• Rough Guide to Kenyan Currency

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    diani beach Rough Guide to Kenyan Currency

    If you are visiting Diani Beach for the first time from overseas, you will probably have little trouble exchanging your currency , using a travelers check, and master and visa credit cards whilst you are in Diani. The ATM’s will also enable you to withdraw from your account as long as you are using a visa card. So it is not really necessary to walk with 1000 in your wallet unless you are in for a serious shopping spree.
    diani beach Rough Guide to Kenyan Currency

    It is better to withdraw small amounts of money from the ATM’s in local as you need so that you do not carry large quantities of cash with you. That said, you may need to get introduced to the Kenyan currency the shilling. The shilling is the smallest unit of the currency (cents don’t really count because they are worthless) and will be denoted as Sh., Kes, or Ksh. If you see ksh. 200 then you know that is 200 shillings. The denominations start from 1,5,10,20,40,50,100,200,500,1000.

    Denomination What is it worth Use it for

    1

    Almost nothing, the cheapest sweet from a street vendor will cost you sh.2

    Keep the shiny new ones for your children or accumulate as many as you can and exchange for a note from a shopkeeper.

    5

    Not much worth really but it will buy you a chewing gum .

    Depends on how many you have or the odd stick of a cigarrete

    10

    A slice of fresh watermelon or pineapple is yours for sh.10

    Buy fruit, pay matatu fare, give to the random guy in the street who gives you useful information. Like pointing you in the right direction.

    20

    This will pay for your fare along Diani beach-ukunda road or for a soda at the roadside kiosk. 2 of these will have you a newspaper

    Pay for fares in Matatus (public transport vans) mostly or your shopping if you have many.

    40

    Not so common and the rarest coin in terms of circulation. Worth more because it is rather rare.

    Keep it, a limited number of these were produced to commemorate 40 years of independence. If you have one, you are lucky.

    50

    The first note. Pay your internet cafe bill after uploading those pictures and browsing for 50 minutes.

    Buy bottled water.

    100

    At a local pub, this may be enough or slightly less for 1 bottle of 500ml beer.

    Buy a GSM sim for your mobile if you are staying long enough.

    200

    2 beers? A ride in a tuk tuk taxi. This is considered a pretty decent tip.

    Shopping for small handicrafts from the road side kiosks along Diani Bazaar or batteries for you camera.

    500

    Depending on where you eat, it will buy lunch for one. Also this will be enough for a taxi ride along Diani Beach road.

    Buy leather sandals around the shops at Ukunda or a bottle of cheap wine at the supermarket

    1000

    It is enough for 12.5 litres of petrol for your hired Toyota.

    Pay for meals , hotels or anything else that has 4 figure bills.

    Visa and Master cards are widely accepted in Diani. In some places American Express and JCB are accepted. Shops, restaurants and supermarkets display prominently information on cards that are acceptable. Where you are not sure, ask and take precaution like you would anywhere else with your credit card.

    Banks in Diani are generally open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m with ATM’s open for 24 hours a day. All the ATM’s discharge Kenyan Shillings only.

    You will not have any difficulties accessing your money while in Diani as long as you have your cards and identification. There are 7 commercial banks and 12 ATM’S in DIANI from which you can withdraw, send, receive or exchange money.

    diani beach Rough Guide to Kenyan Currency

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