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What it costs to import from the US to

Forwarder fees, shipping, customs duty and VAT for a phone, compared across 6 US package forwarders. Cheapest estimated total first.

Duty
25% on phones, headphones and clothing, 35% on shoes and cosmetics, 0% on laptops, tablets and smartwatches. Phones also pay 10% excise.
VAT
VAT 16% on the price, shipping, duty and levies. The 2.5% import declaration fee and 2% railway levy apply to every import.
Duty-free limit
We found no duty-free amount for courier parcels.
Batteries
Used devices with lithium batteries cannot go by USPS, so expect DHL, FedEx or UPS.

Checked October 2026

Show totals in
$600 phone to Kenya, 0.3 kg (0.6 lb) Estimated totals include the item, US sales tax, forwarder fees, shipping, duty and VAT.
# Forwarder Courier Fees + sales tax Shipping Duty + taxes Total Link
1 Forwardme Aramex8-15 days · From a quote KSh 0 KSh 4,035 KSh 52,977 Shipping KSh 4,035 · Fees and sales tax KSh 0 · Duty and taxes KSh 52,977 KSh 134,832$1,040 Visit
No sales tax in Delaware. Free membership and free package processing. Consolidation is $3.25 per package on the free plan; Premium, $9.50 a month, promises lower shipping rates.
2 MyUS UPS Expedited5-9 days · From a quote KSh 0 KSh 5,677 KSh 54,039 Shipping KSh 5,677 · Fees and sales tax KSh 0 · Duty and taxes KSh 54,039 KSh 137,537+KSh 2,705 Visit
Florida charges 7% sales tax in Sarasota, but this address is on the state list of certified forwarding agents, so sellers that apply the list do not charge it. A seller that ignores the list will charge 7%. Premium membership is free for 30 days, then $9.99 a month. This estimate assumes the free month.
3 Ship To Box FedEx Economy4-8 days · From a quote KSh 2,205 KSh 4,540 KSh 53,303 Shipping KSh 4,540 · Fees and sales tax KSh 2,205 · Duty and taxes KSh 53,303 KSh 137,868+KSh 3,036 Visit
No sales tax in Delaware. Free standard membership, $2 receiving fee per box, plus a $15 lithium battery fee on devices. Free consolidation.
4 Shipito DHL Express2-4 days · From a quote KSh 1,589 KSh 12,825 KSh 58,665 Shipping KSh 12,825 · Fees and sales tax KSh 1,589 · Duty and taxes KSh 58,665 KSh 150,899+KSh 16,067 Visit
No sales tax in Oregon. Oregon is the default address for Premium members; free accounts default to Torrance, CA, where sales tax applies. Premium membership, $10 a month, for the tax-free Oregon address, plus a $2.25 processing fee per package.
5 Stackry DHL Worldwide Express2-5 days · From a quote KSh 1,881 KSh 12,966 KSh 58,757 Shipping KSh 12,966 · Fees and sales tax KSh 1,881 · Duty and taxes KSh 58,757 KSh 151,424+KSh 16,592 Visit
No sales tax in New Hampshire. No membership, $2 receiving fee per package, plus a $12.50 hazmat fee on phones and smartwatches. Consolidation is $3 per package.
6 Planet Express FedEx International Economy4-8 days · From a quote KSh 259 KSh 16,651 KSh 61,142 Shipping KSh 16,651 · Fees and sales tax KSh 259 · Duty and taxes KSh 61,142 KSh 155,872+KSh 21,040 Visit
No sales tax in Oregon. Planet Express also has a tax-free address in Fort Pierce, FL and one in Torrance, CA, where sales tax applies. Free mailbox, $2 mail-out fee per package. Consolidation needs Premium, $10 a month.

Shipping comes from each forwarder's own calculator, quoted at 1 lb and 5 lb and interpolated in between, so it is an estimate, not a live price. Check the forwarder's calculator before you buy. Devices with lithium batteries only go by services that accept them, usually DHL, FedEx or UPS, so most postal and budget services are left out.

Buying a refurbished iPhone? Compare prices from US sellers

Before you buy a phone in the US

  • iPhone 14 and later models sold in the US have no SIM tray and work only with eSIM. Check that your carrier offers eSIM, or pick an iPhone 13 or earlier, which takes both.
  • Pick an unlocked phone. One locked to a US carrier will not work with your local SIM or eSIM.
  • Any charger in the box has a US plug. Most phone, tablet and laptop chargers accept 100 to 240 V, so a plug adapter is enough.
  • The warranty and returns are the US seller's. The return window starts when the parcel reaches your forwarder's US address, and a repair or return means paying to ship it back to the US.

How Kenya taxes this phone

Duty and taxes for the cheapest option above, in the order customs applies them.

Charge Rate Amount
Import duty 25% KSh 20,464
Excise duty 10% KSh 10,232
Import declaration fee 2.5% KSh 2,046
Railway development levy 2% KSh 1,637
VAT 16% KSh 18,598
Total duty and taxes KSh 52,977

Importing to Kenya: common questions

Why do phones pay 25% duty in Kenya when the EAC tariff lists 0%?

Kenya applies 25% to phones under an EAC stay of application, which replaces the 0% common tariff rate.

What does a laptop pay in Kenya?

No import duty, but the 2.5% import declaration fee, the 2% railway levy and 16% VAT on the total still apply.

Is there a duty-free amount for courier parcels?

We found none, so this estimate taxes every parcel. Sources disagree on whether a small-parcel threshold exists.

Which forwarder is cheapest to Kenya?

For a $600 phone weighing 0.3 kg (0.6 lb), Forwardme comes out cheapest in our estimate at $1,040 delivered, using Aramex. The order changes with weight and item type, and shipping prices are estimates, so check the forwarder's calculator before you buy.

Can I use a forwarder to buy from Apple's online store?

No. Apple's US online store ships only to US addresses and cancels orders sent to freight forwarder addresses. Retailers such as Amazon, Back Market or eBay sellers are the usual route, and their return and warranty terms can change once a parcel leaves the US.

The same phone, shipped elsewhere

Cheapest estimated total for a $600 phone in each country we cover. Each country has its own page.

Sources

Rules checked in October 2026. Exchange rates from 1 Oct 2026, Rates By Exchange Rate API. RefurbMe has no referral deals with these forwarders; the order is always the cheapest estimated total.