Compare today's USD to KES (US Dollar to Kenyan Shilling) exchange rates
📈 USA to Kenya Money Transfer Snapshot Today
- Best USD to KES exchange rate today: KES 132.4551, offered by Dahabshiil
- Number of money transfer providers compared: 19
- Exchange rate range: KES 125.3300 to KES 132.4551
- Potential savings on USD 1000: KES 7,125.10
- Number of deals and promo codes: 12
- Mid-market
ⓘThe mid-market exchange rate (also called the interbank rate) is the real USD to KES exchange rate before providers add their margin or fees. exchange rate: 1 USD = KES 129.2737 (Updated about 1 hours ago)
See detailed USA to Kenya money transfer comparison below.
Money Transfer Providers that matched the search criteria
📢 In 26 US states (see provider review on site)
📢 Special exchange rate applied for first transfer
📢 Special exchange rate applied for first transfer
📢 Special exchange rate applied for first transfer
📢 B2B transfers only
📢 Revolut is not a bank; banking services by Lead Bank
📢 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 USD-KES exchange rates mean for you
Compare today's USD-KES exchange rates and send money from USA to Kenya with confidence. View the latest exchange rates, read detailed provider reviews, and discover deals and promo codes — all in one place.
We compared 19 providers facilitating USA to Kenya money transfers today. Here is how the market looks like right now:
Today's Most Competitive USA to Kenya Providers
🥇 Dahabshiil with 1 USD = 132.4551 KES (best USD to KES exchange rate today).
🥈 MoneyGram offering 1 USD = 131.5958 KES.
🥉 Western Union & BOSS Money are also pricing USD-KES competitively today.
The exchange rate provided by these 19 providers ranges from KES 125.3300 to KES 132.4551. For a USD 1000 money transfer from USA to Kenya, that could mean up to KES 7,125.10 saved on FX alone.
USD-KES exchange rates fluctuate throughout the day, and top positions can change quickly. This can significantly impact the final KES payout that your recipient gets in Kenya.
That's why we recommend comparing money transfer providers to ensure you can maximize the value of your USA to Kenya remittances.
🔄 Looking for the reverse route? Send money from Kenya to USA 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 USA.
👇 Look beyond today's USD-KES exchange rate — historical pricing trends show how they can affect the overall transfer cost of your transfer.
Whilst the exchange rate matters, long-term pricing patterns show that exchange rate markup, transfer fees, and payment and delivery methods can significantly influence your final payout.
Below, we analyze USA to Kenya historical remittance data to help you understand where costs may arise and strategies to potentially maximize your KES payout.
Data-driven cost insights for USA to Kenya money transfers
When you send money internationally from USA to Kenya, the key factors that will influence the overall cost of your transaction are:
- USD-KES exchange rate
- Transfer fee
- Payment method
- Delivery method
Ideally, you would want to optimize these 4 factors to try to get the maximum KES payout for your overseas recipient in Kenya.
Another counter-balancing aspect is money transfer speed. If you need to rush money from USA to Kenya, you may have to compromise on some or all of the above factors.
To put these factors into a better perspective with a data-driven approach, we have analyzed historical remittance pricing1 for the USA to Kenya corridor, comparing total transfer costs, FX margins, fees, and payment and delivery methods across providers.
This historical analysis based on actual USD-KES transfer data could prove useful in identifying the lowest-cost funding options and payout combinations, thereby helping you reduce transfer costs and maximize the amount received.
Before we deep dive, here are the key trends from our analysis, summarized in an easy to read manner.
📌 Key insights for USA to Kenya money transfers
- Typical total cost: 5.58% (range -2.88% to 16.87%, spread 19.75 pp)
- Potential value difference: On a USD 200 transfer, that spread can save you up to USD 39.50.
