Being overcharged by taxi drivers...is it just me?

No. You should negotiate a rate prior to getting in though and if you think its too high, try another taxi.  Don't pay the first price that you are given (which is a good rule for buying a a lot of things in Kenya).

Its difficult to assess whether you are being overcharged, when you have not included a typical rate you are paying, for a certain journey.

True never pay the first price,if they still insists walk away chances are they'll call you back to negotiate and if you can speak Swahili. Make sure ypu repeat the agreed price and destination

There is no way to tell how much to pay for a taxi in Kenya, it just depends on how good you are at negotiating. But being foreign is a huge disadvantage if it's easy for people to tell, even if you walk away from one taxi driver you'll just meet another him. It's always a good idea to have a local by your side to do the bargaining.

I agree its a challenge even to the locals to know if you are being ripped off or not...you can try us for reasonable car hire rates with driver---Ksh.2500 per day saloon cars with insurance for long term arrangements

hi Kikoisa,
It is true,it is so hard to know whetehr or not you are being ripped off by a taxi driver. It happens,even to us,natives,so it helps to get in touch with a local friend or tour operator to give you teh average price to certain places. The major problem is that the public transport industry in Kenya is not clearly regulated,so a taxi driver or other public service vehivle drive can double or even tripple the price depending on the amount of traffic at the moment,the weather(like in rainy seasons),the day of the month or how you look. That is why it is important to get a regular supplier. They will inform you whn prices change and they will not overcharge you.

I tend to use one taxi guy and he is very reliable and fair about  price. I also always ask one of my local friends how much it is to get to certain places that way I know what to expect.

i never tried to use taxi, no matato, no KBS. As i know, kenya runs with negotiations, if you are good in negotiating,you save some money. everywhere you have to do this. welcome to nairobi, i love this place.

You can always stick to companies such as Jatco, Kenatco etc.  They are larger 'professional' companies with newer cars, online booking and a fairly uniform pricing structure.  I am sure that you can negotiate cheaper rates from one of those beat up salon cars, but then again, you are just as likely to be overcharged!

When negotiating always start with half the said price, works for me also ask the locals.

should you need any help,you can get in touch with me,am in the business,and i can assist you get the best prices
regards

you can easily get worth for money services with us we charge on a per day basis get a car and driver at your disposal for only 3,000ksh all you do is fuel to your destination talk about value for money and this services comes on a day to day basis book when you need the services.

My advice,get to know the general price charged for the places you frequent,and you can do this buy askin several different cub guys,once you know never pay a price above it and you may also want to get 1 regular cub guy,it would be better and safer.

I am surprised that nobody is aware that there is a fixed rate card in Kenya for taxi drivers (At least I have seen it in all the taxis in the CBD area). You just need to ask them for it. The minimum meter should start from 200 Ksh (this is the min you have to pay irrespective of the distance). The maximum shouldn't go beyond 1800 Ksh (That is the typical charge they take if you're going from Westlands to JKI Airport).

Following are some typical fares to give you an idea as to how to negotiate.
1.) CBD to Westlands - Ksh 500 or less
2.) Kileleshwa to Village Market - Ksh 600 - Ksh 700
3.) Carnivore to Parklands - Ksh 800 to Ksh 1200 (Around midnight)
4.) Westgate to JKI Airport - Ksh 1800 - 2000
5.) Westgate to Wilson Airport - Ksh 1000 to Ksh 1200
6.) CBD to Limuru (Bata Factory) - Ksh 2400 (I am giving this example for reference so that you know even if you have to go outside Nairobi boundaries, whats the max you should pay)
7.) Nairobi National park to Village Market - Ksh 2000

These are some avg figures to keep in mind and if you know the distances between these points, you can accordingly calculate a figure in your mind to negotiate.