An exchange rate is the price of one currency in another. In Kenya it is usually quoted as shillings per US dollar. On 5 October 2026 the Central Bank of Kenya’s indicative rate was 129.76 shillings per dollar.
Reading the number
- The number goes up (say 129 → 135): each dollar costs more shillings. The shilling has weakened.
- The number goes down (say 129 → 125): each dollar costs fewer shillings. The shilling has strengthened.
On our pages, a + next to a currency means it gained against the dollar overnight.
Who wins, who loses
| When the shilling weakens | |
|---|---|
| Pay more | Importers; anyone buying fuel, medicine, phones, cars; families paying school fees abroad; businesses with dollar loans |
| Gain | Exporters (tea, coffee, flowers, tourism); families receiving money from relatives abroad |
A stronger shilling reverses each line.
Why prices follow
Kenya imports most of its fuel, and fuel moves the cost of transport and food. A weaker shilling makes those imports dearer in shillings, and over the following months that shows up in prices across the country: see inflation and your money.
Where to follow it
- Every African currency against the dollar, with a converter: currencies.
- The overnight move in the shilling, every weekday morning: the Morning.
Information, not advice.