- FX markup (exchange rate margin): 2.78% (range -5.38% to 10.87%, spread 16.25 pp)
- Average transfer fee: USD 5.59 (range USD 0.00 to USD 12.00)
- Cheapest payment/delivery method combo: Debit Card → Mobile Wallet (2.20% avg cost); most expensive is Credit Card → Cash Pickup (8.86%)
- Method choice impact: Cheapest vs most expensive combo differs by about 6.66 percentage points.
- Market coverage: ~10 active providers (competition level: moderate)
- Typical speed: About 14 hours
What to do next: Compare providers using both exchange rate and fees, then optimize your payment and delivery methods to reduce total cost.
Below, we provide various useful and detailed insights for USA to Kenya money transfers.
📈 USD to KES exchange rate markup can be the biggest hidden cost
The exchange rate on your USA to Kenya money transfers can often be the single biggest factor that will determine your overall USD cost and your recipient's KES 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
Based on 431 pricing observations across 10 providers over the last 3 years (for a USD 200 money transfer benchmark), we see the following exchange rate markup ranges for US Dollar to Kenya transfers:
- Average exchange rate markup: 2.78%
- Median exchange rate markup: 2.16%
- Lowest observed markup: -5.38%
ⓘ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 observed markup: 10.87%
That is an FX markup spread of 16.25 percentage points between the lowest and highest observed exchange rate markups.
This spread is important because FX markup is not consistent across providers or payment methods. In other words, a "good deal" on one day or transfer amount can look very different on another.
For example, on a USD 200 transfer, the above markup range is equivalent to roughly KES 32.50 purely from differences in the exchange rate. That incremental saving can be KES 81.25 for a USD 500 transfer.
How to use this insight: When comparing providers for USA to Kenya international remittances, always compare the exchange rate you receive (not just fees). A small difference in the FX markup can outweigh fees quickly, and the impact typically grows as transfer amounts increase.
USD to KES exchange rate can be the single most critical cost determining factor for your transfer. When comparing providers, pay close attention to the rate you will get.
💰 Transfer fees influence your total USA to Kenya remittance cost
Whilst exchange rate is a major factor affecting total percentage cost, the transfer fee itself can also have a major impact on how much of your US Dollar amount actually reaches your recipient in Kenya.
Based on 431 pricing observations across 10 providers over the last 3 years (USD 200 benchmark), we notice the following fee patterns for US Dollar to Kenya money transfers:
- Average transfer fee: USD 5.59
- Median transfer fee: USD 5.00
- Lowest observed fee: USD 0.00
- Highest observed fee: USD 12.00
On a USD 200 transfer, the average fee amount of USD 5.59 represents 2.79% of the total amount sent.
Looking at the overall fee variation, even if two providers provide similar exchange rates, a worst case transfer fee can reduce the final payout by USD 12.00 on the same transfer amount.
For larger transfers, fixed fees generally become less significant as a percentage of the total amount. But for smaller transfers, fees can represent a substantial portion of total cost.
How to use this insight: For your next money transfer from USA to Kenyan 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 fees by providing lower exchange rates (referred to as a hidden fee), so you should also keep an eye on rates whilst paying attention to fees.
💸 Payment and delivery methods matter for USD-KES remittances
Based on our detailed analysis of historical pricing on the USA to Kenya corridor, we see meaningful variation in overall cost depending on the payment method and delivery method you choose.
Based on 431 pricing observations across 10 providers over the last 3 years (USD 200 money transfer benchmark), the lowest-cost payment and delivery options consistently differ from the highest-cost ones.
For example, here is the average cost variation for popular payment methods used to send money to Kenya from USA:
- Bank Account Transfer: 3.91%
- Debit Card: 4.39%
- Credit Card: 7.16%
- Cash: 7.74%
That is a total spread of 3.83 percentage points.
This means that on a USD 200 USD-KES transfer, you could save (or lose) up to USD 7.66 simply by choosing from amongst the available payment methods.
The savings will only multiply for higher USD amounts.
