenya to Uganda?
Historically, total KES-UGX transfer cost has varied by 37.34 percentage points. On a KES 18000 transfer, that can translate to KES 6721.20 in savings.
KES-UGX exchange rate markup also varies across providers. The average markup spread has been about 12.51 percentage points. On a KES 18000 transfer, that could be KES 2251.80 saved from FX alone.
Fees can also make a big difference in this market, with a difference of about KES 6078.90 across providers.
That is why comparing providers can materially change how much of the KES you send does your recipient receive in Uganda in Uganda.
Latest KES to UGX Conversion Rates
Here are some latest KES to UGX (Kenyan Shilling to Ugandan Shilling) exchange rates for popular conversion amounts*.
| 1 KES | 29.07 UGX |
| 5 KES | 145.34 UGX |
| 10 KES | 290.69 UGX |
| 25 KES | 726.72 UGX |
| 50 KES | 1,453.45 UGX |
| 100 KES | 2,906.89 UGX |
| 150 KES | 4,360.34 UGX |
| 200 KES | 5,813.78 UGX |
| 250 KES | 7,267.22 UGX |
| 300 KES | 8,720.67 UGX |
| 400 KES | 11,627.56 UGX |
| 500 KES | 14,534.45 UGX |
| 600 KES | 17,441.34 UGX |
| 700 KES | 20,348.23 UGX |
| 800 KES | 23,255.12 UGX |
| 1000 KES | 29,068.90 UGX |
| 1500 KES | 43,603.35 UGX |
| 2000 KES | 58,137.80 UGX |
| 2500 KES | 72,672.25 UGX |
| 3000 KES | 87,206.70 UGX |
| 4000 KES | 116,275.60 UGX |
| 5000 KES | 145,344.50 UGX |
| 10000 KES | 290,689.00 UGX |
| 15000 KES | 436,033.50 UGX |
| 20000 KES | 581,378.00 UGX |
| 30000 KES | 872,067.00 UGX |
| 40000 KES | 1,162,756.00 UGX |
| 50000 KES | 1,453,445.00 UGX |
| 100000 KES | 2,906,890.00 UGX |
*Based on the Mid-market Exchange Rate
1 Based on 422 pricing observations across 19 firms over the last 5 years for a KES 18000 money transfer from Kenya to Uganda. Data Source: The World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide, available at http://remittanceprices.worldbank.org.
How we analyze remittance data?
Insights are derived from the World Bank's Remittance Prices Worldwide dataset, which collects standardized provider pricing information at defined transfer amounts.
We aggregate this data across multiple providers and multi-year periods to calculate averages, medians, and variability measures in order to identify consistent pricing patterns for the Kenya to Uganda remittance corridor.
RemitFinder does not modify the underlying World Bank data. The analysis presented here is independently calculated from published datasets and is intended for informational and comparison purposes only.