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3 Oct 2026
By RecruitFinds
You receive an email from a US company.
They like your experience. They like your interview performance. They want to offer you the job.
Then comes the question:
“What are your salary expectations?”
You are a Kenyan professional working from Kenya, but the company is hiring internationally. The salary may be quoted in US dollars, pounds or euros, and suddenly a normal salary conversation becomes more complicated.
Should you accept the employer's first figure?
Should you ask for the same salary paid to workers in the company's home country?
Should you adjust your expectations because you live in Kenya?
What about taxes, currency conversion and payment fees?
The answer starts with understanding what the employer is actually paying for.
One common mistake is converting a proposed USD salary into Kenya shillings immediately and deciding whether the amount “sounds good.”
For example, imagine an employer offers:
USD 1,500 per month
You might convert that into KSh and compare it with Kenyan salaries for similar jobs.
That can be useful, but it should not be the only comparison.
An international employer may be looking at several things at once:
The responsibilities of the position
Your experience
The market for the role
The company's compensation structure
Where the employee or contractor is located
Whether the position is employee or contractor-based
The value of the work to the business
Whether the company uses location-based compensation
Your first task is therefore to understand how the company determines remote salaries.
Some employers use location-adjusted compensation. Others try to pay according to the role's broader market value. Others have a fixed rate for workers in particular countries or regions.
Do not assume that one model applies to every international company.
Imagine two companies hiring the same Kenyan software developer.
The company considers Kenya a lower-cost labour market and sets compensation according to the employee's location.
The employer might therefore offer a salary that is below what it would pay someone performing the same role in San Francisco or London.
The company has decided that the position has a particular value regardless of where the employee works.
The Kenyan employee may therefore be offered compensation closer to the company's broader international range.
Neither model should be assumed before you understand the employer's approach.
A useful question during negotiations is:
“Could you please share the compensation range or the factors used to determine compensation for this role?”
That question gives you information before you name a number.
Location can influence compensation, but it does not erase professional value.
Suppose you are a Kenyan digital marketer managing campaigns that generate significant revenue for a US company.
The employer is not simply buying your physical presence in Kenya.
They are buying your ability to:
Generate leads
Manage campaigns
Analyse performance
Improve conversion rates
Produce content
Manage advertising budgets
Work independently
Communicate with international clients
The same principle applies to customer support, software development, virtual assistance, sales, design, accounting and other remote roles.
When negotiating, connect your salary request to the value and responsibility of the position.
Instead of saying:
“I need USD 2,500 because that is expensive in Kenya.”
You could say:
“Based on the scope of the role, my experience managing similar responsibilities and the level of independent ownership expected, I was targeting a range of USD 2,500–3,000 per month.”
The second argument is based on the job rather than your personal expenses.
Cost of living still matters.
If you are working from Kenya, your personal financial requirements are relevant to your own decision about whether an offer works for you.
But there is an important distinction:
Your personal minimum is not necessarily the employer's market rate.
You may decide that you need at least USD 2,000 per month to make leaving your current job worthwhile.
That does not automatically mean the company will consider USD 2,000 to be the market rate.
This is why it helps to establish two figures before negotiations:
Your target: What you would ideally like to earn.
Your minimum: The lowest amount you would realistically accept after considering taxes, payment costs and the responsibilities involved.
Keep the minimum private.
The employer does not need to know your lowest acceptable number.
This is where international remote compensation can become confusing.
Suppose your contract says:
USD 2,000 per month
That does not necessarily mean you will receive the equivalent of USD 2,000 in your Kenyan bank account after every possible deduction or cost.
Depending on the arrangement, there may be:
Kenyan tax obligations
Foreign taxes or withholding
Payment-platform fees
Currency-conversion costs
Bank charges
Correspondent-bank charges
Transfer fees
The exact treatment depends on how you are engaged and how you are paid.
A Kenyan professional employed directly by a foreign company can have different tax and payroll considerations from someone providing services as an independent contractor.
Do not negotiate a “net salary” without first understanding which arrangement the company is offering.
If you are being hired as a contractor, ask whether the quoted figure is:
The amount invoiced before your own taxes and expenses
or:
The amount you are expected to receive after specified deductions
Those are very different arrangements.
