Can I use a card to pay for taxis in Kenya, or should I carry local cash?
If you’re relying on taxis in Kenya, cards won’t get you far. I stayed near Westlands in Nairobi and used Bolt and Uber daily, but nine out of ten drivers asked for cash or M-Pesa at the end. In Mombasa, it was 100% cash. Honestly, Kenya has moved to mobile money rather than cards, and tourists need to adapt to that. I would strongly advise not to count on card payments at all, otherwise you might get stuck negotiating awkwardly.
Kenya’s taxi culture is cash and M-Pesa all the way. I spent time in Kisumu and Nairobi, and not a single street taxi even mentioned card payment as an option. In Nairobi, Uber let me link my card, but half the drivers still preferred cash or M-Pesa. It’s simply the way things work. If you’re flying in, get small denominations of shillings as soon as possible. Drivers don’t like big bills because they rarely carry much change.
My time in Kenya showed me just how big M-Pesa is. Almost every driver preferred mobile money over card. Cards might work for hotels or malls, but taxis don’t really run on that system. In Nairobi, Uber technically lets you pay by card, but many drivers find excuses to avoid it. In Mombasa, every ride was cash. If you’re visiting, set up M-Pesa if you can, or just keep cash handy. Don’t expect smooth card payments in taxis here.
Kenya is very much a cash-first country when it comes to taxis. In Nairobi, Uber and Bolt are widely available, but even then, drivers often ask you to pay in cash or via M-Pesa, which is the local mobile money system. I tried paying with a card once through Uber, but the driver gently asked for M-Pesa instead. Outside Nairobi or Mombasa, you’ll only find regular taxis, and they only want cash. Carrying small Kenyan shilling notes is essential.