Similarly, here is the average cost of popular delivery methods used to send money to Kenya:
- Mobile Wallet: 3.05%
- Bank Deposit: 4.47%
- Cash Pickup: 7.16%
The difference between the above delivery methods is 4.11 percentage points.
Once again, this means that you could save up to USD 8.22 on a USD 200 transfer to Kenya by choosing Mobile Wallet versus Cash Pickup.
As you can imagine, the possible combinations of USA payment methods and Kenya delivery methods will all have disparate cost associated with them. Let us look at that next.
Here is a summary table that shows the average cost of payment and delivery method combinations for USA to KES money transfers.
| Payment Method | Delivery Method | Avg cost (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Debit Card | Mobile Wallet | 2.20 |
| Bank Account Transfer | Mobile Wallet | 2.86 |
| Bank Account Transfer | Bank Deposit | 3.64 |
| Debit Card | Bank Deposit | 4.01 |
| Credit Card | Mobile Wallet | 4.47 |
| Bank Account Transfer | Cash Pickup | 5.37 |
| Debit Card | Cash Pickup | 5.88 |
| Credit Card | Bank Deposit | 6.24 |
| Cash | Cash Pickup | 7.74 |
| Credit Card | Cash Pickup | 8.86 |
Combinations are sorted by average total cost % (cheapest to most expensive).
As you can see, the cost differential between these USD-KES payment and delivery options is significant. To put this in further perspective:
- Debit Card → Mobile Wallet has the lowest average cost at 2.20%.
- Credit Card → Cash Pickup has the highest average cost at 8.86%.
- Debit Card → Mobile Wallet average cost is 6.66 percentage points lower than Credit Card → Cash Pickup.
- This means that on a USD 200 money transfer, you could save up to USD 17.73 simply by choosing the best payment and delivery method combo.
- Further, on a USD 500 money transfer, the savings increase to USD 44.31.
Here is a quick summary of the average historical cost of various payment and delivery methods for USD to Kenya money transfers.
💸 Cheapest payment and delivery methods (data-backed)
- Cheapest payment method: Cost of Bank Account Transfer averaged 3.91%, compared to 7.74% for Cash, a difference of 3.83 percentage points.
- Cheapest delivery method: Cost of Mobile Wallet averaged 3.05%, compared to 7.16% for Cash Pickup (4.11 percentage points higher).
- Cheapest combo: Cost of Debit Card → Mobile Wallet averaged 2.20%, which is 6.66 percentage points lower than Credit Card → Cash Pickup (8.86%).
How to use this insight: As you compare money transfer providers for your next USA to Kenya international money transfer, strive to pair the lowest-cost payment method with the lowest-cost delivery method.
This approach can help you avoid a common remittance pitfall of "cheap exchange rate, expensive methods" that can raise total cost even when the headline exchange rate looks attractive.
You can save money on your USA to Kenya remittances by carefully choosing the most economical payment and delivery methods.
🏦 Are banks more expensive than specialist providers for USD-KES money transfers?
We compared traditional banks with specialist money transfer providers based on 3 years of pricing data for USA to Kenya transfers (USD 200 benchmark), and noticed some patterns.
We observed that traditional banks charge 0.93 percentage points more on average than specialist money transfer providers for the USA to Kenya remittance corridor.
That means banks are approximately 1.17x more expensive than money transfer companies on average.
Here are the key stats behind this comparison:
| Banks | Specialists | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average transfer fee | USD 8.11 | USD 5.30 | USD 2.81 |
| Exchange rate markup | 2.36% | 2.83% | -0.47 pp |
| Average total cost (%) | 6.41% | 5.48% | 0.93 pp |
How to use this insight: Whilst banks in USA may offer convenience and brand familiarity, specialist money transfer providers often deliver lower overall cost driven by better exchange rates and lower fees. Even if you want to send money overseas with your bank in USA, we recommend comparing with money transfer companies to find the best options.
📊 Does sending more reduce the cost of USD-KES money transfers?
To see if transfer cost varies based on the amount sent, we compared the average costs of sending USD 200 vs USD 500 from USA to Kenya.
