How to send money to Philippines from Kenya with the best KES-PHP rate

The exchange rate is the price you will pay when buying Philippine Peso in Kenya. A better exchange rate means you send more Philippine Pesos to the Philippines.

Currently, the mid-market rate between the Kenyan Shilling and Philippine Peso is 0.4752.

Ensuring a strong combination of fees and exchange rates ensures the best deal on money transfers from Kenya to the Philippines.

• The Mid-Market and Exchange Rates: Finding a provider as close to mid-market rate as possible will ensure more Philippine Peso for your Kenyan Shilling. The current KES-PHP mid-market rate is 0.4752 PHP per Kenyan Shilling.

• Fees: Money transfer fees are charged on top the exchange rate and can be set, or a percentage of the total amount of Kenyan Shilling you’re sending to the Philippines. Mukuru currently has the lowest fees for transfers into PHP of just 2310 KES. We always recommend searching for your exact send amount for an exact fee.

• Amount Received: The amount received in Philippine Peso is the biggest indicator of the total cost of sending money to the Philippines from Kenya. The bigger the amount received in the Philippines, the lower the overall cost of sending from Kenya.

A better option is to use a forward contract. This allows you to lock in an agreed exchange rate for transfers between Kenya and the Philippines for a set amount of time, this can be up to two years in some cases.

Sending through a money transfer company via a bank transfer will most often be the way to get the best price when sending money from Kenya to the Philippines.

Here are all the ways to send money from Kenya to Philippines:

Bank transfers

Bank transfers are often the better option for money transfers from Kenya to the Philippines.

Sending money via a bank transfer with a company such as Mukuru for transfers from Kenya to the Philippines allows you to benefit from lower fees and more favorable exchange rates than you would get with a traditional bank. 


Debit and prepaid cards

Sending money from Kenya to the Philippines with a prepaid or a debit card is very simple with Western Union Agent.


Western Union Agent is a leader in card payments for transfers from Kenya to the Philippines, competing among a total of 4 active money transfer companies on this route.

Credit cards

We recommend avoiding credit card deposits as it usually means taking a cash advance and using it for the deposit. Instead, use a bank transfer or a debit card deposit to save on fees.

If you have to, we recommend running a comparison to find the best deal for your transfer.

Money transfer companies offering services between Kenya and the Philippines have minimum or maximum thresholds on how much you can send or receive. These can be daily, weekly or monthly.

In particular, rates and fees for sending different amounts of Kenyan Shilling could change. We always recommend comparing KES-PHP rates for your specific transfer amount. Then, with transfers to the Philippines, shopping around each time can make a huge difference - as some providers offer introductory rates.

If you’re worried about transfer limits, for sending large amounts of KES to the Philippines, we’d recommend Western Union Agent.

There are different options for receiving Philippine Peso in the Philippines. The most popular are direct bank deposit, cash pickup, a mobile wallet or receiving money into a multi-currency account. Not all providers offering transfers from Kenya to the Philippines will offer every method for incoming Philippine Peso, so it’s best to check ahead of time.

Sending directly to a bank account is one of the most common ways to send money from Kenya into the Philippines. For most part, this is because it means the recipient has to do very little. Western Union Agent is the best company for bank transfers between Kenya and Philippines.

And if you need cash right away, check if cash pickup is an option for transfers between Kenya and the Philippines.

Mobile wallet services and payment apps like PayPal, Xoom, and CashApp are popular too, but they come with more limitations and higher costs compared to money transfer providers like Mukuru.

You will need to verify your ID at the sign up stage when sending from Kenya to the Philippines through a money transfer company.

Documents needed will vary and in some cases you might need a couple of different forms of ID.

ID can be verified in Kenya through a government issued ID such as a passport or driver's license. If the recipient needs ID to collect money in the Philippines, both of these will also likely be accepted. Depending on the company you are using and where the money is going in the Philippines, it’s always best to check ahead just in case.

Larger transactions between Kenya and the Philippines are likely to be subject to additional checks such as proof of funds for anti-money laundering purposes. This could slow down the process of sending money if you’re not prepared for them.

One of the reasons Western Union Agent scored so highly for large and regular transfers to the Philippines, was their easy sign up process in Kenya.

When sending money between Kenya and the Philippines there will be tax declarations to consider.

Some transfers into Philippine Peso may need to be reported to tax authorities in the Philippines. This is of particular note where inheritance or property purchases are involved.

Personal allowances and tax limits will change in the Philippines based on age, income and personal circumstance. When in doubt, please contact a tax professional in Kenya or the Philippines to discuss your individual needs. This will ensure you are not missing any specific tax obligations associated with your transfer.