Being paid in USD does not automatically mean the income sits outside the Kenyan tax system.
KRA states that certain foreign income is taxable in Kenya, including employment income earned outside Kenya by a Kenyan resident individual and certain business income involving activities inside and outside Kenya. KRA also states that where taxable foreign income is involved, the applicable Kenyan tax rates for similar income apply.
KRA also specifically states that exchange rates at the time of payment are considered when determining taxable income from foreign income.
This means you should not calculate your financial position using the USD figure alone.
If you receive USD 2,000, keep records showing:
Amount invoiced
Date paid
Exchange rate or conversion used
Amount received
Payment fees
Bank records
Relevant tax records
If you are unsure whether your particular arrangement is employment income, business income or another category, obtain professional tax advice rather than assuming the treatment.
Two workers can receive the same USD salary but end up with different amounts available to them because of how the money reaches Kenya.
For example, an employer might pay through:
Wise
Payoneer
Direct bank transfer
SWIFT
Another payroll provider
The fee structure varies.
Wise states that receiving payments can be free for some payment types but that USD wires and international SWIFT payments can attract fees, while correspondent banks may also charge fees.
Payoneer's current pricing also varies according to the payment method, currency and location; for example, its published pricing shows different charges for receiving through different channels.
Therefore, before comparing two offers, look at the actual payment route.
A USD 2,000 offer with low payment costs can work differently from a USD 2,000 offer where several charges are deducted before you access the money.
You can send the employer a simple question:
“Could you please confirm whether the quoted USD compensation is the gross contractual amount or the expected net amount, and whether the company covers any payment or transfer fees?”
You can also ask:
“Which payment method would be used for monthly compensation?”
And:
“Would I be engaged as an employee or independent contractor?”
These questions are not unreasonable.
You are trying to understand the actual compensation arrangement.
Imagine the recruiter says:
“Our budget is USD 2,000 per month. Does that work for you?”
You should not immediately respond:
“Yes, that's fine.”
If you have not researched the role or calculated your requirements, you may be accepting before understanding the full package.
Instead:
“Thank you for sharing the range. I'm very interested in the opportunity. Based on the responsibilities of the role and my experience, I was targeting around USD 2,400–2,700. Is there flexibility within the compensation range?”
Now you have opened a negotiation without rejecting the offer.
This is one of the most important moments.
If you give a number that is too low, you may spend the entire negotiation trying to move upward from it.
If you give an unrealistic number, you could place yourself outside the company's range.
One approach is to ask for the employer's range first:
“I'm flexible depending on the overall compensation structure. Could you share the budgeted range for the position?”
If they insist that you provide a number, give a range, not a single figure.
For example:
“Considering the scope of the role and my experience, I would be targeting USD 2,500–3,000 per month, depending on the full compensation and payment structure.”
Only use figures that genuinely make sense for your experience and the particular role.
Suppose you receive an offer of USD 1,800 and you were targeting USD 2,300.
You could write:
Thank you very much for the offer. I am excited about the opportunity and the chance to contribute to the team.
After reviewing the responsibilities of the position and considering my experience in [specific area], I was targeting compensation closer to USD 2,300 per month.
Would there be flexibility to adjust the offer toward that level?
I remain very interested in joining the team and would be happy to discuss the compensation structure further.
Notice what this does not say.
You are not telling the employer:
“USD 1,800 is too little for someone living in Kenya.”
You are connecting your request to the role and your experience.
Perhaps you accepted USD 1,500 because you needed the opportunity.
Six months later, your responsibilities have expanded.
You are now:
Managing additional clients
Handling more complex projects
Training new employees
Taking responsibility for important accounts
Consistently meeting performance targets
Working beyond the original scope
That gives you a stronger basis for a compensation discussion.
Your conversation could be:
“I'd like to discuss my compensation based on how my responsibilities have developed since I joined the company. My original role focused on [A], but I am now also responsible for [B, C and D]. I have also achieved [specific result]. Given this expanded scope, I'd like to discuss adjusting my monthly compensation to USD 2,200.”
This is stronger than:
“I need a raise because my expenses have increased.”
Your expenses may have increased, but the employer is more likely to engage with evidence of increased responsibility and contribution.