We found that sending the higher amount (USD 500) tends to be cheaper - average cost drops from 5.58% to 4.56%, a reduction of 1.02 percentage points.
It is possible that the cost may continue to drop for higher transfer amounts. That said, always check the latest exchange rates and fees for your transfer amount.
How to use this insight: Since it is generally cheaper to send higher US Dollar amounts to Kenya, consider consolidating smaller, more frequent transfers into fewer, larger sends as doing so may reduce the total cost you pay.
🏛 How competitive is the USA to Kenya remittance market?
Based on 431 pricing observations over the last 3 years (USD 200 money transfer benchmark), the USD-KES corridor is served by 10 active providers on an average.
With 10 providers serving this market, we consider the level of competition in this corridor to be moderate.
Traditional banks represent only 10% of active providers in this corridor (1 out of 10), meaning specialist money transfer companies make up the majority.
A corridor with more active providers is typically more competitive, which can translate into better pricing and more payment and delivery options for your USA to Kenya remittances.
⏱️ How fast are USD-KES money transfers?
Transfer speed can matter just as much as cost, especially when your recipient in Kenya needs funds urgently.
Based on 431 historical pricing observations across 10 providers over the last 3 years (USD 200 benchmark), here is what we see for USA to Kenya transfers:
- Typical transfer time: About 14 hours.
- Fastest transfer time: About less than 1 hour.
- Slowest transfer time: About 144 hours (~6.0 days).
- Average speed at USD 200: About 14 hours.
- Average speed at USD 500: About 14 hours.
Banks vs money transfer providers: We observed that banks are on average 8 hours faster than specialist money transfer providers on this corridor.
How to use this insight: If you need to send money from USA to Kenya in a hurry, compare providers not just on exchange rate, but also on expected speed. Speed often varies by payout method (bank vs cash vs wallet) and local rails in Kenya.
On the USA to Kenya corridor, delivery speed can vary across providers, so it is worth comparing transfer speed alongside total cost for time-sensitive money transfers.
Frequently Asked Questions about USA to Kenya money transfers
These FAQs use data from RemitFinder's historical analysis of USA to Kenya money transfers over several years.
What factors affect the total cost of sending money from USA to Kenya?
USD-KES exchange rate markup, transfer fees, payment method and delivery method all affect total cost.
The total cost of your USD-KES money transfer depends on how you fund the transaction (payment method), how the recipient receives it (delivery method), the exchange rate markup applied, and any transfer fee charged by the provider. You can generally avoid overpaying by comparing various providers.
How much does the exchange rate markup affect USA to Kenya transfers?
USD-KES exchange rate markup can significantly affect your final payout.
Historical US Dollar to KES FX markup ranges from -5.38% to 10.87%, a spread of 16.25 percentage points. As you can see, even small differences in the exchange rate markup can easily outweigh fees.
Can USD-KES exchange rate markup be negative?
Yes, negative markup can occur for USA to Kenya transfers, usually representing a promotional rate.
In some cases, providers may offer promotional exchange rates that are better than the mid-market rate, resulting in a negative USD-KES exchange rate markup. These offers are typically limited in size, eligibility, or duration. Compare providers to see if you can take advantage of such special offers.
Is the exchange rate or the fee more important for USA to Kenya transfers?
The exchange rate markup contributes more to pricing variation for USD-KES transfers (and that remains true at higher amounts).
Exchange rate markup ranges from -5.38% to 10.87% (a spread of 16.25 percentage points). Transfer fees range from USD 0.00 to USD 12.00, which equals roughly 6.00 percentage points of a USD 200.00 transfer.
At both USD 200.00 and USD 500.00, the exchange rate markup shows larger variation than the other component.
But regardless, our recommendation is that it is important to compare both exchange rates and fees when choosing a provider for USA to Kenya transfers.
