What It Costs to Send Money to Kenya from the US
In the 2024 Q3 World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide quarterly survey, sending USD 200 from the United States to Kenya carried a median total cost of 5.41% and an average total cost of 6.03% of the amount sent. Total cost, as defined in that survey, combines the transfer fee charged by the provider with the exchange-rate margin applied to the transaction, expressed together as a percentage of the USD 200 send amount.
Across the 31 providers surveyed in that same 2024 Q3 snapshot, quoted total costs ranged from a low of 0.70% to a high of 16.73%, reflecting substantial variation in the market. Of the providers included, Walmart2World returned the cheapest surveyed total cost at 0.70% for that specific send amount and period; this reflects a dated survey result and may not represent current pricing.
Costs within this corridor can differ depending on the payment method used, the payout method selected by the recipient, and the amount transferred, so figures for one scenario do not necessarily apply to another. The World Bank updates this survey quarterly, meaning figures shift over time. The per-provider table below presents the individual quoted costs drawn directly from the 2024 Q3 survey data.
Surveyed providers (2024 Q3)
| Provider | Type | Pay-out | Speed (surveyed) | Total cost, $200 | Total cost, $500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walmart2World | Bank | Agent | Less than one hour | 0.70% | -0.50% |
| MoneyGram | MTO | Internet | Next day | 1.38% | 1.38% |
| Western Union | MTO | Internet | 3-5 days | 1.91% | 1.61% |
| Western Union | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 2.41% | 1.81% |
| Wave | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 2.91% | 3.69% |
| Western Union | MTO | Internet | 3-5 days | 3.01% | 2.41% |
| WorldRemit | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 3.03% | 3.03% |
| WorldRemit | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 3.85% | 3.85% |
| Western Union | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 4.01% | 2.81% |
| Xoom | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 4.04% | 4.04% |
| MoneyGram | MTO | Internet | Next day | 4.38% | 4.38% |
| Ria | MTO | Internet | 3-5 days | 4.57% | 3.07% |
| Walmart2World | Bank | Agent | Less than one hour | 4.86% | 1.26% |
| Wise | MTO | Internet | Same day | 4.97% | 2.61% |
Total cost = transfer fee + exchange-rate margin, as a percent of the amount sent, at the two surveyed send amounts ($200 / $500). Surveyed prices, not live quotes.
Estimate your transfer cost →Source: The World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide, available at http://remittanceprices.worldbank.org (CC BY 4.0). Figures are from the 2024 Q3 survey — surveyed prices, not live quotes.