The official currency of Kenya is Kenyan Shilling, which can be abbreviated as KES and symbolised as KSh. 1 KES is divisible into 100 cents. Metal coins are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 20 Shillings. Coins are also available for 50 cents and 40 Shillings, though these are rarely used. The Central Bank of Kenya issues paper currency in denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 Shillings. Banknotes for 10 and 20 Shillings are also available but are not used commonly.          
    
Apart from Kenyan Shilling, US Dollar, British Pound and Euro are some of the other accepted currencies in Kenya but, these are accepted only in major cities like Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru.

There is no restriction on the amount of foreign currency that can be imported to the country. However, taking more than $6215 out of the country requires an authorisation letter.            

Foreign currency can be changed to Kenyan Shillings at international airports, authorised dealers and banks. However, in smaller towns, foreign currency can only be exchanged at hotels.

Most of the banks exchange foreign currency in Kenya, though Barclays Bank of Kenya is most popular of all. Other banks that exchange currency are Standard Chartered Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank and Citi Bank, to name a few.

Almost all the banks in Kenya are open between 9 am and 3.30 pm, from Monday to Friday. Banks also do business on the first Saturday of every month, between 9 am and 12 pm.

ATMs of Barclays Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Kenya Commercial Bank can easily be found in different parts of the major cities of Kenya. These ATMs accept both Visa and MasterCard. Cards with Cirrus and Plus logos are also accepted.  

For paying bills in Kenya, MasterCard, Visa and American Express credit cards can be used. However, credit cards are not accepted by smaller shops. Another option for monetary transaction in Kenya is travellers’ cheque, though commission is high. Travellers’ cheques can only be cashed at the banks in larger towns like Nairobi and Mombasa. US Dollars or Pounds Sterling cheques are easy to exchange.     

Forex changers can easily be found in the key tourist areas of Nairobi and Mombasa. International as well as domestic airports are dotted with Forex bureaus, which are open round the clock.

Instead of banks, exchanging foreign currency at forex centres is better as most of them charge no commission. Several forex bureaus can be found at Kenyatta Avenue and shopping centres in Nairobi. Mombasa also has numerous forex centres across Moi Avenue. Currently, the exchange rate for Kenyan Shilling is 0.012278 US Dollar.

In Kenya, people should beware of snatchers and pick-pocketers. One must also be careful while using credit cards for transactions, as several shops and restaurants use manual systems that can make a copy of the card and use it later.