How much does it cost to import Electronics from China to Kenya?
For a typical electronics order — 300 units at ¥108 each — the goods start at ¥32,250 ($4,510); add freight, FX, duty and VAT and the landed cost reaches about KSh935,268, or KSh3,118 per unit (~$23). That figure — not the 1688 price — is what you should price off.
Kenya's China imports clear through Mombasa and the Nairobi ICD and sell through River Road, Kamukunji and Eastleigh. The EAC Common External Tariff means the duty band itself is set regionally — 0%, 10%, 25% or a sensitive-item 35% — so getting the HS classification right is the first thing that moves the number.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Goods (FOB) | KSh678,599 |
| Freight | KSh67,706 |
| Duty (10%) | KSh68,465 |
| VAT (16%) | KSh120,498 |
| Landed total | KSh935,268 |
| Per unit | KSh3,118 (~$23) |
What's the real exchange-rate cost when paying a Chinese supplier?
Take a ¥50,000 payment to the supplier. At the mid rate of KSh19.13 per yuan that is KSh956,500; but at the agent-band high of KSh19.8 it becomes KSh989,977 — a KSh33,477 gap on a single payment. That gap, not the headline rate, is your real cost.
The shilling against the yuan sets your real cost of goods, and the two levies that ride on every CIF value — the 2.5% IDF and the 2% Railway Development Levy — mean even a duty-free item carries 4.5% before VAT. M-Pesa moves shillings domestically, but the conversion to RMB is where the spread bites, so compare what an agent actually charges over mid.
How is Kenya import duty calculated on Chinese goods?
KRA assess the EAC CET duty band on the CIF value, add the 2.5% Import Declaration Fee and the 2% Railway Development Levy (both on CIF), and charge 16% VAT on the duty-and-levy-inclusive value. Because IDF and RDL enter the VAT base, the effective rate on a 25% CET item lands well above 25% once VAT compounds on top.
In the electronics example above, the duty falls in the 10% band and works out to about KSh68,465, with VAT (16%) around KSh120,498. On top of that: 16% VAT, IDF, RDL.
Is it cheaper to import by air or sea?
For the same order (90 kg, 0.75 CBM): by air the landed cost is KSh935,268 with KSh67,706 of freight; by sea KSh881,604 with KSh27,082. The cheaper option here is sea, by about KSh53,664. The rule: high weight/volume leans sea; high value at low weight can justify air.
How do I actually pay the supplier?
Kenyan importers typically fund from M-Pesa or a bank into a forwarder or settlement agent who pays the supplier in RMB; for larger or repeat orders a direct bank TT or a B2B settlement provider with a Chinese account gives a cleaner audit trail and a tighter spread than informal channels. Cards and PayPal are not practical on 1688.
What's the cheapest way to bring Electronics into Kenya?
At a landed KSh3,118 per unit against local retail of KSh5,141 to KSh8,226, gross margin runs about 62-39%. On electronics the levers are classification (a wrong HS line can push a 0–10% item into 25%), sea consolidation through Mombasa, and a tight FX spread. The IDF and RDL are fixed, so the saving is in not paying duty you do not owe and not paying air rates you do not need.
Common mistakes importers make
Forgetting the 4.5% IDF + RDL that ride on every CIF value, even on a notionally duty-free item.
Accepting a supplier's HS code at face value — the wrong CET line can triple the duty band at Mombasa.
Using only informal FX channels for the RMB leg and never comparing the spread against a B2B provider.
Is importing from China profitable in other corridors too?
The maths changes by corridor — currency, duty stack and FX band all differ. If you source into more than one market, compare Kenya's cost picture with the other corridors: