Culture. Updated November 2026. 5 min read.
In a Kenyan curio market the first price is an opening line, not a price. The trader expects you to answer it, and a visitor who pays it without a word has not been generous so much as missed the conversation. Bargaining here is friendly, social and a little theatrical. Done with a smile, it is one of the most enjoyable half-hours of a trip.
Where to bargain: curio and craft markets, the Maasai Market, beach vendors, and taxis or tuk-tuks without an app. Where not to: supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, fixed-price shops, lodges and anything with a printed price. The method in one line: greet, ask 'Shingapi?', counter at about half, settle somewhere around 60 to 70 percent of the first price, and walk away once if you need to. The rest of this page is the detail, the words and a rough idea of what things cost.
Where to bargain, and where not to
| Place | Bargain? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maasai Market, Nairobi | Yes | It moves between sites on different days of the week; ask your hotel where it is today. Opening prices to visitors are often well above the final price |
| Curio shops and stalls in Nairobi, Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu | Yes | Even shops with price tags will often move a little if you ask |
| Beach vendors in Diani, Watamu and Mombasa | Yes | Decide before you start whether you want to buy at all |
| Dhow and snorkel trips sold on the beach | Yes, but check what is included | Ask about life jackets, marine park fees and the boat; cheapest is not always best |
| Taxis, tuk-tuks and boda bodas without an app | Yes, before you get in | Agree the fare to your destination first |
| Uber, Bolt and other apps | No | The app sets the fare |
| Fresh produce at a market or a mama mboga stall | A little, for bigger amounts | Prices per piece are small and fair; do not haggle over ten shillings |
| Supermarkets, malls, pharmacies and restaurants | No | Prices are fixed |
| Lodges, park fees and conservancy fees | No | Fixed, and usually charged in dollars |
| Fair-trade workshops and their shops | No | Fixed prices that pay the makers properly |
The rhythm
- Greet first. 'Habari?' or 'Mambo?' and a smile. Traders remember who greeted them, and the price starts friendlier.
- Look, handle, ask. Pick the piece up, ask 'Shingapi?' (how much?) and listen. If it is unclear whether the price is in shillings or dollars, ask 'Ni shilingi au dola?'
- Counter at about half. Say your number calmly. The trader will look wounded; that is part of the show.
- Meet in the middle. A fair finish is often around 60 to 70 percent of the first price, sometimes lower at the Maasai Market, sometimes higher for fine work.
- Bundle. 'Nikinunua mbili?' (if I buy two?) is the fastest way to a better price.
- Walk away once. Say 'Asante, nitarudi' (thanks, I'll come back) and move on. If your offer was fair, you will often be called back.
- When you agree, buy. Agreeing a price and then walking off is the one real breach of manners in a market.
The Kiswahili you need
| Kiswahili | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Shingapi? | shee-NGAH-pee | How much? (short for shilingi ngapi, how many shillings) |
| Bei gani? | BAY GAH-nee | What price? |
| Ni ghali sana | nee GHAH-lee SAH-nah | It's very expensive |
| Punguza kidogo | poon-GOO-zah kee-DOH-goh | Bring it down a little |
| Bei ya mwisho? | BAY yah MWEE-shoh | Last price? |
| Najua bei | nah-JOO-ah BAY | I know the price |
| Nikinunua mbili? | nee-kee-noo-NOO-ah m-BEE-lee | If I buy two? |
| Sawa, nitachukua | SAH-wah, nee-tah-choo-KOO-ah | OK, I'll take it |
| Asante, sitaki | ah-SAHN-teh, see-TAH-kee | Thanks, I don't want it |
| Nitarudi | nee-tah-ROO-dee | I'll come back |
'Najua bei' is the line that makes traders laugh, because it tells them you have shopped here before. Use it with a grin. For the numbers themselves, from mia (100) to elfu (1,000), see our Kiswahili numbers and money words.
What things cost: a rough guide
Prices vary with quality, place and season. These are rough final prices for everyday pieces in Nairobi and coast markets at the time of writing, not quotes, at about KSh 130 to $1 (KSh 1,000 is a little under $8). Fine work by a known artisan costs more, and should.
| Item | Rough final price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beaded bracelet | KSh 100 to 500 ($1 to $4) | More for wide Maasai or Samburu cuffs |
| Kikoi (woven cotton wrap) | KSh 800 to 2,500 ($6 to $19) | Thicker coast weaves cost more |
| Kanga (printed cloth) | KSh 400 to 1,000 ($3 to $8) | Often sold as a pair; read the Kiswahili saying printed on it |
| Maasai shuka (checked blanket) | KSh 800 to 2,000 ($6 to $15) | Feel the weight of the cloth |
| Small soapstone bowl or figure | KSh 300 to 1,000 ($2 to $8) | Kisii soapstone chips easily; wrap it well |
| Small carved wooden animal | KSh 500 to 2,000 ($4 to $15) | Ask what wood it is |
| Kiondo (woven sisal basket) | KSh 1,000 to 3,500 ($8 to $27) | Leather trims cost more |
Do not buy anything made from ivory, sea shells, coral, turtle shell or wild animal skins, whatever the seller says about its age. Taking them out of Kenya is illegal, and U.S. customs will seize them. Our page on Kenya's rules covers what you cannot take home.
Fixed prices that pay the maker
If you dislike bargaining, or want to know where your money goes, buy at a fair-trade workshop with fixed prices. In Karen, Nairobi, Kazuri Beads employs local women to make its ceramic beads and pottery, and you can watch them work before you shop. In Mombasa, Bombolulu Workshops sells crafts made by artisans with disabilities. Many lodges and conservancies have shops stocked by local women's beadwork groups, with prices set by the group. You will pay more than in the market, and fairly so. Our guide to souvenirs in Kenya has more on what to buy and where.
Tone, cash and a few last tips
- Never get angry. A raised voice loses you the price and the goodwill. If you are not enjoying it, smile and leave.
- Carry small notes: KSh 50, 100, 200 and 500. Pulling out a KSh 1,000 note after pleading poverty undoes your whole argument.
- M-Pesa is accepted at more and more stalls; if you have it set up, it saves counting change. Our money guide explains how visitors use it.
- Do not bargain hard over tiny sums. KSh 50 is less than 40 cents to you and may be lunch to the trader.
- Expect 'mzungu prices' in tourist spots. It is not personal; it is a starting point.
- If a driver takes you to a particular shop, ask whether its prices are fixed. Some shops pay a commission to drivers who bring customers, as they do all over the world, and it is built into the price.
- Beach vendors in Diani and Watamu can be persistent. A firm, friendly 'Hapana, asante' (no, thank you), repeated once or twice, is enough. You do not owe anyone an explanation.