As the transfer amount increases, the % impact of fees often decreases (because the fee gets spread across a larger USD 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 markup often becomes the bigger driver. Either way, comparing both helps you get the most KES for your USD.
How much can USA to Kenya transfer costs vary between providers?
Transfer costs can vary significantly depending on provider and method.
Historical transfer costs range from -2.88% to 16.87% for USD transfers to Kenya. That is a spread of 19.75 percentage points, meaning the difference between providers can be material.
A major contributor to this variation is exchange rate markup. Markup alone ranges from -5.38% to 10.87% (a spread of 16.25 percentage points). Even small differences in FX margin, therefore, can significantly change the final KES payout.
Why does the same USD transfer cost different amounts when sending KES to Kenya?
Payment method, delivery method, exchange rate markup, and fees all affect total USD-KES cost.
Costs vary because providers apply different US Dollar exchange rate markups, charge different transfer fees, and offer different payment and delivery methods. Even small differences amongst all these factors can significantly change the final payout in KES in Kenya.
How stable are transfer costs in the USA to Kenya corridor?
Money transfer costs can vary meaningfully across providers and methods in the USA to Kenya market.
When we analyzed the historical total cost for USD-KES transfers, we observed a range from -2.88% to 16.87% (19.75 percentage points), along with a variability (standard deviation) of about 3.17%.
A major driver of cost in this market is exchange rate markup. Markup ranges from -5.38% to 10.87% (16.25 percentage points), with a standard deviation of about 2.38%. Fees and method choices can contribute to further volatility.
This reinforces why comparing money transfer providers and their services can matter when it comes to getting the most of your USD-KES transfers.
Which payment method is cheapest for USA to Kenya remittances?
Bank Account Transfer is the cheapest payment method in USA based on average cost.
Bank Account Transfer averages 3.91% of total cost compared to Cash at 7.74%, a difference of 3.83 percentage points.
Based on this, we recommend paying for your USD transfer with Bank Account Transfer, and avoiding Cash if possible.
Is Debit Card cheaper than Credit Card for USA to Kenya transfers?
Debit Card is cheaper on average when sending money to Kenya from USA.
For USD-KES transfers, Debit Card funding averages 4.39% compared to 7.16% for Credit Card payments, a difference of 2.77 percentage points.
As a result, we recommend that you avoid paying for your transfer to Kenya with a Credit Card.
Which delivery method is cheapest for USD-KES money transfers?
Mobile Wallet is the cheapest delivery method in Kenya on average.
Mobile Wallet averages 3.05% total cost compared to Cash Pickup at 7.16%, a spread of 4.11 percentage points.
If your recipient in Kenya can accept Mobile Wallet, we recommend choose it as your preferred delivery option for USD-KES transfers.
Is Bank Deposit cheaper than Cash Pickup for USA to Kenya transfers?
Bank Deposit is cheaper on average for transfers to Kenya.
For USD transfers to Kenya, Bank Deposit averages 4.47% versus 7.16% for Cash Pickup, a difference of 2.69 percentage points. To save more, consider choosing the cheapest delivery option for Kenya.
What is the cheapest way to send money from USA to Kenya?
For USD-KES transfers, Debit Card → Mobile Wallet has the lowest-cost combination on average.
We evaluated 10 payment and delivery method combinations in the USA to Kenya remittance market.
Based on historical averages, Debit Card → Mobile Wallet costs about 2.20% on average. At the other end of the spectrum, Credit Card → Cash Pickup is the most expensive combination at about 8.86% on average.
The spread between the cheapest and most expensive method combinations is approximately 6.66 percentage points when sending USD to Kenya.
Money transfer providers tend to price payment and delivery methods for USA to Kenya remittances differently. As you compare options, look for the cheapest payment-delivery method combo to maximize the value of your USD-KES transfers.
Does sending more money reduce the cost for USA to Kenya transfers?
Larger USD-KES transfers are cheaper as a percentage on average.
The cost of a USD 200 transfer averages 5.58% as compared to 4.56% for a USD 500 transfer, a difference of 1.02 percentage points.
