Money in Kenya for 2026: Shillings, Cards, M-Pesa and Tipping

Kenya runs on the Kenyan shilling (KES) and on mobile money, so plan to pay most day-to-day costs in shillings, use a card for larger bookings, and carry a modest reserve of clean US dollar notes for tips and emergencies. Safari packages and many lodges are priced in US dollars, but taxis, market stalls, restaurants and small shops expect shillings or M-Pesa.

This guide covers how to get shillings, where cards work, how visitors can use M-Pesa, and what to budget for tips. It is general travel information, not financial advice; your bank's fees and your own circumstances will change the best option for you.

Exchange rates move, so check them close to departure

We do not quote a fixed rate here because the shilling moves against the dollar, euro and pound every day. The Central Bank of Kenya publishes indicative exchange rates each trading day, showing buy, sell and mean rates for major currencies. Use it as a benchmark: if a bureau or hotel offers a rate far below the CBK figure, you are paying a wide margin.

Remember that the rate you actually get also depends on your card issuer's foreign transaction fee, any ATM operator fee, and whether you accept "dynamic currency conversion" at a card terminal or ATM. When a machine asks whether to charge you in your home currency or in KES, choosing KES usually avoids the merchant's conversion markup.

How each payment method works in Kenya

Method	Where it works well	Typical costs and risks
Kenyan shillings (cash)	Taxis, markets, small shops, local restaurants, tips for hotel porters	Carry small notes; change is often short for large notes; keep cash split between bags
US dollar notes	Some safari lodges, camps and tour operators; tips at the end of a safari	Worn, torn, marked or older-series notes are often refused or discounted; few everyday shops accept USD
Visa or Mastercard	Hotels, lodges, supermarkets and restaurants in Nairobi, Mombasa and the coast; online bookings	Terminals can be offline in rural areas; card surcharges and foreign transaction fees are common
Bank ATM withdrawals	Bank-branded ATMs in cities and larger towns	Local ATM fee plus your home bank's charges; fewer machines near parks and reserves
M-Pesa (Kenyan Safaricom line)	Taxis, small shops, market stalls, restaurants, many park and service payments	Needs in-person registration with your passport; transaction charges apply; confirm account access and supported transactions
Licensed forex bureaus or banks	Converting clean foreign notes to shillings in cities and at international airports	Compare rates against CBK; airport counters and hotel desks tend to give weaker rates

Contactless phone wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay are not as widely accepted as at home, so do not rely on them as your only way to pay.

Getting shillings: ATMs, banks and bureaus

ATMs are the simplest option for most visitors. Use machines attached to bank branches or inside shopping malls, ideally during daylight. Withdraw enough before you leave Nairobi, Mombasa or another large town, because ATMs thin out quickly once you head towards the parks. Tell your bank you are travelling so your card is not blocked for unusual activity.

Banks and licensed forex bureaus are the right places to change foreign cash. Licensed bureaus are regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya; avoid anyone offering to change money on the street. Count your shillings at the counter, ask for a receipt, and compare the rate you are offered with the CBK indicative rate. Airport counters are convenient for a small amount to cover your first taxi and SIM card, but rarely the best value for larger sums.

If you bring US dollars, bring clean, recent-series notes. Travellers and travel publishers consistently report that Kenyan banks, bureaus and lodges can refuse notes that are torn, creased, written on or from older series, or exchange them at a lower rate. Practice varies and there is no single official cut-off year, so ask your tour operator what they accept and avoid relying on old notes you have kept at home. Larger denominations (US$50 and US$100) sometimes get a better exchange rate, while small notes are more useful for tips.

Large amounts of cash must be declared. The Kenya Revenue Authority's passenger guidance says foreign currency above US$10,000 or its equivalent must be declared to Customs on arrival and before departure. Most travellers carry far less, and spreading money across cash, cards and M-Pesa is safer anyway.