Numbers can strengthen a salary discussion.
Instead of:
“I am a very hardworking employee.”
Try:
“I currently manage 45 client accounts compared with 25 when I joined.”
Or:
“I reduced average customer response time from six hours to two hours.”
Or:
“I increased qualified leads by 30% over the last two quarters.”
Or:
“I took responsibility for onboarding three new team members while continuing my original workload.”
Your evidence does not need to be dramatic.
It needs to demonstrate how your role has changed or what you have contributed.
Salary is only one part of the negotiation.
If the employer says the USD amount is fixed, you can ask whether other terms are flexible.
Depending on the role and arrangement, these could include:
Performance-based bonuses
Paid leave
Equipment allowance
Internet allowance
Professional-development budget
Flexible working hours
Review after three or six months
Higher compensation after achieving agreed targets
Additional responsibilities with corresponding pay
You should confirm whether any proposed benefit is contractual and how it will be administered.
A promise such as “we can review it later” is different from a written compensation review with a defined date and criteria.
If you are not ready to negotiate immediately, establish the review in advance:
“I'm comfortable starting at the proposed USD 2,000 monthly rate. Given the scope of the role, would it be possible to agree on a compensation review after six months based on performance and responsibilities?”
If the employer agrees, ask what will be considered during the review.
For example:
“Could we also agree on the key performance expectations that would be considered during that review?”
Now you know what you need to demonstrate.
Your salary may be fixed in USD while your expenses are mainly in Kenya shillings.
The exchange rate can therefore affect your actual local purchasing power.
For example, if you receive the same USD salary every month but the USD/KES exchange rate changes, the amount you receive in Kenya shillings can change.
This is one reason to avoid building your entire financial plan around one assumed exchange rate.
Instead, consider your income in three ways:
USD contractual amount
How much the employer promises to pay.
Actual USD received
What remains after relevant payment charges.
KES value
What that money becomes when converted into Kenyan shillings.
Keeping these separate makes international compensation easier to understand.
Imagine you are comparing two remote opportunities.
Offer AOffer BMonthly salaryUSD 2,000USD 2,300Employment typeContractorEmployeePayment methodInternational transferPayroll providerPayment feesYour responsibilityEmployer responsibilityReviewNone stated6 monthsEquipmentYour responsibilityProvidedTax treatmentRequires your own compliancePayroll arrangement
Offer B has a higher stated salary, but the salary number alone does not tell you everything about the financial arrangement.
The correct comparison is the whole package and your obligations under the contract.
There are several natural moments to discuss compensation:
Before giving your salary expectation
You can ask about the employer's range.
After receiving an offer
You have more leverage because the company has already decided it wants you.
After taking on additional responsibilities
Your original compensation may no longer reflect your role.
During a scheduled performance review
This is an obvious time to discuss adjustments.
After measurable achievements
Strong results can provide evidence for your request.
You do not have to wait until you are unhappy to discuss compensation.
Do not make your negotiation unnecessarily aggressive.
Avoid:
“If you don't pay me USD 3,000, I will reject the offer.”
Unless you genuinely intend to reject it, this creates unnecessary risk.
Instead:
“I remain very interested in the role. Based on the responsibilities and my experience, would there be flexibility to move the compensation closer to USD 3,000?”
You are making your position clear without turning the conversation into an ultimatum.
For Kenyan professionals working remotely for foreign companies, the most useful question is not simply:
“How many dollars am I being offered?”
It is:
“What will this arrangement actually mean financially and professionally?”
Before accepting, understand the compensation model, employment or contractor status, payment method, fees, currency conversion, tax responsibilities and any benefits or review arrangements.
Then negotiate based on your experience, responsibilities and measurable value.
A foreign company does not necessarily have to pay the same salary it would pay someone in New York, London or Berlin. At the same time, being based in Kenya does not mean you should automatically accept the first location-adjusted figure offered to you.
Your strongest position comes from understanding the employer's compensation model and being able to explain, calmly and specifically, why your experience and the role's responsibilities support the figure you are requesting.
And when the conversation moves from salary expectations to the actual contract, read the payment and tax provisions carefully before accepting. Your USD salary is the headline number; your real compensation is the entire arrangement behind it.