Note that transfer cost can change quickly based on the USD amount you send, so ensure to carefully compare providers.
How long does it take to send money from USA to Kenya?
Most USD-KES transfers complete in about 14 hours.
Based on our analysis, the average transfer time is 14 hours, with the fastest transfers completing in less than one hour and the slowest in 144 hours (~6.0 days).
Are instant transfers available from USA to Kenya?
Yes, some transfers to Kenya from USA can complete in less than one hour.
Historical data shows that certain providers can complete transfers in under one hour.
Note that the actual speed of your USD-KES transfer will depend on the chosen provider, payment method, delivery method, and eligibility checks.
Are banks more expensive than money transfer companies for USA to Kenya?
Banks in USA are more expensive than specialist money transfer providers on average.
Banks average 6.41% total cost compared to 5.48% for specialist money transfer providers in USA, a difference of 0.93 percentage points.
Why do banks charge more for USA to Kenya transfers?
Banks in USA often apply higher exchange rate markups and charge high wire transfer fees.
In this corridor, banks average 6.41% total cost compared to 5.48% for money transfer specialists.
The difference is often due to the fact that banks in USA charge higher exchange rate markups, and often higher wire transfer fees as well.
How competitive is the USA to Kenya remittance market?
On an average, there have been 10 active providers facilitating USD-KES transfers.
Based on historical data, the competition level in USA to Kenya is considered moderate with 10 active providers.
Specialist money transfer providers represent about 90% of identified providers in USA.
Do I risk overpaying if I do not compare providers for USA to Kenya?
The difference between providers servicing USA to Kenya can be meaningful, especially as the USD transfer amounts increase.
Historically, total USD-KES transfer cost has varied by about 19.75 percentage points. On a USD 200 transfer, that can translate to roughly USD 39.50 in savings.
USD-KES exchange rate markup also varies across providers. The average markup spread has been about 16.25 percentage points. On a USD 200 transfer, that is roughly USD 32.50 saved from FX alone.
Fees can also make a big difference in this market. The fee difference across providers has been about USD 12.00 traditionally.
That is why comparing providers can materially change how much of the USD you send does your recipient receive in Kenya in Kenya.
Latest USD to KES Conversion Rates
Here are some latest USD to KES (US Dollar to Kenyan Shilling) exchange rates for popular conversion amounts*.
| 1 USD | 129.27 KES |
| 5 USD | 646.37 KES |
| 10 USD | 1,292.74 KES |
| 25 USD | 3,231.84 KES |
| 50 USD | 6,463.68 KES |
| 100 USD | 12,927.37 KES |
| 150 USD | 19,391.06 KES |
| 200 USD | 25,854.74 KES |
| 250 USD | 32,318.43 KES |
| 300 USD | 38,782.11 KES |
| 400 USD | 51,709.48 KES |
| 500 USD | 64,636.85 KES |
| 600 USD | 77,564.22 KES |
| 700 USD | 90,491.59 KES |
| 800 USD | 103,418.96 KES |
| 1000 USD | 129,273.70 KES |
| 1500 USD | 193,910.55 KES |
| 2000 USD | 258,547.40 KES |
| 2500 USD | 323,184.25 KES |
| 3000 USD | 387,821.10 KES |
| 4000 USD | 517,094.80 KES |
| 5000 USD | 646,368.50 KES |
| 10000 USD | 1,292,737.00 KES |
| 15000 USD | 1,939,105.50 KES |
| 20000 USD | 2,585,474.00 KES |
| 30000 USD | 3,878,211.00 KES |
| 40000 USD | 5,170,948.00 KES |
| 50000 USD | 6,463,685.00 KES |
| 100000 USD | 12,927,370.00 KES |
*Based on the Mid-market
1 Based on 431 pricing observations across 10 firms over the last 3 years for a USD 200 money transfer from USA to Kenya. 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 USA to Kenya 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.