Sending money to Kenya: costs and inflows
- Latest RPW quarter
- Q3 2025 1
- United States to Kenya, US$200
- 4.26% average total cost, Q3 2025 1
- United Kingdom to Kenya, £120
- 3.43% average total cost, Q3 2025 2
- Tanzania to Kenya, US$200 equivalent
- 59.99% average total cost, Q3 2025 3
- Remittance inflows, September 2026
- US$438.5 million 6
- Inflows, 12 months to September 2026
- US$5,032 million 6
Average cost by corridor
The World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) database publishes three corridors into Kenya with Q3 2025 averages 1,23. Total cost is the fee plus the exchange rate margin, shown as a share of the amount sent 4.
| Corridor | Amount | Average fee | Exchange rate margin | Average total cost | Quarter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States to Kenya 1 | US$200 1 | US$4.64 1 | 1.94% 1 | 4.26% (US$8.52) 1 | Q3 2025 1 |
| United Kingdom to Kenya 2 | £120 2 | £1.96 2 | 1.80% 2 | 3.43% (£4.11) 2 | Q3 2025 2 |
| Tanzania to Kenya 3 | US$200 equivalent 3 | TSh 152,192.75 3 | 13.09% 3 | 59.99% (TSh 194,680.62) 3 | Q3 2025 3 |
When the prices were collected
RPW shows no Q2 2025 average for these three corridors 1,23.
Types of provider
RPW groups providers as banks, money transfer operators (MTOs), mobile operators and post offices 4. The United States to Kenya sample lists bank and MTO services 1. The United Kingdom to Kenya sample lists MTO services 2.
The Tanzania to Kenya sample has 12 services for the US$200 amount. Nine are bank services, two are MTO services and one is a mobile operator service 3.
Across all corridors in Q3 2025, banks averaged 14.99%, MTOs 4.72% and post offices 5.58% 4.
Central Bank of Kenya remittance figures
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) said remittance inflows totalled US$438.5 million in September 2026, up 4.5% from US$419.6 million in September 2025 6. Cumulative inflows for the 12 months to September 2026 fell 1.0% to US$5,032 million, against US$5,080 million a year earlier 6.
CBK publishes monthly figures by source region. For September 2026 it reported, in thousands of US dollars 5:
How Kenya corridors compare
The Q3 2025 averages from the United States and the United Kingdom were below the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 8.46% 1,24. The Tanzania to Kenya average was above it 3,4. The UN SDGs commit to making it possible to send remittances for 5% or less in every corridor by 2030, according to the World Bank report 4.
Common questions
What does it cost to send US$200 from the US to Kenya?
The RPW average for Q3 2025 was 4.26%, or US$8.52, made up of a US$4.64 average fee and a 1.94% exchange rate margin 1.
What does it cost to send money from the UK to Kenya?
The RPW average for sending £120 in Q3 2025 was 3.43%, or £4.11 2.
How much money do Kenyans abroad send home?
CBK reported US$5,032 million in the 12 months to September 2026 6.
Where does CBK publish remittance data?
On its diaspora remittances page, with monthly totals by source region 5.
Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked above before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] with the official link.
Sources
- World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide: Sending money from the United States to Kenya (Q3 2025 data)
- World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide: Sending money from the United Kingdom to Kenya (Q3 2025 data)
- World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide: Sending money from Tanzania to Kenya (Q3 2025 data)
- World Bank: Remittance Prices Worldwide main report and annex, Q3 2025 data
- Central Bank of Kenya: Diaspora Remittances (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Central Bank of Kenya: Weekly Bulletin (16 October 2026)
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