Using M-Pesa as a visitor

M-Pesa is Safaricom's mobile money service and it is widely used in Kenya, from fruit stalls to ride-hailing. To use it, you need a Safaricom SIM registered in your own name. Safaricom's registration guidance says holders of a valid foreign passport must register in person at a Safaricom shop or customer care desk, not at an ordinary M-Pesa agent, with the original passport (photocopies are not accepted). You must be 18 or older, and the name on the SIM registration must match your passport.

Safaricom has shops at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and in malls across major towns. After registration you receive a start PIN by text message and activate M-Pesa through the SIM toolkit or the M-Pesa app. You then load money onto the wallet with cash at an agent, and pay merchants by "Lipa na M-Pesa" till number or paybill.

A few practical points:

A travel eSIM gives you data but not M-Pesa. Many visitors use an eSIM for data and a cheap Safaricom SIM purely for payments.
Check charges. Registration is free, but sending money and withdrawing cash carry fees set out in Safaricom's published tariff.
Plan for the remaining balance. Ask Safaricom how to access or withdraw a remaining balance and what charges apply; do not assume a travel eSIM preserves access to the wallet.

Paying for parks, safaris and tips

The Kenya Wildlife Service payment FAQ directs visitors to KWSPay for park entry. Check the live portal for available payment methods and charges; do not assume cash at the gate is a fallback. Reserves run by county governments, including the Maasai Mara, have their own payment arrangements, so confirm with your operator whether park fees are already included in your package.

What you are paying for	Usually paid in	Notes
Safari package, lodge or camp booking	USD (card or bank transfer)	Often paid before travel; ask whether park fees are included
KWS national park fees	USD or KES via KWSPay	Electronic payment; gateway and card fees may apply
Drinks, extras and laundry at lodges	Card, USD or KES	Ask at check-in which methods the lodge accepts
Taxis, ride-hailing, markets, local meals	KES cash or M-Pesa	Small shillings notes avoid problems with change
Tips for safari guides and lodge staff	USD or KES cash	Both are welcome; shillings are easier for staff to use locally
City and coast restaurant bills	Card, KES cash or M-Pesa	Check whether a service charge is already on the bill

Tipping is not compulsory, but it is a meaningful part of income for safari guides and lodge teams. Published guidance varies, so treat the figures below as a starting point rather than a rule.

Who	Common guidance	How to give it
Safari driver-guide	About US$10–20 per guest per day	In an envelope at the end of the safari, not daily
Spotter or tracker	A smaller separate tip, or a share of the guide's tip	Separately, or ask the guide whether it is shared
Lodge or camp staff	About US$10–20 (KES 1,000–2,000) per room per day	Communal tip box or envelope via the manager at checkout
Hotel porter	KES 100–200 for help with bags	Directly, at the time
Restaurant waiter (Nairobi and the coast)	Around 10% if no service charge is included	Cash on the table or added to the card payment if offered

Budget for tips before you travel so you are not hunting for an ATM on the last morning of a safari. If you are booking a multi-stop trip, our safari accommodation and itinerary guide explains how to keep booking details organised for both payments and your travel authorisation.

Staying safe with money

Split cash and cards between your day bag, your luggage and a hotel safe.
Use ATMs inside banks or malls and shield your PIN.
Keep the receipt from any currency exchange and check notes before you leave the counter.
Agree taxi fares in advance or use a ride-hailing app with an upfront price.
Keep your card issuer's emergency number somewhere separate from the card.

Before you pay for anything: check your entry permission

Most visitors need a Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before travel. It is applied for online and paid in US dollars by card, so make sure the card you plan to use accepts international online payments. Some nationalities are exempt, so check your nationality first and review the Kenya eTA requirements.

For entry permission, use the official Kenya eTA portal and check current exemptions for your passport. Tourism bookings and entry permission are separate.

Sources and review

Checked 4 November 2026. Tipping figures are editorial guidance drawn from published travel sources, not fixed rates. This article is general information, not financial advice.